Like a teenage girl getting ready for the hottest date of her life, St. Thomas is putting on her posh frock in anticipation of inaugural ship visits by both Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, the worlds largest cruise ship, and Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and largest ship, Carnival Dream.
Traffic detours, entertainment, dock improvements, increased security and general clean-up are all a part of St. Thomas’ preparation for the Oasis’ visit, scheduled for Crown Bay on Dec. 8—less than seven days away.
Government officials held a press conference Tuesday morning at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Marine Terminal, known locally as Crown Bay, detailing steps taken and plans made for Tuesday, when the Oasis will dock.
The officials were part of an interagency commission whose mission was to grease the skids for the large numbers of visitors and the first visits by the two floating behemoths.
The interagency commission—which included representatives from V.I. Port Authority, the West Indian Co. Ltd., V. I. Police Department, the Department of Public Works and the Taxi Commission—worked on the logistics to accommodate all the cruise ship guests anticipated for next Tuesday.
According to V.I. Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the commission has been collaborating on the plans for six weeks.
While the Oasis of the Seas will only be carrying a little more than half of its passenger load, St. Thomas is playing hostess to some 15,000 cruise ship passengers Tuesday, the most visitors the island has entertained in some time, according to law enforcement officials.
In addition to the Oasis of the Seas, the Costa Atlantica will also dock at Crown Bay on Tuesday.
Carnival Dream will dock at the WICO dock, along with Princess Cruise Line’s Sea Princess and the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Pearl.
According to Nicholson-Doty, Carnival Dream’s passenger list includes a large number of travel agents and media. These individuals will be influential in conveying the quality of St. Thomas’ welcome to the rest of the world.
To minimize traffic, officials are respectfully requesting that residents avoid traversing Crown Bay, downtown Charlotte Amalie and Havensight, if it can be avoided on that day, according to St. Thomas Police Chief Rodney Querrard.
“We are asking the community to have some patience,” Querrard said.
Addelita Cancryn Junior High School will be the school most affected by the increase in visitors, and will share the sidewalks with the visitors after school is out.
“Parents should talk to the students about courtesy to fellow pedestrians,” Querrard said.
Anticipating large volumes of pedestrian traffic, the logistics group also created signage and sidewalks to help get the visitors to their desired destinations. Signs include average walking times to destinations.
For passengers taking taxis, the St. Thomas Taxi Association, which holds the concession at Crown Bay, will augment its fleet with other taxi associations.
Traffic on Tuesday will be rerouted to form a loop in the Sub Base and Crown Bay area, as well as taxi drop off and pick-up areas downtown. (For detailed maps of the traffic plans, see related links below.)
In addition to modified traffic patterns, all VIPD personnel—as well as officers from the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, the V.I. Port Authority, and the Department of Planning and Natural Resources—will be on duty to help with security, safety, traffic and general assistance.
The police department will be initiating its Cruise Ship Operations Plan, which focuses on traffic, pedestrian safety, visibility and rapid response to calls for service. Parking violations will be strictly enforced.
“Expect to be in traffic longer than usual,” Querrard said.
Querrard also asked residents to protect our tourism product by steering visitors away from unsafe areas.
“There are a few unsavory types who will attempt to take advantage of unsuspecting victims,” Querrard said.
The entire force will be working Tuesday, the chief said.
“There will be nobody off duty,” Querrard said.
As many as 35 greeters from the Department of Tourism will also be out in force Tuesday, acting as human arrows, and assisting with visitors’ questions, Nicholson-Doty said.
“The department is working to present the very best visitor experience,” Nicholson-Doty said. Maps and travelers tips will be distributed to cruise ship passengers. The maps show the shops and historic sites in the downtown area, where visitors can have the greatest economic impact, Nicholson-Doty said.
The department is also providing entertainment, including mocko jumbies and a steel band at Crown Bay, as well as cultural performances at both Market Square and Emancipation Garden.
WICO will also provide some entertainment at its facilities in Havensight.
Crown Bay’s southernmost dock, where the Oasis of the Seas will berth, is also receiving some improvements.
Built to accommodate 146,000-ton Eagle Class cruise ships, Crown Bay can handle the 220,000-ton Genesis Class—which includes the Oasis of the Seas and its sister ship, Allure, (still in production). However, this means beefing up docking facilities, including larger bollards.
The larger bollard is to be installed within a month, according to VIPA’s Executive Director Kenn Hobson.
Until then the Oasis of the Seas can use its thruster engines and global positioning system technology to comfortably maintain position at the dock in winds of up to 10-15 knots, according to Edward Thomas, CEO and president of the West Indian Co. Ltd.
Other Crown Bay improvements include a new temporary screening facility. Traditionally, security screening has taken place aboard the cruise ships, and screening on the docks is a first-time occasion.
The dock’s screening facility is made up of three modular units, which arrived Saturday evening. The units were quickly cleared through Customs and brought to the dock where work began in earnest.
Since then the units have been assembled, had electricity and air conditioning installed, and were getting the final touches put on x-ray machines and metal detectors.
Crown Bay will also have a brand new lounge facility, Jumbie’s Daiquiri Bar, to be fully built out in the next few weeks. Boasting 10,000 square feet of space and soaring ceilings, the facility will feature both outdoor and inside bars and space for bands to perform.
Built using the latest green technologies, the bar will have three 12-foot fans that will do the work of 90 smaller ones, while using only 10 percent of the electricity. Lighting for the large space will also use energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Even the floor, soon to be polished, will be stained with a soy-based stain.
For now, Jumbie’s will be operating an outdoor bar and lounge area for passengers, according to partner Geoffrey Meeker.
