Oct. 30, 2007 – On Tuesday, Virgin Islands Government and V.I. Port Authority leaders extended a warm welcome to the captain, officers, passengers and crew of the Princess Cruises vessel Emerald Princess on its inaugural call to the Port of St. Thomas. The cruise ship, sailing under Capt. Giorgio Pomata, docked at the Crown Bay Cruise Ship Port at 6:30 a.m., on Tuesday, marking its first visit to the U.S.V.I.
Launched on Mother's Day of this year, the Emerald Princess is one of the newest and largest vessels in the Princess fleet. After sailing the Mediterranean for its first five months in service, the ship crossed the Atlantic to commence a full season of 10-day cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Like its sister ships, the Caribbean Princess and Crown Princess, the vessel will bring up to 3,100 passengers and 1,200 crew members to the territory on each of its 17 scheduled calls this season.
The VIPA planned a variety of activities to celebrate the inaugural call. Emerald Princess passengers were treated to live entertainment on the dock and in the Crown Bay Center, including steel pan music, cultural dancers and mocko jumbies. The entertainment ran from 8-10 a.m. for departing passengers and 4-5 p.m. for returning passengers.
VIPA also organized a midday, shipboard reception and welcome ceremony, attended by Gov. John deJongh Jr., Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, Senate President Usie Richards, members of the VIPA Governing Board and other dignitaries. During the ceremony, Capt. Pomata exchanged welcome plaques with VIPA Governing Board Vice-Chairman Cassan Pancham and Carolyn Stevens-Lanclos, manager of the Department of Tourism's St. Thomas/St. John Visitors Bureaus. The governor presented the captain with the flag of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
