The high winds which Antigua and Barbuda have been experiencing over the past
week have forced a cruise ship to cancel its call at Antigua on Thursday.
Antigua Cruise Port spokesperson, Jessica Russell said the vessel, Beyond of the
Celebrity Cruise Lines declined to sail into the St. John’s Harbour because of the
strong prevailing winds. Safety of the vessel and its passengers is a top priority for
cruise operators.
She said the vessel has a capacity to carry 3260 passengers but she had no
information about how many passengers were aboard as it did not dock in the port
and declare its manifest.
The vessel is scheduled to visit on February 15. There was only one vessel in port
on Thursday, the Windstar.
The Antigua and Barbuda Met Office confirmed that the high winds are usual for
this time of year when low pressure systems in the Atlantic give rise to winds
between 20-30 knots with occasional higher gusts. Normal wind speed for this time
of year average between 8and 15 knots.
The forecast calls for these winds to continue into Friday evening but are generally
expected to return to normality overnight into Saturday.
The winds also caused the Montserrat ferry to suspend services during the week.
The service is expected to resume on Saturday.
Meanwhile, three vessels are due in port on Friday. They are Marella Voyager,
Mein Schiff 3 and Seabourne Ovation. A military vessel is also expected in port on
Friday for what is expected to be a “R&R” visit for its crew.
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