Martinique rolls out the red carpet for first cruise ship back

When Celebrity Equinox called at Pointe Simon Cruise Terminal on Sunday, the Martinique Tourism Authority and other cruise industry stakeholders rolled out the red carpet. The Port Everglades-based ship carried more than 2,280 passengers of 33 nationalities plus 1,160 crew.

Cruise Village reopens

The Martinique Tourism Authority reopened its Cruise Village after a two-year closure to welcome the visitors with traditional music and dance performances, food vendors offering ice cream, coconut water and local snacks, and a souvenir market.

As usual, passengers had easy access by ferry to the towns of Trois-Ilets and Case-Pilote, bus tours and taxis, for a more in-depth experience of the island.

New Martinique Insta Point

The new Martinique Insta Point designed by Valorisation Martinique — a large 'M' artistically made of more than 1,500 wooden pieces with a lush backdrop, perfect for photos and selfies — was a popular spot.

'We could not be more pleased to welcome once again cruise passengers to our beautiful Island and especially cruise ships from North America,' said Bénédicte di Géronimo, commissioner of the Martinique Tourism Authority. 'Those two years of patience allowed the Martinique Tourism Authority and all the local partners involved in the cruise industry to reinvent ourselves, to offer the best experience to our visitors.'

Celebrity Equinox at Pointe Simon Terminal

205 cruise calls projected

Celebrity Equinox opened a cruise season with 205 calls projected all around the Island: Fort-de-France (Pointe Simon and Tourelles), Anse Mitan (Trois Ilets), Grand Anse, Le Marin and Saint-Pierre, from lines including MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Ponant, Norwegian Cruise Line, AIDA Cruises, Club Med, Star Clippers and others.

The next scheduled call is Celebrity Equinox on Oct. 2 at Pointe Simon Terminal. The ship will be welcomed then with a bigger Cruise Village, with more vendors and entertainment throughout the day to ensure an unforgettable visit.

The Martinique Tourism Authority will be on hand to meet with cruise lines at Seatrade Cruise Med in Málaga Sept. 14-15.