The Carnival Fascination docked at Port Zante, with a maximum capacity of 2,594 passengers.  The ship is well known for its signature Carnival Water Works, with its 300-foot-plus-long twister slide, racing slides and water-spraying apparatuses.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Carlene Henry-Morton, led a delegation of tourism frontrunners to officially welcome the crew and passengers to St. Kitts.

“This is indeed a pleasure to welcome another ship from the Carnival Cruise Line on its inaugural call to St. Kitts,” Mrs. Morton said. “Our partnership with Carnival continues to grow because of our unique product offerings The Scenic Railway, Brimstone Hill Fortress – World Heritage Site and Caribelle Batik.  Our unique experiences add value to Sun, Beach and Sand.”

Mrs. Morton said stakeholders in the cruise sector must continue to give the best customer service possible.

“We must strive to increase the quality of the visitor experience so that our cruise sector in St. Kitts will continue to grow, as this will open more opportunities through jobs for our people,” Morton said.

Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant

After a plaque-exchange ceremony the local delegation was treated to tour of the ship, which included touring the ornate Passage to India Lounge, the resort-style pool, a mini-golf course and the splashy Carnival Water Works.

The Carnival Fascination is the fourth of eight Fantasy-class cruise ships operated by Carnival Cruise Line. The Fascination was given a multimillion-dollar refurbishment while in dry dock in 2013, during which all 1,026 staterooms and suites were completely renovated with the addition of flat-screen TVs, new furnishings, and refurbished bathrooms.

The Carnival Cruise Line has 12 ships visiting St. Kitts 87 times, bringing close to 300,000 visitors in this cruise season.

The 2015-16 cruise season will climax when the millionth passenger arrives in St. Kitts in August.  This cruise season has been one of the most successful thus far, boasting a record 21 inaugural cruise ship calls.