Today, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) resumed port calls to Harvest Caye in Southern Belize. The Norwegian Gem departed Port Miami on its seven-night Caribbean cruise this past Saturday with 1,262 passengers and 1,067 crew onboard. In addition to Belize, Norwegian Gem’s itinerary includes calls at Roatan, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico.
Harvest Caye. Image via Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
The 75-acre Harvest Caye, NCL’s resort-style island destination, features a 15,000 square foot swimming pool; a 1,300-foot-long zip line, which is 136 feet above the ground; a Blue Morpho butterfly and nature park; and a seven-acre sandy beach. Nearby tours in southern Belize provide truly authentic experiences to cruise passengers who choose to leave the island and learn more about our jewel.
Norwegian Gem’s Return to Cruising
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- The Norwegian Gem docks in Southern Belize at Harvest Caye. Image courtesy Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
Norwegian Gem’s return to cruising is part of the Company’s comprehensive fleetwide redeployment plans. These plans are guided by the robust protocols of the Company’s SailSAFETM health and safety program, which at its cornerstone, includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark on voyages through Dec. 31, 2021. In fact, the Company is the only cruise line in Miami and the state of Florida to offer cruises where 100% of the guests and crew are fully vaccinated. Working with the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council, the robust protocols will be regularly evaluated and modified as needed, making science-based decisions to protect guests, crew, and the destinations it visits. During these initial calls, NCL ships will be operating at reduced capacity. As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, updates will be published at www.ncl.com/sail-safe.
“Belize is home to Harvest Caye and we’re thrilled to welcome our guests back for their long-awaited cruise vacations,” said Harry Sommer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “I’ve been impressed and proud of how our global team and destination partners such as the Belize Tourism Board have come together to safely bring back cruising, an over $55 billion-dollar industry that positively impacts communities around the world.”
Harvest Caye’s First Cruise Ship Since March 2020
A shopping locale on Harvest Caye. Image via Belize Tourism Board
This is the first cruise ship that has called at this southern port since the pandemic led to the suspension of the cruise industry in 2020. The return of NCL is a very important step in Belize’s ongoing efforts to rebuild the tourism sector and boost economic activity, as countless Belizeans and businesses have returned to work. Both the Government of Belize and NCL have worked tirelessly to ensure that the guest experience and work environment are aligned to the highest international bio-safety standards.
This includes a robust system of sanitization, health screening, and customer care at the port, the island destination, and on the tours and attractions frequented by the cruise guests. The Government and its partners, through the Cruise Tourism Task Force, have developed health and safety protocols that assure the safe restart of cruising to Belize, and commit to continue adjusting these protocols as the pandemic progresses.
Source: Belize Tourism Board. Header image, and all others not captioned, via Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
