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local Saturday 5 November 2022
Celebrity Beyond docks in Aruba for the first time

Cruise tourism recovering as desired

ORANJESTAD – Last Tues- of the biggest partners in this year.
day, several cruise ships the market for Aruba. This
could be observed docked shows the loyalty of Royal About Celebrity Beyond
in Oranjestad. Director of Caribbean as well. Aside Celebrity Beyond is a cruise
Aruba Ports Authority, Marc from Celebrity, there are ship belonging to Celeb-
Figaroa described this as a other cruise ships from Roy- rity Cruises, which takes its
great day for APA as well al Caribbean that also visit name from the slogan of
as for Aruba. Aruba frequently. the company. The ship,
which is the third in the
Among them was the Ce- Figaroa indicated that he Edge class, was built in
lebrity Beyond, which ar- is expecting a very strong Chantiers de l’Atlantique
rived in Aruba for the first season for cruise tourism, as and began its service last
time. APA is very proud he indicated before. “Let’s April. This ship is under the
because this is one of hope that there will not be care of Captain Kate Mc-
the newest cruise ships of any other external impact Cue.
the Celebrity Cruises line, affecting the cruise tour-
which joined the Celebrity ism sector. For us, it is very The cruise ship is registered
fleet in April of this year. The important to continue be- at the port of Valleta, in
cruise ship was welcomed ing careful so that Aruba’s Malta. It is 326.5 meters
along two others in the economy can progress long, 57.9 meters high, and
port, namely Carnival Ho- and recover from the Co- has no less than 21 floors. It
rizon and another one of vid pandemic.” has a capacity for carrying
Holland America Line. 3260 passengers on board,
Still more for this year based on double occupa-
For APA, Celebrity Beyond The arrival of new cruise tion, reaching a maximum
is a very modern ship and ships for the first time in of 3937 passengers, as
is carrying almost 2,500 Aruba will continue the fol- well as 1416 crew mem-
passengers aboard. Marc lowing weeks before the bers on board. So when it’s
Figaroa said that the most end of the year. For ex- docked, it brings a total of
important part is that cruise ample, recently Aruba saw 5353 people.
tourism is recovering as de- the arrival of Carnival Spirit,
sired. He is convinced that of the Carnival Cruise Line About Aruba Ports Authority
Aruba will see a very strong company. This 21-year-old Aruba Ports Authority NV
season in November, De- cruise ship cost $375 million was founded in 1981. The
cember, January and Feb- to build, and ir carries 2124 company belongs 100 per-
ruary – the winter seasons. passengers on board. cent to the government
This week Aruba recevied of Aruba and has been in
Aruba Ports Authority cele- the Celebrity Beyond, and direct service for 80 years.
brated the arrival of Celeb- the Azamara Onward is Together it manages the
rity Beyond and Norwegian still to come. It’s good to two ports in Aruba, namely
Prima, which arrived in Aru- add that Celebrity Beyond the cruise terminal in Oran-
ba last Saturday. Figaroa begain sailing last April, jestad as well as the car-
said he is satisfied with the meaning it is very new. It is go terminal in Barcadera,
developments for cruise in the Edge-Class catego- where they have an op-
tourism in Aruba. There are ry and has a capacity for erations agreement with
still three other first calls for 3937 passengers. ASTEC. Each year around
this year: one from Royal 330 cruise ships arrive in
Caribbean, another one Azamara Onward is a Oranjestad and another
from Norwegian, and finally 23-year-old cruise ship, 905 cargo ships to Bar-
one from Azamara. which can carry 826 pas- cadera, not counting small
sengers on board, is 181 ships and launch services.
It’s worth emphasizing that meters long, and is in the R- The company is stable and
Celebrity is part of Royal Class category, operated is under management of
Caribbean Group, one by Azamara Cruises since Marc Figaroa.q