Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and the government of Saint Lucia have agreed to bring a new cruise port to the southern part of the island. The two cruise companies and the government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to form a joint venture to manage the island’s existing cruise pier and terminal facilities, as well as to construct and operate the new port.
As part of the MOU, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean and the government of Saint Lucia will establish a long-term concession agreement to formalize the terms and responsibilities for the joint venture to manage and operate the current cruise pier and terminal facilities at the Port of Castries. Additionally, the joint venture will design, finance, construct and operate a new cruise port in Vieux Fort on the southern part of the island. Plans call for that port to be able to accommodate the cruise industry’s newest ships, according to the announcement of the new joint venture.
Together, the cruise line brands of Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. currently account for 75 percent of all cruise ship deployment to Saint Lucia. Officials say that the new joint venture will improve the guest experience for cruise travelers visiting Saint Lucia, as well as develop additional infrastructure to promote the growth of cruise tourism to the island.
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