Nov. 28, 2008 — They came. They saw. They had a great time.
When 600-some tourists trooped off Oceania Regatta — the first cruise ship to dock on St. Croix in years — it was as if Mother Nature took a hand in making their visit perfect. The sky was sunny but dotted with clouds that kept the temperature from getting too hot, a gentle breeze tugged at their hats and clothing. They were greeted by traditional music, mocko jumbies, merchants and tour operators and artisans.
The island made a very good impression.
"We enjoyed it immensely," said Bill Raudio from the San Francisco Bay Area. He and his wife had visited the Whim Plantation Museum and the St. George Botanical Gardens. On returning to the pier area in Frederiksted, they were surprised to find themselves swept up in dance, a traditional quadrille, with other members of their tour and a troupe of native dancers.
"This is my first time on the island," Raudio said. "It's beautiful, and the people are so gracious."
A Canadian couple, Diane and Harry Porteous, had a much simpler goal when they became the first passengers to disembark Friday morning. They were looking for a store where they could purchase some Diet Coke. And they found it.
Later Diane Porteous couldn't get over how friendly and helpful the clerk at the small store was. They didn't have Diet Coke, although the Coke Zero was just fine as far as she was concerned. But the clerk kept expressing his regret for not having exactly what she had asked for. Then, when Harry Porteous was having trouble getting the purchase into his backpack, the clerk kept working on it until he was able to zip it up.
To the local merchants, the arrival of streamlined Oceania Regatta at the end of the pier, gleaming white in the sun, was like an early Christmas present after three years without a single cruise ship coming to the island. Regatta is one of the smaller ships working the Caribbean, but the merchants weren't complaining Friday. Several said they had had a little business from the tourists, were happy to have it and were looking forward to more in the near future.
Oceania Regatta carried 634 passengers. Its passengers are served by a crew of 400, according to Captain Dimitrios Flokos. Unlike the larger ships with amenities for up to 3,000 passengers, with family recreation facilities and programs, Regatta and her sister ships cater to an older (average age on this cruise is 64), more upscale passenger, Flokos said.
St. Croix was the first stop on a 26-day cruise that will take the Regatta all the way down to Brazil and the Amazon River before returning to its home port in Miami. Because the stop in St. Croix was not preceded by visits to other islands under other flags, the passengers did not have to pass through customs before going ashore and returning to ship, giving them more time to spend on the island.
Flokos said he has been to St. Croix before, back in 1979 or '80, but this was Regatta's first visit ever to the island. To commemorate the visit, a "Plaque and Key" ceremony took place aboard ship. Flokos greeted a party of St. Croix officials and citizens, including Tourism Director Beverly Nicholson-Doty, Lt. Gov. Gregory R. Francis, Delegate Donna Christiansen, Alphonso Franklin of Our Town Frederiksted and Sloan Schoyer of Hovensa.
Flokos received two plaques marking the ship's first visit to the island, and other tokens and mementos, and presented several in turn. A champagne toast was raised in the hope of future visits.
Oceania Regatta was built five years ago. At 30,000 tons and slightly more than 600 feet, it is considered small by modern standards, but it contains plenty of luxury, with dark paneled walls, four restaurants, a casino, shops, pool area, games and a large, comfortable library.
The next cruise ship to visit St. Croix will come Jan. 5, and it will be the sister ship of Regatta, Oceania Regent.
More than 60 cruise ships are scheduled to dock at St. Croix in 2009.
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