Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line aims to bring 250,000 cruise visitors to Nassau annually

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line aims to bring 250,000 cruise visitors to Nassau annually

Freeport service to resume today

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (BPCL) says it expects to bring 250,000 cruise visitors to Nassau annually with a new route to the capital next month.

Oniel Khosa, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s chief executive told Eyewitness News there was already tremendous excitement and ‘a very strong buzz’ surrounding the cruise from Palm Beach to Nassau via the Grand Classica.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line already sails to Grand Bahama with its Grand Celebration ship, which will resume commercial operations September 27. The vessel has been used for humanitarian aid trips to Grand Bahama in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.

“The Nassau service is set to start October 12 arriving in Nassau October 13. I think there is a lot of excitement. I can see it on social media. We just announced it on Wednesday and just put it on our site. There seems to be a very strong buzz from this. How this will relate in the numbers I really can’t say,” said Khosa.

Cruise-only fares will start at a special introductory rate of $159 per person.

Khosa said: “We believe that Nassau will not only open a new market for us but will also be a huge boost to tourism to Nassau. We expect to bring 250,000 people a year. We also do a cruise and stay which no other cruise line does. What we will be marketing to our passengers is that they go and stay out in a hotel for two, four or six nights and then come back with us. That is a very unique model that we have and should be welcome news to the hotels in Nassau and the out islands.”

Khosa said BPCL is hoping to improve the cruise passenger spend in Nassau.

“We want to reverse the fact that cruise passengers don’t spend. Nassau will be the only port of call for our passengers. We want to bring in Bahamian talent and give the cruise a Bahamian touch. This is nothing but good news for Nassau and The Bahamas,” said Khosa. He noted the cruise line will also be a viable option for persons in Nassau looking to travel to the US as well.

Regarding the company’s Freeport service Khosa said, “The Grand Celebration will continue to service Freeport. We believe that having the Grand Celebration in Freeport is the best thing for the island right now. Grand Celebration is the lifeline to that island. The worst thing to happen would be for that ship to leave.

He continued: “Against all odds we are keeping that ship there so that the island can get its aid and hopefully some tourism to fix the economy there.”