PHILIPSBURG — The truly magnificent Celebrity Edge Cruise ship made its inaugural call at Port SXM on Thursday morning and was greeted by a large delegation led by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic & Telecommunication the Honourable Stuart Johnson.
The delegation included representatives from both French and Dutch Side Tourist Offices, SXM Harbour Board of Directors and Management Team members and Delisle Walwyn SXM representatives. They were greeted at what is considered the most technologically advanced Bridge amongst Cruise Ships today by Celebrity Edge Captain Konstantino. He welcomed the group and spoke briefly about the different features of the new Cruise Ship. “This ship has been built with twenty-seven per cent more suites than any other,” said Captain Konstantino.
Minister Johnson said in his welcome remarks to the Captain and Crew that St. Maarten was proud of its relationship with Celebrity Cruise Line as well as the other Cruise Lines that continue to put their trust in the island and its people. He said, “We enjoy a healthy and mutually beneficial relationship with the cruise industry, and we want to see it continue to grow in numbers. We thank you for your commitment to the island, and our goal is to work even closer with the Cruise Industry to solidify our partnership moving forward and improve our Tourism Product for the benefit of the Cruise Passengers.”
The ship has a two-level Night Club and a Martini Bar as well as a three-level Garden Restaurant, a four-screen movie theatre with a capacity of 900 people, Roof Top and Sunset Bar on the Deck.
However, its unique feature is the Magic Carpet which is a one of a kind Bar that can be moved to any of the over 15 floors of the Ship. The delegation was given a full tour of the new cruise ship with explanations of the increased use of technology as well as an overview of the types of rooms the boat offers. When it arrived on Thursday, the shop boasted some 2,519 passengers.
