Pointe Simon cruise terminal - Martinique

Fort-de France portThe Martinique TourismAuthority forecasts a strong2011-2012 cruise seasonCompared to 2010-2011, Martinique will recordsharp increases in the number of scheduledcalls and passengers for the currentcruise season – +65.1%and +157.6%, respectively– as some of the top lines in thecruise industry set sail for Fort-de-Francethis winter. More than 100 port calls are scheduledbetween November 4, 2011 and April28, 2012, bringing a maximum total capacityin excess of 125,000 passengers. Martiniqueproudly welcomes : Aida Cruises, Club Med,Compagnie Des Iles Du Ponant, Costa Cruises,Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Holland AmericaLine, Kristina Cruises, MSC Cruises Line,Oceania Cruises, Peter Deilmann Cruises,Phoenix Reisen, Seabourn, Star Clippers,Transocean Tours, Windstar Cruises. Thenew callers this season are Costa Luminosa(21 calls), AidaVita (6 calls) and Kristina Katarina(6 calls). More than 150 Martinicansembark every week on the Costa Luminosa atTourelles terminal. Other ships such as ClubMed 2, Vistamar, and le Levant also homeportin Fort-de-France.of 10 seven-day/eight-night cruises departingevery Saturday from Fort-de-France. Nodoubt this presents a great opportunity forthe thousands of Martinican consumers whopurchase cruise vacations every year.RCCL’s Vision of the Seasreturns to MartiniqueRoyal Caribbean International (RCCL) recentlyannounced the deployment of the 2,000-passengerVision of the Seas on a series of extendedCaribbean and Panama Canal Cruisesfor the winter season 2012-2013, including 4stops in Martinique. The decision follows amemorable visit to Martinique by a delegationof RCCL executives in 2011, during whichthe latest enhancements to the island’s overalltourism product were showcased. The Visionof the Seas’ last call in Martinique wasin February 2009.Today, Cruise Tourism inMartinique enjoys strong politicaland public supportfoster unity and an open exchange of ideaswithin the cruise community in Martinique.The result is a stronger commitment on thepart of the people of Martinique, as well aslocal stakeholders, to deliver the best products,services, and experience to the island’scruise guests.Fort-de-France : an awardwinningbay, a top visitor’sexperience !No matter where they disembark (Tourellesor Pointe Simon Terminal), cruise visitors toMartinique can stroll to downtown attractions,shops and points of interest safely andeasily. Sidewalks are equipped with rampsfor wheelchair guests. The “Malecon” waterfrontpromenade has been completely rebuiltinto a lively attraction for leisure andrecreational activities. From there, visitorsenjoy a gorgeous view of the Bay of Fort-de-France, recently inducted into The Club of theMost Beautiful Bays in the World, and thetowering 20-story glass-building at PointeSimon Business Center. On the Maleconpromenade, active travelers can take partin pick-up basketball and volleyball games.Pétanque courts are also available for lessstrenuous competitors, while kids can enjoyswings, trampolines and other playgroundequipments. There’s even a pristine whitesand beach at the bottom of the 17th centurySaint Louis Fort, and a wide half-mile boardwalkideal for an afternoon stroll.Adjacent to the Malecon lies the 12-acre LaSavane Park, the veritable heart of downtownarea. This impressive urban oasis of natureand serenity amid the hustle and bustle ofFort-de-France is now as beautiful as ever,providing a welcome spot for cruise visitorsto enjoy a picnic or meeting with friends. Delightfulkiosks located throughout the parkprovide various tourist information services,food and refreshments, freshly-squeezed juices,cocktails, sandwiches, pizzas, Paninis,pasta, cassava cakes, deliciously flavoredhomemade ice-creams, Creole, Indonesian,Sushi and vegetarian food, Creole soup, crepes,local candies etc. Shoppers will alsofind Creole fashions for sale alongside localarts, crafts and more.Work to extend DowntownPointe Simon cruise terminalwharf starts in May 2012In order to accommodate Oasis and Allure ofthe Seas-sized ships, the extension work ofdowntown Pointe Simon wharf will start inMay 2012 and is slated for delivery by midNovember 2012. An adjacent broader developmentknown as Pointe Simon BusinessCenter features an imposing 20-story businesstower, a first-class hotel, and luxurycondominiums. The building work shouldbe completed during the second half of2012. Also, since last cruise season, freeshuttles from gangway to welcoming facilitieshave been offered by the MartiniqueTourism Authority to passengers disembarkingat Pointe Simon Terminal to the delightof cruise guests with reduced mobility.Pointe Simon Wharf is currently accommodatingthe 1900-passenger Holland AmericaNoordam for the last two seasons whileTourelles port can accommodate QM2-sizedships.Product enhancement andinnovation, new attractions andservicesMartinique ground-operators constantly viewith each other for new ideas and innovativetours. Among the newest offerings availableto cruise visitors are : hiking in the rain forest,rum distillery tours, “bèlè” dance lessons,dolphin-watching adventures, horseand carriage rides, and beach excursions tothe pristine beaches at extreme southern endof the island.The recent renovation of the Balata Gardens,with its aerial wooden bridges running overthe forest canopy, and the new 24-hectareEmerald Garden of Morne Rouge, a must seefor nature-lovers, are also note-worthy.New anchorages for cruise shipsThe harbors of Le Marin and Anses d’Arlet inthe southern part of Martinique are gainingpopularity as alternate anchorage for smallluxury and boutique cruise ships. Thesequaint fishing and yachting harbors contributeto enhance Martinique’s attractivenessas a cruise destination.A broad-based awareness campaign emphasizingthe importance of tourism, entitled“Bâtisseurs de Paradis” (Builders of Paradise),is currently being promoted among theMSC chooses Martinique aspopulation to highlight Martinicans’ contributionto tourism development. Furthermo-a partial homeportFrom December 15, 2012 through February16, 2013, MSC LIRICA has a full schedulere, a Cruise Commission including severalthemed workshops was recently initiated to2The Balata Gardens3Pointe Simon TerminalEmerald Garden

”Introducing the many faces of Martinique…The Martinique Tourism Authority launched its 2012Advertising”campaign6 7