GIZO, the Western Provincial capital, welcomed cruise boat Le Jacques-Cartier (Ponant) on Tuesday when it made a stopover on its tour of the country.
The vessel, which had traveled in from Canada, is carrying 130 passengers.
The luxury cruise, owned by Ponant of France, visited the Western Province before heading to Roderick Island in the Central Islands Province. From Roderick Island, it will sail on to Malaita before heading to Rabaul in Papua New Guinea and onwards to the Federated States of Micronesia and Japan.
After her stopover in Gizo, it sailed on to Njari Island, giving the tourists onboard an amazing sightseeing experience. However, due to bad weather conditions, activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling were canceled.
Despite the moderate rough seas in the Gizo Harbour, two tender boats successfully transported the tourists to Gizo, where they explored the town and engaged with the local community.
Speaking to Solomon Star Gizo, Le Jacques-Cartier Expedition Team Leader Fran Coleman shared that the current guests onboard are from Australia, America, France, Germany, China and other countries.
“It is truly a multicultural experience and the trip has been amazing so far,” Coleman said.
“For most of the guests, this is their first time visiting the Solomon Islands and they are really enjoying it,’’ she added.
Most of the guests walked the main Gizo Street from Gizo Hotel Road to PT109. Many of them, especially Chefs from the cruise boat were able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk at the Gizo Market, providing much needed income for vendors.
Western Province Chief Tourism Officer Meria Paza said, while the weather was not ideal, visitors still enjoyed their brief tour of Gizo Township.
“The visit of the cruise ship brings direct economic benefits to our local economy,” Mrs Paza said.
“Market vendors, currency exchange services, carvers, and transport operators all benefited from the influx of tourists.”
Mrs Paza said this was the first visit of Le Jacques-Cartier to Gizo and added that more cruise ships are expected to visit Western Province in the coming months.
“At least six more cruise ships will visit the country, with stopovers in various provinces, including Western Province,” she said.
She said this is encouraging news for the local tourism industry.
Last year, only three cruise ships visited Gizo, with most opting to visit outer islands.
This year, several luxury liners, including Le Soleal, HANSEATIC Inspiration, HANSEATIC Spirit, Seabourn Pursuit, Heritage Expedition, Silver Cloud, Scenic Eclipse II and Le Paul Gauguin are scheduled to visit the country.
Ponant, the cruise line operating Le Jacques-Cartier, is owned by Groupe Artémis, which acquired the company from Bridgepoint in 2015.
Part of the Ponant Explorers class, Le Jacques-Cartier was initially named Le Surville before entering service.
The vessel features 92 staterooms and suites, including four luxury suites, 77 balconies, two fully ADA-compliant cabins, and 72 crew cabins. It can accommodate a maximum of 302 people.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
