There was big cruise news in Barbados as the Disney Fantasy made its first call to Bridgetown on June 22 during a 11-night itinerary.

To commemorate the visit, shipboard officials, led by Captain Fabien Dib, hosted local tourism executives onboard the the ship for traditional maritime plaque exchange ceremony, according to a prepared statement.

The local contingent included Chairman, CEO and Cruise Director of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Alvin Jemmott, William ‘Billy’ Griffith, and Cheryl Franklin respectively; CEO of the Barbados Port Inc. (BPI), David Jean-Marie, along with Chairman of The Foster and Ince Group, Martin Ince and other members of the public and private sector.

Barbados had previously hosted both the Magic and Wonder from Disney Cruise Line, but is not part of the regular deployment pattern.

Franklin added she hopes that a closer relationship with Disney will raise the profile of Barbados as a premiere stop in the Caribbean.

“One of the crucial take-homes from the town hall was the need for Barbados to energize its cruise tourism product ; we also see closer, more collaborative relationships, as an opportunity to continually showcase our new and developing island treasures. A partnership approach also helps to keep Barbados top-of-mind for the planning of upcoming itineraries. Having the wonderful Disney Fantasy grace our shores is a giant step forward in building these bonds. I believe that it speaks to our commitment to excel and their confidence in what Barbados has to offer,” Franklin said.