Barbuda has welcomed Windstar Cruises back as it became the first cruise line to return to the island following Hurricane Irma.

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Officials celebrated the anchoring of Windstar’s Wind Surf, which comes less than one month after the re-opening of the luxurious Barbuda Belle boutique hotel, the destination said, in a prepared statement. 

Minister of Tourism & Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez said: “This is an extremely important milestone for Barbuda tourism as the island returns to normalcy.

“Windstar’s return is the result of a lot of lobbying by the Ministry of Tourism, The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and our cruise partners who have been attending major cruise conferences since 2017, encouraging the smaller cruise lines to return to Barbuda. This is a vote of confidence in Barbuda, and the services and tours that will be available for guests of the ship to enjoy.”

Wind Surf will make nine calls to Barbuda this season, calling bi-weekly.

The Barbuda Council’s Chair of Tourism, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs for the Barbuda Council Asha Frank was present at the Barbuda dock on Sunday November 25 to greet cruise executives from the vessel.

Frank said: “Small cruise lines such as the Windstar that offer a more personal and authentic experience are ideal for the picturesque shores of Barbuda. We welcome the Windstar and thank them for the huge support of our local businesses.”

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, CEO Colin C. James, noted that, “As a result of the work done reassuring cruise lines that Barbuda is open for business, Barbuda will also see additional calls from other scheduled cruise ships as the season goes into high gear. This will act as a significant economic stimulus for Barbuda as passengers not only enjoy Barbuda’s beautiful beaches but explore the destination on tours to Barbuda’s fascinating sites such as the caves, the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the Western hemisphere and the historic and unique Martello Towers.”