Nassau Celebrates Inaugural Call From Utopia of the Seas

On July 21, Nassau Cruise Port (NCP) warmly welcomed Royal Caribbean International’s Utopia of the Seas on its inaugural call, according to a press release.

Passengers aboard the newly launched vessel, which began service earlier this month, were greeted with festive activities including live music, trivia games, and a custom photo booth.

"The arrival of Utopia of the Seas created an incredible buzz here because of the significance of this unique event to our community," said Mike Maura, CEO of Nassau Cruise Port.

He highlighted that "this Oasis-class ship dedicated to the Bahamas means potentially 16,000 passengers are coming straight to Nassau each week, pouring into our economy. This is a call to action for entrepreneurs and business owners to get creative with their products, services, and brands to share our Bahamian culture, history, identity, and experiences. This will not only allow us to sustain the increase in passengers but also increase those numbers and expand to other islands in The Bahamas."

On the same day, NCP reported that over 26,000 cruise passengers visited Nassau, as six vessels docked at the port. Alongside Utopia of the Seas, the terminal hosted Carnival Conquest, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Freedom, Disney Fantasy, and Allure of the Seas.

All passengers had the opportunity to enjoy the welcome festivities, which featured live performances by two bands from Falcon Entertainment in the Port Plaza and DJ Kenny in the Port Marketplace. The NCP team also organized Bahamian trivia games, offering prizes sourced from port vendors and Authentically Bahamian luxury brands.

Visitors were encouraged to take photos at the event, with the Focus 360 Photo Booth team providing branded "Utopia" pier signage and a custom step-in photo frame for selfies.

The day concluded with a Bahamian concert at the amphitheater, sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, featuring performances by DMac, Funky D, Nishie LS, and more, accompanied by Shad Collie and the VIPs.

"Even though the weather tried to dampen the mood, it didn’t stop the show at Nassau Cruise Port," said Shawn Gomez, Marketing & Communications Manager of Nassau Cruise Port. He emphasized that NCP is committed to celebrating significant achievements in the Bahamian cruise sector, which is why they are nominated for the best Arrivals Terminal in the Caribbean. "Nassau Cruise Port is not just a port, it’s an experience."

With Utopia of the Seas making regular stops in Nassau, the island is expected to see a substantial increase in tourism and economic growth, according to NCP.