In a welcome move, the Virgin Islands Port Authority has unveiled a significant enhancement to the accessibility of the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility on St. Croix for cruise ship passengers.
Introducing a new electric trolley will significantly enhance the experience for guests who need help traversing the 1,500-foot-long pier when arriving on the island.
New Trolley Service for Cruise Guests to St Croix
The Virgin Islands Port Authority has recently purchased a Moto Electric Vehicles trolley for the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility on St. Croix.
This new trolley, which has a seating capacity for up to 38 passengers, aims to assist those who need help traversing the 1,526-foot cruise ship pier. It’s a notable addition to the port’s services as the trolley is also ADA-compliant. A dedicated charging station has been set up at the dock, and trained port authority personnel will operate the electric trolley.
The trolley has been put in place at the request of the Royal Caribbean Group, which also included an agreement between the Royal Caribbean Group and the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) to improve the territory’s cruise industry. Royal Caribbean Group also committed to nearly tripling its calls to St. Croix during the 2023 cruise season.
VIPA’s Executive Director Carlton Dowe: “RCG has kept its promise to bring 140,000 cruise visitors to Frederiksted. VIPA is now proud to deliver on our pledge to make the arrival experience at our pier in Frederiksted more accessible for our visitors.”
“We look forward to another robust cruise season on St. Croix and a continued successful partnership with Royal Caribbean Group.”
While cruise ships have long been known to be exceptionally accommodating to guests with disabilities, the situation is vastly different in many ports worldwide. The addition of the trolley for those with disabilities at the port of St. Croix will be a big help for those wanting to explore Frederiksted.
By investing in the comfort and accessibility of the guests, St. Croix is setting a positive example for other ports to follow, making cruise travel more enjoyable and accessible for all.
Cruise Ships in St Croix
St. Croix’s cruise season runs from November to April, with the remaining months seeing few to no calls. Last season, the island welcomed more than 60 cruise ships, including cruise ships such as Grandeur of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Valiant Lady, Celebrity Silhouette, and the ultra-luxury Ritz Carlton Evrima.
Looking ahead to 2024, there are 134 cruise ship arrivals scheduled, with Royal Caribbean International being the most frequent visitor to the port. The schedule includes 79 calls by Adventure Of The Seas, Vision Of The Seas, Rhapsody Of The Seas, Explorer Of The Seas, and Serenade Of The Seas.
The cruise line’s 140,000 visitors scheduled to arrive in St Croix in 2023 is a massive increase from the 50,000 visitors it had before the global pause in operations.
The US Virgin Islands Port Authority operates several ports around the US Virgin Islands. In addition to the Ann E. Abramson Marine Terminal, the port authority operates the Austin Babe Monsanto Marine Terminal at Crown Bay, St. Thomas, and the West Indian Company Limited Dock at Havensight, St. Thomas.
