Jamaican Authorities, RCCL Ink Megabuck Contract

The Jamaican government and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) last Friday signed a $122-million contract for the development of a new cruise ship terminal in Falmouth that promises significant increase in stopover visits to the north coast.

“They have guaranteed 400,000 visitors coming into the Falmouth port every year for the next 20 years,” said Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who signed the agreement along with Adam Goldstein, CEO of Royal Caribbean International.

The contract forms part of a $224-million project that includes the establishment of themed retail shopping areas, entertainment facilities and restaurants in the Trelawny north coast town.

According to Golding, completion of the new pier and landside development is expected in May 2010 to coincide with the arrival of the Oasis of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship.

“Royal Caribbean has already started marketing Falmouth,” Golding said at the signing held at the Hilton hotel in Kingston. “We are going to have to do everything possible to assure that we meet the deadline,” he added.

Under the contract, RCCL will be responsible for the landside development of sections of the town surrounding the pier that will retain the Georgian architectural ambiance for which Falmouth has been designated a world heritage site.