Roseau, Dominica – 28 Nov. 2006 -- Counting 10 sick days, 10 holidays and 52 weekends, Americans work 241 days per year, not including vacation time.  With cruise ships making 242 stops on Dominica this cruise season, there's no reason not to "call" on The Nature Island for an upcoming vacation!  

Between October 2006 and May 2007, a collection of cruise lines will call at Dominica's ports, allowing ship passengers ample time to enjoy a variety of shore activities on island.  Ships from the larger lines will call on Dominica as follows - Holland America - 34 calls; Carnival - 30 calls; Norwegian Cruise Line - 20 calls; Princess Cruises - 16 calls; P & O Cruises - 14 calls and Celebrity Cruises – 6 calls.  Other well-known cruise lines scheduled to call on Dominica include Club Med Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Sea Cloud Cruises, Sea Dream Yacht Club, Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Combined, the vessels have the potential to bring over 350,000 visitors to Dominica and will call at either Woodbridge Bay Port (5 minutes north of Roseau), Roseau Cruise Berth or Cabrits Cruise Berth. 

"We're very pleased that so many well-known cruise lines will be visiting Dominica," said Yvor Nassief, Minister of Tourism for Dominica. "As this will be the first time on island for many passengers, it is key that their time here proceeds smoothly and that we offer top-quality shore excursions in order to ensure that they want to return, possibly as stay-over guests. Further, if the cruise lines are satisfied with the overall experience we provide, we stand a better chance of negotiating an increase in the number of calls they make in future seasons, which would provide a boost to our local economy." 

To that end, private sector businesspeople who operate enterprises that serve cruise ship passengers have been developing activities targeted to these visitors throughout the island and particularly in and around disembarkation points in Cabrits and Roseau.  Upon finalization, several options for added shore excursions will be presented for consideration to the cruise lines. 

In a recent analysis conducted by the US-based organization Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA), Dominica ranks above average for overall cruise passenger satisfaction by destination.  The island was also rated high in the Friendliness of Residents, Feeling of Safety Ashore and Meeting Visitor Expectations categories.

Known as "The Nature Island" and located between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean, the independent nation of Dominica (pronounced "Dom-in-eek-a") is the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, encompassing an area of nearly 290 square miles. Of volcanic origins with mountains reaching heights of nearly 5,000 feet, rainforests that are considered among the last true oceanic rainforests in the world, more than 365 rivers, waterfalls, boiling lakes and pristine coral reefs, Dominica's natural diversity is truly unique. Dominica is also home to the last remaining settlement of the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean – The Carib Indians. A place where man and nature live in harmony, adventurers and nature lovers alike will revel in the Island's eco-tourism options which include scuba diving, snorkeling, mountain biking, kayaking, horseback riding, nature tours, hiking/trekking, whale, dolphin and bird watching, sailing and fishing. 

Dominica continues to be recognized for its attributes and sustainable tourism efforts, including being the first country in the world to receive Benchmarking designation from the prestigious eco-tourism organization Green Globe 21 and ranking as the only Caribbean destination in the top five happiest countries on earth in the Happy Planet Index (compiled by Britain's New Economics Foundation).  

Beginning January 23, 2007, the U.S. State Department and the Department Homeland Security will require that all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals carry a passport or other accepted secure documents to enter or re-enter the U.S. through airports from the Caribbean, including Dominica. Please visit the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov for more information and downloadable passport application forms.

For more information on Dominica, contact the Dominica Tourist Office in New York at 888.645.5637. Or, visit Dominica's official website: www.discoverdominica.com.  

Contact: Marie Rosa/Candice Kimmel; Adams Unlimited; (212) 956-5900; Marie@adams-pr.com