New transportation slated for eastern Caribbean; ferries to serve 5 islands daily
Associated Press
08/18/09 5:40 PM EDT
ST. GEORGE'S, GRENADA — Those seeking a new way to explore the eastern Caribbean islands might soon have another option.
A ferry slated to serve Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Grenada and St. Vincent is expected to start operating daily by late October, according to Grenada-based BEDY Ocean Line.
Prices will range from $120 to $140, and some trips will last up to nearly four hours, CEO Benjamin Ross said Tuesday.
The announcement comes as travellers face pricier airline tickets, increased baggage restrictions and canceled flights by regional carrier LIAT due to wage disputes.
One ferry will be based in St. Vincent and serve Barbados and St. Lucia, while another will operate out of Grenada and serve Trinidad and Barbados, Ross said. Between 260 to 300 seats will be available per ferry.
Passengers will be allowed to carry two 60-pound (27-kilogram) suitcases without charge, and alcohol is prohibited on board.
In 2005, Barbadian company Remac Tours announced it would offer ferry service between Barbados and Guadeloupe, with stops in St. Lucia, Dominica and Martinique. But the service was never begun for internal reasons not related to costs or demand, CEO Reynold McClean said.
Currently, only a couple of ferries operate between Florida and the Bahamas and among Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
