“Royal Caribbean International is delighted to bring the world-renowned Allure of the Seas to St. Kitts,” said Michael Ronan, vice president of Government Relations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “While Allure of the Seas is the world’s largest and most revolutionary cruise ship, the ship’s ports of call are also very important to our guests. We look forward to bringing more of them to beautiful and vibrant St. Kitts.”

“I am proud of the fact that St. Kitts has been making great strides forward in the cruise industry,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport. “Our arrival numbers have increased steadily over the past four years and I am especially pleased that the passenger satisfaction level for our destination has also been on the increase. The upcoming visit to St. Kitts by the newest and largest ship in the world, Allure of the Seas, will be a very special event for our destination.”

Allure of the Seas features 16 decks, 2,700 staterooms and carries 5,400 guests at double occupancy that could potentially disembark at St. Kitts. The ship’s "neighborhoods," or sections of the ship, are divided into seven themed areas: Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. The ship alternates between western Caribbean and eastern Caribbean seven-night itineraries, starting from its home port in Florida.

Royal Caribbean ships are currently scheduled to make a total of 45 port calls to St. Kitts in the 2011-2012 season, up from 20 calls in the 2010-2011 season. In the 2009-2010 cruise season, St. Kitts passed the half million passenger arrival mark for the first time in its history. From March 14-17, 2011, St. Kitts will be participating in the 27th Annual Cruise Shipping Miami convention in Miami, Florida.

In recent months, St. Kitts was named a top destination for 2011 by both AOL Travel and British Airways. Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at one of St. Kitts’ two casinos or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.