Cruise ships are skipping calls at Dominica due to violent civil unrest as the island goes to the polls to choose a new leader.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit bemoaned the ‘unwarranted blotch on our otherwise pristine record of peace’ and said no more ships will dock until after the general election period.
Voting opens today.
Most of the unrest is centered on the towns of Marigot and Salisbury, which are considered strongholds for the opposition United Workers Party.
Calls by Azamara, Viking and Marella Cruises ships have reportedly been affected. Marella Celebration is due to call at Dominica on Monday.
Royal Caribbean, HAL and Princess Cruises are among the lines which feature port calls in Dominica.
Protests have been taking place for a while and last month the US Department updated its travel advisory to ‘Exercise Increased Caution,’ adding that it is ‘closely monitoring the recent demonstrations in Dominica.’
