The first cruise ship to enter Samoa in 2024 berthed at the Matautu wharf on Tuesday morning and on board were more than 900 passengers including crew members. 

The MS Nautica cruise ship is originally from Majuro, Marshall Islands, and was in Suva, Fiji before it set sail to Apia arriving on a day when a flood advisory and heavy rain warning remained in effect. 

Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) confirmed the cruise ship has 576 passengers on board, 391 crew members, and a total of 969 people on board, the majority of which are American nationals. 

Despite scattered showers in town upon the arrival of the cruise ship, the EFKS Fa’atoia put on quite a show to greet the guests that were eager to explore the island.   

The stopover benefited the local market vendors and the farmers at the Fugalei market from the tourists' purchases. 

In addition, the crew members purchased 80 pounds of cucumbers, 100 lettuces, 50 fresh coconuts, bags of sushi rice, fresh fish, papaya, mangos and bananas.  

MS Nautica left Samoa on Tuesday afternoon and is heading to Borabora in French Polynesia. 

S.T.A. confirmed MS Nautica to be the first cruise ship for 2024 and there are about 26 cruise ships that are scheduled to visit Samoa. 

Two more cruise ships are expected to arrive over the weekend with MS Volendam to arrive on Saturday and MS Seven Seas Navigator expected on Sunday. 

For February, the S.T.A. is anticipating a total of seven cruise ships.