Saint Vincent Island (Kingstown, Grenadines)

Saint Vincent Island is the biggest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - sovereign country in Lesser Antilles (southern Windward Islands, West Indies, Caribbean Sea). The island is located approx 160 km (100 mi) west of Barbados. Saint Vincent is also between Grenada and Saint Lucia.

For season 2018-2019, Bequia Island had scheduled/booked 88 cruise ship calls, St Vincent Island - 82, Mayreau Island - 43, Tobago Cays - 31, Union Island - 26, Canouan Island - 3.

Saint Vincent covers a total land area of approx 389 km2 (150 mi2) and has population around 110,000. Country's capital and main seaport is Kingstown - on the island's south-southeast coast, founded in 1722 and with a current population around 25,000. The rest of the island's population (called Vincentians / Vincies) lives along the coastline, including the other 5 main towns - Layou, Barrouallie, Chateaubelair, Calliaqua, Georgetown.

In the 18th-century, the Caribbean Saint Vincent territory was disputed between Britain and France. In 1763 it was ceded to UK, then again in 1783. Saint Vincent became independent from the UK on October 27, 1979.

The island is mountainous and well-forested. Its total land area is 344 km2 or about 88% of the country's total area. Saint Vincent Island's highest elevation point is 1234 m (4048 ft) above sea level - the active volcano La Soufriere, with recorded largest eruptions in 1812 (April 30th) and 1902 (May 6th, ~1680 killed). Its most recent eruptions were in 1979 (April 13) and 2021 (April 9).

In January-February 2021, the volcano's lava dome became actively growing and releasing SO2 emissions and steam. By late-March, the dome measured height 105 m (344 ft), width 243 m (797 ft) and length 921 m (3022 ft). On April 8th was declared "red alert" and issued an evacuation order. The volcano's eruption occurred on April 9 (at 8:41 AM /Kingstown time) when the ash plume reached ~8 km (~5 mi). By April 10, a thick layer of ash covered large parts of the island and a huge cloud of dust started moving east - towards Barbados Island.

On April 9, CCL-Carnival Cruise Line and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group send cruise ships to St Vincent to assist the island's evacuation. CCL sent Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend, RCG sent Celebrity Reflection and Serenade of the Seas. Each boat took ~1500 people who were transported to the neighboring islands St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbados.

Saint Vincent Island cruise terminal