Antigua upset after Carnival cancels future stops

Sep 30, 2009 1 min read

MIAMI (AP) – Antigua and Barbuda officials are upset Carnival Corp. is taking the island off a ship’s itinerary.

Beginning Jan. 3, Carnival will substitute St. Maarten for Antigua on the Carnival Victory’s weekly six-stop, seven-day trips out of Puerto Rico.

Tourism minister John Maginley says the island nation will lose $40 million in revenue.

He says local officials weren’t consulted, and the change comes just after six American tourists from the ship were arrested. The passengers were charged with assault and malicious damage after refusing to pay a cab fare they thought was excessive and later scuffling with police.

Carnival says the change had nothing to do with the incident. A spokeswoman says the itinerary was 4 years old and simply needed an update.

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