First cruise ship since 2020 arrives in Santa Barbara with 2269 passengers

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The first cruise ship since 2020 has arrived in Santa Barbara. The Majestic Princess pulled in during the dark of the pre-dawn hours with its deck lights on and was anchored for the morning sunrise.

It will be one of 17 this spring. An estimated 31 will come to Santa Barbara this year.

The passenger count is 2269. By mid day, about 1,200 had come to shore. The vessel has a capacity of 3560, putting the occupancy at 63%.

All COVID-19 health protocols are required by the Santa Barbara County Health Department and the Princess cruise line. That includes current vaccination tests.

The city says anyone with a COVID emergency will have to return to their home port for medical care.

Prior to this stop, the Waterfront department worked out the regulations for health and safety with local health leaders and the Santa Barbara Landing dock where the passengers were brought in. Owner Jaime Diamond said she had to go through extensive training and testing for safety and security. There is also extra fencing and security officers on site.

The Santa Barbara Landing and the Condor Express remained open for local business.

The city says cruise ships economically are a benefit for the area. The Waterfront department receives $7 for each passenger on board, whether they come ashore or not.

The city says it also receives tax benefits from the sales taking place when the visitors go to shopping areas, such as downtown, the funk zone, the Santa Ynez Valley, or on tours.

The Santa Barbara Airbus, EOS buses and the Santa Barbara Trolley were all in place for the tours associated with this trip.

Santa Barbara Police also staffed the Cabrillo Boulevard arrival and departure area with two officers and a cone pattern.