Visits by cruise ships to St. Kitts’ Port Zante pick up momentum from November 1 and will continue for the next few months for the 2011/2012 Cruise Ship Season. An estimated 625,000 passengers are expected between October 2011 and September 2012.

The FBI says a mother whose newborn baby was found dead on the Carnival Dream cruise ship has returned to the United States. An FBI spokesman said Monday that the 20-year-old woman returned to the United States late Sunday after being detained by Dutch authorities in St. Maarten.

MSC Cruises' acclaimed spa and wellbeing offering is to be further enhanced by the launch of its stunning new Aurea Suites. This deluxe accommodation will be available on board MSC Fantasia from November 5 and on MSC Splendida from November 13. Aurea Suites will also be found on MSC Divina, the company's newest flagship that will join the fleet from next May.

For National Cruise Vacation Week, Princess Cruises is offering a sale on 2012 European vacations. The promotion, which runs Oct. 17 to 23, includes free balcony upgrades plus up to $100 in onboard credit per stateroom.

Royal Caribbean International will extend the DreamWorks Experience to a fifth ship in 2012, the 137,000-ton Voyager of the Seas. Po and Shrek will be among the characters that will attend events and parades, character breakfasts in the main dining room, and photo opportunities. The DreamWorks Experience will be in place at the start of the summer 2012 Asia season.

Authorities are proposing to team up with the private sector to boost investment in the tourism industry to reverse a significant fall off in cruise visitors - estimated at more than 20 per cent between this and last season.