In Costa Rica the arrival of 224,000 passengers on board of 110 cruises is expected during the 2018-2019 season.
The cruise season is scheduled to begin on August 23, with the arrival of the Sea Princess ship to Puerto Limón.The Port Administration and Economic Development Board of the Atlantic Coast (Japdeva) announced that a total of 110 vessels are expected to arrive during the entire period.
For the 2017-2018 season, the arrival of 165,000 tourists on board 120 cruise ships is expected, which will represent an increase of 33% over the previous period.
The general director of the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (Inguat), Jorge Mario Chajon, stated that "...the current cruise season that began in September and will end next August, will be the best ever in Guatemala, both terms of the arrival of vessels, as well as the number of cruise passengers and the projected foreign exchange income. 'A total of 120 cruises will arrive during the season, which is 25% more than last year'."
The number of tourists that arrived at the Amador marina in the first quarter of the year almost tripled compared to the figure for the same period in 2017, and the number of cruises grew by 45%.
From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Panama:
April 9, 2018Cruise arrivals at the marina of Amador, in the Panamanian Pacific, during this first quarter of 2018 recorded an increase in ships and passengers.
In the season which began on September 16 and which will end in August 2018, the record number of 120 cruise ships is expected to arrive at the ports of Santo Tomás de Castilla, Río Dulce, Livingston and Puerto Quetzal.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalian Tourism Institute:
Guatemala, October 16, 2017.The current cruise season is marked by a series of characteristics, that make it historical.Among them, three new cruise lines will be arriving at Guatemalan coasts.In addition, the cruise lines that already travel to the country have scheduled visits by eight cruise ships which will stop at the ports for the first time.And, the most outstanding thing is that a record historical figure has been set for Guatemala, with the arrival of a total of 120 boats in the current season.The projected contribution to the economy from foreign exchange earnings is over $7 million.
For the period 2017/18 81 cruise ships are expected to arrive in the country, which represents a 14% increase over the previous season.
The increase in arrivals of cruise ships is combined with greater availability of infrastructure and reduction in landing times, since, according to the National Port Company have "...new docks allow tourists arriving in San Juan del Sur on a cruise to disembark in an hour and a half, which is half the time it took before ...".
From November 4 2016 to May 2017 Colombian tourists arriving in Costa Rica as cruise passengers will not require a consular visa to enter the country.
The measure aims to boost trade and tourism in the province of Limón, providing more facilities and agility to Colombian tourists visiting the country for a few hours while the cruise makes its stop in Puerto Limon.
The number of passengers who arrived in the country on cruise ships between January and November 2014 decreased by 16% compared to the same period last year.
From January to the end of November 2014 a total of 191,345 passengers arrived aboard cruise ships, ie 36,986 fewer passengers than the number reported during the same period in 2013. Over the past five years, 2011 saw the highest number of tourists reported by this means of transport, while 2012 had the he lowest number.
In the first five months of the year the country received 215,581 cruise tourists, who generated $27 million in revenue.
The Panama Tourism Authority notes that in the first five months of the year, "... an average of 45,000 monthly cruise passengers disembarked at the port at the edge of the city of Colon and in the port in Amador on the Pacific entrance to the Canal. "
Representatives from the cruise lines together with the Honduran authorities are defining new flights from Río Amarillo airport in the tourist center of Copán.
Boosting the domestic tourism sector through the Roatan / Copan / Gracias triangulation, which will be possible with the opening of the Celaque airfield in Gracias, Lempira and the Rio Amarillo Airfield in Copan, is the aim of sector authorities who will meet from 28 to 30 May with executives of the Federation of Rail Florida and the Caribbean (FCCA) in order to establish this route as a new option for cruise passengers arriving in Roatan.
The cruise line Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Corporation are reviewing security measures implemented on the island with the government.
Reinforcing the image of the destination and defining a new security strategy for the Island of Roatan, including the recommendations of security directors of the three largest cruise lines in the world is the goal of the meeting between these businesses and the national authorities on security and tourism.
Up to November last year, 301,149 tourists arrived on cruise ships at Panamanian ports, 9.2 % more than in the same month in 2012.
Statistics from the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) reveal that between January and November 2013, 301,149 tourists arrived in the country on cruises, 25,470 visitors more than in the same period in 2012, an increase of 9.2%. This sector contributed $45 million to the national economy in that period.
Shorter cruises, packages and more options in emerging destinations such as the Panama Canal and Australia are some of the trends for 2014.
This was revealed by the review site Cruise Critic based on the industry reports, surveys and reviews from passengers.
Create your own package: cruise lines are giving passengers the opportunity to select offers and make their own package, including airline, onboard credit and other things.
The ship Celebrity Millennium will kick off the 2013-14 cruise season through the Panama Canal.
A press release from Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reads:
The new season of cruises on the Panama Canal began on Wednesday (yesterday), officially, with the transit of the Celebrity Millennium, the first of more than 200 vessels of this type which will cross the waterway, providing the attraction for tourists of navigate the Canal during its centennial year.
The Panamanian Government wants to avoid cruise tourism to depend on the decisions of North American companies.
According to the General Manager of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), Solomon Shamah, the cruise industry is very important for Panama, as it has facilities in both oceans, but the most important thing is the fact that the country is located in a privileged position in Central America and has an air hub which provides the opportunity of being a "home port".
The momentum in this sector needs more services and port infrastructure in order to consolidate and join the global growth of this industry.
The region needs to improve port infrastructure in order to be able to receive the new boats which are becoming bigger and bigger and with this take advantage of the 20% growth that is projected in the next season.