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.
In the Pacific port of Costa Rica a cruise ship route has been inaugurated which will cover the Mesoamerican coast and end in Los Angeles, California.
The "Mesoamerican Route" operated by Azamara Club Cruises, a cruise line attached to Royal Caribbean International, starts in Puerto Caldera, ending 14 days later in the U.S.
From a press release from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute:
The country is not on the cruise ship's route map for next season, leaving only Pullmantur using Colon 2000 as a home port.
"A month ago we were told the ship would go the port of Tampa in Florida, so we had the opportunity to negotiate to find an alternative," said Solomon Shamah, administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP).
Adding to its investments in Colon in Panama and Roatan in Honduras, is a further $40 million which will go into San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua, in an exclusive terminal for cruise ships.
The Nicaragua project was announced earlier last year, but has not been firmed up since.
Now an article in Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that "the news last week was reconfirmed by the Deputy Mayor of San Juan del Sur, Rivas Adelina, and a host of personalities from the Chambers of Tourism and the Government. Among them was the chief executive of the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute, Intur, Mario Salinas. Everyone was enthusiastic about the initiative."
The Roatán cruise terminal and marina has announced investment in the second stage of its Town Center project.
The project comprises the expansion of the existing facilities and the construction of a shopping and entertainment center.
Álvaro Durón, manager of the company owning the marina and cruise terminal on the the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands, told Elheraldo.hn that, "the expansion of the pier will qualify the port as one of the few in the Caribbean and the only one in Central America capable of receiving the world's largest cruise liners carrying up to 6,000 passengers".
Royal Caribbean has confirmed the port of Colon as its point of departure for cruise ships until 2011-2012.
The second season will finish in April 2010, and the third will run from November 2010 to April 2011. A fourth was confirmed, from November 2011 to April 2012.
Michael Ronan, vice president of Royal Caribbean said that in order to maintain Panama as the Home Port, “passengers must be satisfied, the product must generate benefits for the company and we must identify demand in the long term”.
Carnival Corporation's $70 million cruise ship pier was inaugurated in Mahony Bay.
With the new facility, the company can accommodate two 4.500 passenger ships simultaneously.
Ana Abarca, Tourism Minister, told Laprensahn.com: "...if Carnival's projections prove correct, we will receive some 500.000 tourists from cruise ships. This would imply sales for $850 million, as every tourist spends an average $107 in the country".
With an investment of $70 million, the construction of the Carnival’s cruise terminal on the island of Roatán is 80% complete.
The developers of Carnival’s pier hope to finish the Project by September.
According to Laprensahn.com, “The Project–which covers 75,000 square feet, includes a commercial area being built to quality specifications that enable it to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes-was visited by international representatives of the cruise industry that have been on the island since the weekend with the purpose of attending the meeting of the Federation of Cruise Lines of the Caribbean and Florida, FCCA.
The cruise line requested two thousand marines to serve as crew for the next season.
The new season begins December 7 with the inauguration of the home port in Cristobal in the province of Colon.
The administrator of the Panama Maritime Authority, Fernando Solorzano, said that the main problem in responding to Royal Caribbean's request is finding personnel that are fluent in English.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line will increase its investment in the new cruise ship terminal which is under construction by 100%.
At the moment the company has invested $12 million to build 17 commercial units that can withstand a category 4 and 5 hurricane, and parking.
Royal Caribbean Cruise will invest more than $20 million in the second phase to build more commercial units, a restaurant with a view of the sea, a second parking lot, food court and hotel.
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