Today is a big day. After a 30-year break, cruise ships have started heading for the Dominican North Coast once again. More specifically, this morning at 4am Carnival cruise ship Victory with a capacity of 2.754 passengers docked at Amber Cove, which after an USD 85 million investment can justly be called the newest and most modern cruise ship terminal of the Dominican Republic.
Passengers, who disembarked at 8am this morning at Amber Cove, have a wide array of shore excursions to choose from, including swimming with dolphins, visiting cacao plantations or snorkeling around Cayo Arena. Other day trips are more traditional, visiting the beauty and culture that cities like Puerto Plata and Santiago have to offer. Visits can include tours to the old town, to Mount Isabel de Torres, to the Brugal rum distillery and cigar workshops. Some excursions to Puerto Plata, or other close by destinations such as the zipline, include a lunch on the beach of Cabarete, with time to enjoy the view. Cruise passengers need to be back on their ship by 4pm.
According to the Diario Libre, Puerto Plata has prepared several shows for today’s visitors under the motto “Puerto Plata, city of cruise passengers”, including a spectacle of “perico ripiao”, a folkloric ballet performance, and a merengue concert amongst others.
According to the Diario Libre, Puerto Plata has prepared several shows for today’s visitors under the motto “Puerto Plata, city of cruise passengers”, including a spectacle of “perico ripiao”, a folkloric ballet performance, and a merengue concert amongst others.
Upgrading Puerto Plata
The 8.4km road from Amber Cove to Puerto Plata is in the process of being widened and tarmacked. So far, the first three kilometers are ready for today’s visitors. The historical center of Puerto Plata has received an initial paint job here and there as well as a last minute street facelift but more extensive renovation works are expected in the months to come.
The newly built amphitheater will soon also be ready, although no shows have yet been booked. Tourism minister Francisco Javier García, who described Puerto Plata’s amphitheater as one of the most beautiful ones he had visited, has been reported as saying that he would ask the owner of Lifestyle Holidays to organize his weekly Sunday parties at the amphitheater instead, to ensure visitors at least 52 times per year.
The 8.4km road from Amber Cove to Puerto Plata is in the process of being widened and tarmacked. So far, the first three kilometers are ready for today’s visitors. The historical center of Puerto Plata has received an initial paint job here and there as well as a last minute street facelift but more extensive renovation works are expected in the months to come.
The newly built amphitheater will soon also be ready, although no shows have yet been booked. Tourism minister Francisco Javier García, who described Puerto Plata’s amphitheater as one of the most beautiful ones he had visited, has been reported as saying that he would ask the owner of Lifestyle Holidays to organize his weekly Sunday parties at the amphitheater instead, to ensure visitors at least 52 times per year.
Sosua and Cabarete
Works to create a modern car park and walkway along the road circling Sosua Bay have started a while ago. Plans also exist to construct two shopping plazas at the two entrance of Sosua Beach and relocate all the existing stores and restaurants into those plazas but it has been reported that disagreements among those involved delayed these works extensively. According to the Sosua Association of Sustainable Development (ADSS) most of the differences have now been resolved and a solution will soon be found.
Cabarete businesses will be financing lifeguard towers to be built on Cabarete beach to ensure the safety of swimmers. According to project manager Charles Osterlund, the towers will be built in combination with a high beach chair as well as light posts, all built from wood using concrete foundations.
Works to create a modern car park and walkway along the road circling Sosua Bay have started a while ago. Plans also exist to construct two shopping plazas at the two entrance of Sosua Beach and relocate all the existing stores and restaurants into those plazas but it has been reported that disagreements among those involved delayed these works extensively. According to the Sosua Association of Sustainable Development (ADSS) most of the differences have now been resolved and a solution will soon be found.
Cabarete businesses will be financing lifeguard towers to be built on Cabarete beach to ensure the safety of swimmers. According to project manager Charles Osterlund, the towers will be built in combination with a high beach chair as well as light posts, all built from wood using concrete foundations.
Source of hope
The arrival of the first cruise ship, which will be followed by the arrival of one cruise ship every week until the end of November when the rhythm will be sped up and up to three ships will dock every week, is bringing a lot of hope and with it also investment commitments to in the region.
The arrival of the first cruise ship, which will be followed by the arrival of one cruise ship every week until the end of November when the rhythm will be sped up and up to three ships will dock every week, is bringing a lot of hope and with it also investment commitments to in the region.
No comments:
Post a Comment