Puerto Rico Tourism Company Executive Director Carlos Mercado Santiago and Ports Authority Executive Joel Pisa Batis announced this today. reopening of the luxury yacht SeaDream II of the SeaDream Yacht Club and the first visit of the Holland America Line cruise line to Rotterdam (HAL).
According to tourism forecasts, the routes on the agenda of both ships for the period between 2021, 2022 and 2023 represent impact on the economy of the island over $ 1 million.
V SeaDream II, With a capacity of 110 passengers, eight “home ports” and a stopover are slated for fiscal 2022. Its Caribbean itinerary includes iconic destinations in Puerto Rico such as Vieques, Caja de Muerto and Culebrita, as well as other Caribbean islands such as the Dominican Republic, British Virgin Islands and the American Virgin Islands.
This cruise line hopes to include the Boqueron area in its 2022 itinerary to offer its passengers a local experience.
“The reopening of the luxury cruise line SeaDream Yatch Club represents an important step in efforts to decentralize tourist activities in Puerto Rico and especially the economic recovery of the island of Vieques, which previously did not accept cruises. Covid-19 pandemic, ”said the director of tourism.
For harbor directors, welcoming cruise ships, SeaDream and Rotterdam fill them with satisfaction and pride. “These two prestigious lines have chosen our port as safe, attractive and of great tourist interest for passengers, which takes us to the next level.”
For his part, Vieques Mayor José Corcino Acevedo said that “today marks a new and impressive chapter in the history of Vieques with the arrival of this cruise ship. We are taking the first step towards bringing our Isla Nena to the place it deserves, the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. Together we are working to make Vieques a destination of choice for all tourists locally, nationally and internationally. Today, the history of Vieques is changing. “
Secondly, The Pinnacle-class cruise ship Rotterdam, operated by HAL, a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation, has four stops at the Port of San Juan during fiscal 2022.
This boat has a maximum capacity of 2,668 passengers, however during these first visits to the island it is expected to have a capacity of around 70%.
As part of the reception, on his first trip to Puerto Rico, Tourism and Ports welcomed and presented a traditional plaque to Captain of the Rotterdam, Bas Van Dreimel.
“We are delighted to welcome this new cruise ship to the Holland America line and we thank them for continuing to place their bets on the Puerto Rico market as an important cruise destination in the Caribbean,” concluded the Minister of Tourism.