tourism

Cruise ship ready to call Panama home

la prensa

ship to dock in colón1121152

Panama has a great opportunity to become a cruise ship hub for Latin America, according to Ramakrishna Rebbapragada, regional vice president of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

Rebbapragada highlighted Panama's strategic location as a major benefit, and said that the cruise industry in the region is, “still young, and does not have much presence in emerging markets such as Brazil and Mexico.”

He added that visitors from the United States and Canada are always looking for new destinations from which to travel, and Panama, if it puts the proper facilities in place, should be able to compete for that market.

On Dec. 7, Royal Caribbean's “ Enchantment of the Seas” will depart from the Colón 2000 terminal, making it the first cruise ship to use Panama as its home port.

“We are very pleased with the level of reservations that have been made so far, even with this the international economic climate,” Rebbapragada said.

Royal Caribbean cruises will depart from Panama from December to April, and then resume in December 2009.

“We are confident that the first season will be very successful, and we hope the second season will be as well. Depending on the results, we will decide whether to establish a long-term relationship.”

The terminal that will receive the “Enchantment of the Seas” has mostly been completed, confirmed Augusto Terracina, general manager of Colón 2000. The port is ready to receive the ship, although work still has to be done on the passenger terminal and in some of the commercial areas.

Rebbapragada and Terracina reported on the state of the cruise ship industry at a forum yesterday hosted by the Panamanian Association of Business Executives. At the meeting, representatives of public and private sector discussed the future of the cruise industry in Panama.

Most of the executives agreed on the need to develop a home port on Panama's Pacific coast.