QCOSTARICA – This Thursday, September 2, the first cruise liner of the 2021 season, the Star Breeze, arrived in Puerto Golfito.
The ship, which arrived from the Port of Balboa, in Panama, will remain in Costa Rica the rest of the week, and will also visit Quepos and Caldera.
The Star Breeze is not one of those gigantic ships, but the arrival marks the return of cruise passengers to Costa Rica, a market that was paralyzed by the pandemic for 17 months.
The last docking of a cruise ship in Pacific waters occurred on March 11, 2020, and in Limón, on March 16, 2020.
The vessel of approximately 13 tons, six decks and 159 meters in length was received with Costa Rican music, typical dances and authorities of the ministries of tourism and economy, Costa Rican Institute of Pacific Ports, the Golfo Dulce Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Naviera Naútica, among others.
“The reactivation of this niche reinforces the economic recovery in the coastal areas. Passengers who choose to disembark in Costa Rican ports carry out activities that generate foreign exchange for the destination and this chain will benefit carriers and guides, local tour operators and gastronomy, among other chains,” said Gustavo Segura, Minister of Tourism.
Travelers are expected to take small-group excursions to the National Wildlife Refuge in Golfito, as well as dolphin watching at Punta Encanto.
“For the local economy and, above all, for the tourism sector, the arrival of the cruise ship is very important,” said Davie Salazar, executive director of the Golfo Dulce Chamber of Tourism and Commerce.
Salazar added that they were prepared considering sanitary regulations and integrating different groups related to tourism such as businessmen, local artisans and cultural groups.
The immigration service doing their thing for disembarking passengers.
The cruise season runs from September to March.