The training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, where Princess Leonor de Borbón is currently training, departed its second Colombian port stop in Santa Marta on Friday and is now en route to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The ship left Santa Marta at 11:00 local time as scheduled, after previously docking in Cartagena de Indias from May 9 to 13.
The voyage from Santa Marta to Santo Domingo is expected to take about 3 to 4 days. The ship is scheduled to arrive in the Dominican Republic on May 19 for a five-day stop before continuing to New York on May 24. Following its U.S. stop, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano will begin its return journey to Spain, concluding its 97th training cruise that has lasted over six months and covered numerous American ports including Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Panama, and Colombia.
Built in 1927 and in service since 1928, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano has trained over 6,500 Spanish Navy officers and serves as a “floating embassy,” symbolizing Spain’s presence and goodwill in every country it visits.