Puerto Plata welcomes 300 cruise ships in first five months of 2025

Meanwhile, the ports of Cabo Rojo (Pedernales) and Puerto Plata will host a combined call of some 26 cruise ships in June, becoming protagonists for the first time in an event of this nature in maritime tourism.

This region of the Atlantic coast is a major attraction for cruise ship reception in the Caribbean region.

This Sunday marked the start of the low season for cruise ships. Still, as part of the program, the Norwegian Aqua docked at the Taíno Bay port, joining 26 other watercraft that will also call at the Amber Cove terminal, located in the tourist district of Maimón, Puerto Plata.
Official figures indicate that the number of cruise ships arriving at the Bride of the Atlantic this year is expected to increase next year.

January, 81 cruises; February, 64; March, 65; April, 52; May, 38.

History

The history of the tourism industry began in Puerto Plata in 1970 with the arrival of 750 passengers aboard the iconic ocean liner El Boheme.

The boom in this activity continued for a period of ten years, as clashes between industry players led to a decline and ships seeking other Caribbean destinations.
In 2015, Carnival Corporation opened the Aber Cove terminal, leaving a lasting impact on cruise activity in this northern destination.

PEDERNALES-PUERTO PLATA

The director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom), Jean Luis Rodríguez, announced this past weekend that Cabo Rojo and Puerto Plata are consolidating their position as “drivers of national maritime tourism.”

Rodríguez said that this destination, considered one of the most attractive for cruise tourism arriving on the North Coast, will welcome the watercraft of major cruise lines, including MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruises, and Norwegian Cruises.

He emphasized that Pedernales in the south, with Cabo Rojo as its emblem, is strengthening its position as a tourist destination.