Established ports that have lots of cruise ship visits need upgrades from time to time, whether to refurbish aging facilities or provide new and improved services for passengers. Here are some recent and current port upgrade projects that you might come across on a cruise.
Nassau,
The Bahamas, recently completed a major port reconstruction that created more
space for visiting cruise ships, as well as new retail and entertainment
venues. Better passenger flow and two new marinas help get land- or water-based
shore excursions off to a smooth start. Shops in the port area now offer more
Bahamian-made crafts and other products. There’s also a museum that celebrates Junkanoo,
the Bahamian national festival.
The
Caribbean island of St. Lucia has begun a complete redevelopment of its cruise
port in Castries. The project is intended to improve the docks, retail spaces,
traffic flow, and overall passenger experience. It will take at least two years
to complete, but there will be no pause in cruise ship calls on this beautiful
island.
The
Dominican Republic recently opened its fifth cruise port: Cabo Rojo, in the southwestern
corner of the country. There’s lots to do right in the port area, which has a pretty
beach, a pool and a lazy river, a dune buggy track, a Ferris wheel, and a merry-go-round,
as well as restaurants and shops. There are also glass-bottom boat tours, birdwatching
in Jaragua National Park, ATV adventures, and excursions to nearby beaches or
the town of Pedernales.
A major upgrade
of the San Juan Cruise Port in Puerto Rico – one of the busiest in the
Caribbean – will invest $425 million in infrastructure, services, and
attractions. The project will repair terminals, wharves, walkways, and more to
accommodate an increase in visitors, expected to rise to 5 million per year during
the next few years.
The port
of Seward, Alaska, is replacing a 60-year-old fixed dock with a floating dock
that can rise and fall along with visiting ships, eliminating the need for
passengers to go up and down steep ramps. The $137 million project includes a
new, larger cruise terminal and should be finished in time for the 2026
cruise season.
Port facility
upgrades generally take place without any disruption to scheduled port calls,
and it can be exciting to see the changes taking place. To find out if you’ll
encounter any port upgrade projects on your next cruise, check with Anita, your
professional travel advisor.
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