Panama receives about 7,000 tourists from cruise ships

About 7,254 domestic and foreign tourists arrived in Panama this weekend, on cruise ships Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sky and Celebrity Constellation, as part of the 2022-2023 cruise season, a tourism activity that boosts the national economy.

The cruise ship Norwegian Jewel of the Norwegian Cruise Line shipping company with 2390 tourists docked on Saturday evening at the port of Amador Cruise, after a morning southern transit through the Panama Canal.

This Sunday, the 12th, 4,856 Norwegian Jewell tourists disembarked and boarded at the “home port” Amador Cruise Terminal.

Disembarkation began at 5:00 a.m., while boarding of 2,466 passengers began at 10:30 a.m.

This floating hotel will depart for Puerto Limón, Costa Rica, to continue its journey through the Caribbean.

This weekend, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sky and Celebrity Constellation, operated by Celebrity Cruises, a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group, also called at Puerto Colón 2000.

The Norwegian Cruise Line ship with 1,198 passengers arrived at Lake Gatun at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, where its guests disembarked on various tourist tours, while the ship continued its transit to Terminal Colón 2000.

Norwegian Sky, which departed from Miami, Florida, then passed through Cartagena, Colombia, before heading from Panama to Puerto Limón, Costa Rica.

The Celebrity Constellation arrived this Sunday with 1200 tourists in Puerto Colón 2000.

Denise Guillén, deputy administrator of the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), emphasized that the economic benefit generated by the arrival of cruise ships is a valuable resource for the country, especially for the reactivation and planning of services provided by large and small industries. , supplying all kinds of locally produced or imported quality inputs, from vegetables and fruits, seafood, sausages, eggs and craft beer, among others.

This offer is an important incentive and multiplier effect for the Panamanian workforce, a major beneficiary of tourism activity, and enhances the visitor experience, Guillén added.

It is estimated that these tourists leave an income of B/.2.2 million in the country, taking into account that cruise ship passengers from the base port spend one night

In Panama, which benefits, among others, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, transport companies, retailers and tour operators.

Passengers visiting our country during the cruise’s “home port” operation spend an average of B/.250.00 per day on accommodation, food, entertainment, internal transportation, among others, the ATP Statistics Unit points out.

The joint task force team, through the Police for the Protection of the Environment, Rural Areas and Tourism, ATP, the Maritime Administration of Panama, the Land Transit and Transport Authority (ATTT) and the National Migration Service, coordinated operational actions to facilitate and expedite the arrival and cruise passenger departure this Sunday, March 12, at the Amador Cruise Port and Panama Convention Center, where passengers pick up their luggage.

Some tourists board buses that take them to hotels, Tocumen International Airport or to different places to visit the capital. Of the 2,390 cruise passengers disembarking from the Norwegian gem this Sunday, 1,300 will use independent transportation (taxi, Uber or family).

For the 2023-2024 cruise season, Norwegian Cruise Line has confirmed that the home port of Panama continues to be one of the preferred ports of call for cruise passengers due to the Panama Canal transit experience.

It also reported that it is maintaining operations with departures from Panama City until December 2024.