Fun in the sun! New cruise destination opens in Dominican Republic
Cruise fans now have somewhere new to go in the Caribbean.
Amber Cove, a new port development along the north coast of the Dominican Republic, officially opened on Tuesday with the arrival of its first ship, the 2,754-passenger Carnival Victory.
Development by cruise giant Carnival Corp. at a cost of $85 million, the 25-acre complex near the town of Puerto Plata is being billed as one of the biggest Caribbean port projects of the past decade and features a large area of bars, restaurants and shops. As can be seen in the photo gallery atop this story, it also has a sprawling pool area with a swim-up bar, water slides, zip lines and private cabanas.
Still, the complex’s main role is as a gateway to the region’s many historic sites, beaches and adventure activities. Nearly half of the site’s acreage is devoted to a massive transportation hub where cruisers can find taxis and buses to take them to area attractions. More than 40 organized shore excursions are available from the port, and Carnival executives say they expect an unusually high percentage of cruisers to sign up for the outings.
“Amber Cove, the port, is not the destination,” David Candib, the Carnival Corp. manager for the project, told USA TODAY in September during a tour of the site. “The region of Puerto Plata really is what the cruise port is about.”
Long a tourist destination with resorts and timeshare developments, the area around Puerto Plata offers a wide array of attractions including beaches, golf courses, and wild areas that can be explored by horseback and ATV. It’s also home to one of the first Spanish forts in the Americas; one of the best-known rum distilleries in the Dominican Republic; a marine adventure park where visitors can swim with dolphins and sharks; and a museum dedicated to amber, which is mined in the region (hence the name Amber Cove).
The north coast of the Dominican Republic hasn’t seen cruise ships since the 1980s, when the typical passenger vessel was much smaller than today. The main port for the region, in Puerto Plata, isn’t big enough to accommodate today’s larger vessels.
Amber Cove is expected to draw more than 100 ships (and 350,000 cruisers) in its first year in operation from such Carnival Corp. brands as Carnival, Holland America, Princess and Costa. It’ll also be the destination for bi-weekly “social impact” cruises to the Dominican Republic from Miami planned by Carnival Corp.’s new fathom brand. The trips start in April.
For a peak inside the new Amber Cove development, scroll through our first-look tour below.
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