Dominican Republic: Pedernales welcomes two cruise ships with nearly 8,000 visitors in Cabo Rojo
Pedernales.— The Cabo Rojo cruise terminal welcomed two international cruise ships on Monday, carrying approximately 5,771 passengers and 2,264 crew members — nearly 8,000 visitors in a single day — according to the Presidency of the Dominican Republic.
The ships are the Independence of the Seas, of Royal Caribbean International, and the Nieuw Amsterdam, of Holland America Line. Their simultaneous calls strengthen Pedernales’ position as one of the Caribbean cruise industry’s emerging destinations.
Tourism Minister David Collado highlighted the direct economic impact of the day, saying: “The visit of these cruise passengers has a direct economic spillover for the population, and that is our vision: that tourism development goes hand in hand with community development.”
Nationwide, the Dominican Republic received five cruise ships on Monday, with approximately 15,503 passengers and 6,421 crew members across its tourist ports. About 105 ship calls are projected for November, from lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Norwegian, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Costa and AIDA.
Cruise arrivals boost sectors such as tourist transport, excursions, gastronomy, crafts and local commerce, and expand opportunities for small business owners, entrepreneurs, tour guides and service providers in the region.
The Cabo Rojo terminal opened in January 2024, and its growth is part of the national strategy to diversify tourism geographically, with the goal of making Pedernales a benchmark for sustainable tourism in the Caribbean.
Photo: Presidency of the Dominican Republic