I cannot wait for the cruise lines to start their cruise schedule out of Panama City.  Imagine a grand trip to Chile and further south to the end of the earth in Ushuaia!!  This will be huge for Panama!!

Representatives of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association were in Panama Thursday to learn about the new Panama Cruise Terminal, whose construction is well under way on the Pacific side of the country.

First phase: Two berths for large ships

In its $165m first phase, the Panama Cruise Terminal will have the capacity to simultaneously handle two large cruise ships with a total of 10,000 passengers. The first ship calls are expected before year’s end.

Future phases could add up to three more berths.

Homeport aspiration

Panama aims to develop a homeporting business on the Pacific, and is working with the government of Chile to promote and develop a new South Pacific route that would also touch Ecuador and Peru. Other Central America, Mexico and Caribbean itineraries are in development, too.

FCCA president Michele Paige and SVP Adam Ceserano led the cruise industry delegation, which included Steve Moeller, VP commercial development, Norwegian Cruise Line; André Pousada, VP government relations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Leon Sutcliffe, director of government relations, Carnival Cruise Line. Augusto Terracina, general director of T & T Tourism Plus, was also on hand.

Barakat highlighted the importance that homeporting will have for Panama’s economy.

Paige congratulated the Panamanian authority for its initiative, and offered the FCCA’s support and feedback on the Panama Cruise Terminal development.