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The Port of Cartagena is preparing for the arrival of the cruise ship, Monarch, next Saturday. Monarch is the a new ship of Pullmantur, a Spanish company, and it will cruise the Antilles and South Caribbean route weekly.
The ship will shove off from the Cartagena pier, which it will use as a point of embarkation to benefit more national and international tourists.
Monarch, which will launch the aforementioned itinerary on April 27th, will enable between 1,200 and 1,400 passengers to board at Cartagena each time it is in port. This will certainly provide a boost to the city' s economy and tourism industry, since the ship will act as an entry point as much for the thousands of Colombian tourists as for a significant number of tourists from the rest of South America, who take their pleasure trips aboard the Spanish shipping line' s vessels.
It is estimated that around 150,000 passengers will board Monarch annually at Cartagena, where it will dock 52 times during the year.
" The interest shipping lines, such as Pullmantur, have shown in increasing not only the number of dockings in our ports, but also the boarding capacity of their ships, demonstrates how important Colombia has become for the cruise ship industry. For several years now, we have been considered as a fair, modern and safe destination, where passengers can enjoy unique experiences related to a wide and rich culture, delicious food and beautiful beaches" , stated María Claudia Lacouture, PROCOLOMBIA President.
Thanks to PROCOLOMBIA' s management, the number of cruise ship dockings in Cartagena, Santa Marta and San Andrés increased from 53 in 2006 to 165 in the 2011-2012 season.
Likewise, the number of passengers on these vessels increased from 51,447 in the 2006-2007 season to 256,075 in the 2011-2012 season, according to data held by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism as at December of last year.
Built in 1991 in a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, in west France, Monarch was at the time one of the biggest ships of its kind, with 12 decks, 268 meters in length, 32 meters in breadth, and the capacity to hold 2,769 passengers and 803 crew members.
Monarch will board passengers in Cartagena each Saturday and cruise the Antilles and South Caribbean route. From there, it will head to the island of Aruba, before docking in La Guaira, in Venezuela, and then continuing on to Curazao and Colón (in Panamá). Finally, it will return to Cartagena to complete the journey.
Monarch, and its sister ship Sovereign, are the new flagships of the Pullmantur shipping line. The company sets itself apart from other shipping lines with the ' all-in-one' culture it offers its passengers. Tourists are invited to enjoy food, drinks and access all attractions. For the Monarch the attractions include the spa, five restaurants, nine bars, two outdoor swimming pools and an additional two for children, a rock-climbing wall, a nightclub, a library, an Internet room and a beauty salon, among others.
The quality and service of the Pullmantur line, where the Spanish language is given preference, can also be seen in the menu offered on its cruise ships. The ships have chefs on board, who ensure there is a wide variety of dishes available for the travelers.
According to the Port of Cartagena Manager, Captain Alfonso Salas Trujillo, " Monarch' s visit represents an important step in the process Cartagena is undergoing to strengthen its position as a port of embarkation for cruise ships. It also demonstrates the confidence bestowed by the Pullmantur shipping line in the port, due its progress in improving infrastructure and optimizing services. Thanks to this joint effort between the port, the shipping line, operators and government, an effort is being made to stimulate the cruise ship industry in Colombia, positioning Cartagena as a point of embarkation, ranking among the top the region" .
In this way, Monarch' s visit to Cartagena and its weekly embarkation process are of great importance for the city, since the cruise ship industry generates significant income that is distributed among the people of Cartagena. The many beneficiaries include transport industry workers, tourist guides, artists and artisans, who according to the latest Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA) study, carried out by the Florida Caribbean Association in 2012, experience significant financial progress thanks to pleasure boat visits.
The study, which involved surveys of 1,800 passengers and 940 crew members, shows that during the 2011-2012 season, a total of 253,496 tourists in transit disembarked from the cruise ships to visit Cartagena and made purchases in the amount of US $24,784,304.
During that same period, 7,336 passengers boarded at Port of Cartagena and made purchases, resulting in approximately US $981, 690 in revenue for the city. Additionally, the 36,196 cruise ship crew members who disembarked spent US $1,534,710.
Although Monarch will dock for the first time in Cartagena on Saturday, April 27th, the inaugural ceremony of the docking will take place on May 11th. Representatives of the company, local and national government delegates, the Port of Cartagena and representatives from different corporations will be present at the ceremony.
