The Amber Cove Cruise Center, a joint project between Carnival Corporation & PLC and the Rannik family/Grupo B&R, held groundbreaking ceremonies on May 14, in the Dominican Republic at the project site on the Bay of Maimon, near Puerto Plata on the country's Northern coast.
The Amber Cove Cruise Center, estimated to cost $65 million, will represent one of the largest cruise industry investments ever made in the Dominican Republic. The project, scheduled to open in 2014, is designed to re-establish the Domincan Republic's North Coast as a popular cruise destination; the last cruise ship to call at Puerto Plata was nearly 30 years ago.
The new two-berth Amber Cove Cruise Center will be able to accomodate up to 8,000 cruise passengers and 2,000 crew members daily. The facility is expected to host more than 250,000 cruise passengers in its first year of operation.
The project will encompass 30 acres of waterfront property and will feature a welcome center, a variety of retail offerings, themed restaurants and bars and a water attraction. A transportation hub allowing visitors easy access by land and sea to the surrounding destinations and attractions will also be included.
The ground breaking ceremony attracted a number of dignitaries from the Domincan Republic, including President Dr. Leonel Fernandez Reyna, Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia, Minister of Public Works & Communications Victor Diaz Rua, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Ernesto Reyna, Director of the Dominican Republic's Center for Export and Investment (DR-CEI) Eddie Martinez, Customs Director Rafael Camilo, and Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM) Director Ing. Ramon Rivas.
