courtesy of: The Morning News
Just recently, the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) and the Pullmantur cruise company made concrete a very important agreement with Aruba. Pullmantur is committed to visiting Aruba’s port practically every week for 48 visits in 2013, and 52 visits in 2014.
Horizon has a capacity of 1.820 passengers and 620 crew members and the Monarch of the Seas has a capacity of 2.733 passengers and 860 crew members. These two vessels are expected to make the calls on Aruba. Aruba has been appointed one of the destinations to offer “inter port” services. This simply means that passengers may board the cruise ships here on Aruba, which is the case also with the island of Curacao.
Aruba will have a total of 110 cabins available, which means that weekly more or less 220 passengers could board the vessel from Aruba. They will be sailing from the port of Aruba to La Guaira (Venezuela), Curacao, Panama, Cartagena and back to Aruba every Monday. Aruba has doubled the amount of cabins compared to other destinations. This is due to the relevance and demand of Aruba as a destination.
The primary objective of Aruba Tourism Authority is to bring as many tourists as possible to stay over on Aruba. Obviously, Aruba stands to benefit greatly from this agreement in view of the attractive packages being offered by Pullmantur. One good example is the possibility for European cruise passengers to spend a week at sea and a week enjoying the island of Aruba.
Aruba, as a destination, will continue to welcome other opportunities such as this “inter port” with Pullmantur. This benefits both the cruise industry as well as the tourism industry of the island in general.
Pullmantur is the leading Spanish Tour Operator and Cruise Company, founded in 1971, and famous for introducing the ‘All Inclusive’ concept to cruising. Pullmantur is leader of the cruise market in Spain and Portugal, currently operating a modern fleet of four vessels, with a daily passenger capacity of 9,000, cruising worldwide, and calling on approximately 100 destinations. The company offers a unique door-to-door flight service, operated by its in-house air travel division with a fleet of four Boeing 747-400. Pullmantur Air provides charter flights to the European Cruise Port Embarkations and long-haul flights between Spain and the Caribbean Sea for the company’s tour-operation division. Spain based Pullmantur, operates through satellite offices in Brazil, Mexico, Portugal and France.
