After a 17-month hiatus due to the Pandemic, Costa Rica receives its first cruise in almost two years this Thursday. This was ratified by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, which explained that the arrival of the first post-pandemic cruise was at Golfito, with a small boat that would bring around 300 passengers. For several months now, the Government and the private sector have been preparing for this reopening, which they hope will take place gradually, from small vessels to large cruise ships.
“This is very similar to the protocols that are in place to enter the country through airports or borders, so the dynamics is obviously centered on distance measures, the operation of the ship and above all, the full number of health passes”, Said Gustavo Alvarado, director of Tourism Management of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.
For both travelers and crew members, Costa Rica will be asking that they have the complete vaccination scheme, or if they do not have it, a medical insurance that covers the spread of the Covid-19 disease.
The time of tourists on Costa Rican soil may vary, due to the size of the boats
“Generally, the large ships, their stay in the country is less than twelve hours, and these small boats also dock in the bay generally, arrive at the port, do some kind of small tour, leave in the afternoon and go to another destination” Alvarado finished.
The current dynamics of the cruise lines will be to start with small boats and it is expected that by the month of November, larger cruises and with more travelers will be added. The Costa Rican Tourism Institute pointed out that the operation will be quite controlled in relation to contact with other people who do not come on the boat.
Last July it was reported that nine cruise lines have incorporated Costa Rica into their itineraries: Windstar, Lindblad, Sea Cloud, Seabourn Quest, Celebrity Millenium, Carnival Pride, Crown Princess, Diamond Princess and Seven Seas Mariner.
Five of these cruise lines would arrive in Limón and the rest in Pacific ports. For the 2019-2020 season, Costa Rica received a total of 197 cruises, which led to the arrival of 239 thousand tourists. On average, each cruise passenger spends a total of $137.
