Carnival breaks ground on D.R. cruise terminal

By Donna TunneyCarnival Corp. broke ground on its $65 million Amber Cove Cruise Center in the Dominican Republic.

The facility, slated to open in 2014, is located on the Bay of Maimon, near Puerto Plata.

According to Carnival, the project is designed to re-establish the Dominican Republic’s north coast as a popular cruise destination. A cruise ship last called at Puerto Plata nearly 30 years ago.

The two-berth cruise center is a joint project between Carnival Corp. and the Rannik family of Grupo B&R. It will accommodate up to 8,000 cruise passengers and 2,000 crew members daily, and is expected to host more than 250,000 cruise passengers in its first year of operation.

Amber Cove will encompass 30 acres of waterfront property and will feature a transportation hub, a welcome center with a variety of retail offerings (including a marketplace for Dominican-made crafts and souvenirs), themed restaurants and bars, and a water attraction.



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