During the weekend, the luxury cruise ship Dumont-d’Urville of the French line Ponant arrived in Playa Mantas, anchoring its 10,700 tons and showcasing its modern design 1.5 km off the coast.
About 150 passengers boarded several Zodiac-style inflatable motorboats that would take them from the ship to the beach, where a group of tourist buses with local guides would be waiting for them, coordinated to take them to unique experiences such as a hike in the Carara National Park, birdwatching, and an approach to biodiversity, generating productive linkages and the spillover of the tourist dollar in different communities.
This modern ship, introduced in 2019, began its journey in Puntarenas where 118 crew members eagerly awaited their arrival. The tourists, mostly from the United States and who had arrived by plane, carried out several activities before boarding their cruise. The visitors toured San Jose, stopped by the wagon factory in Sarchí, and marveled at the La Paz Waterfalls in Vara Blanca.
To give the travelers an unforgettable experience, the ship docked this Monday in the port of Quepos, where tourists were able to go rafting on the Savegre River, canopy, and embark on a wildlife observation walk in the Manuel Antonio National Park.
The Dumont-d’Urville cruise ship is one of the 204 expedition and luxury cruise ships projected for the 2023-2024 season, according to estimates by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and port authorities.
Likewise, 45,583 passengers are expected to arrive and spend several nights in the country. In recent years, Costa Rica has experienced the positioning of numerous expedition and luxury cruise companies, both with base and transit operations.
In fact, the ICT mentioned that 65% of the ships visiting Costa Rica this season belong to this category.
The Dumont-d’Urville cruise ship has unique features and 118 crew members, whose mission is to maintain the passengers’ experience at the highest level with personalized service. To achieve this, it offers 92 cabins or suites arranged on its 7 decks. In addition, it offers its distinguished passengers a variety of services such as 2 restaurants, spa, theater, bars, swimming pool, library, gymnasium, a hydraulic platform to facilitate access to the sea for water sports such as kayaking and rowing.
During the year, this luxurious French ship has 4 visits scheduled (one in January, 3 in February, and one in March), including a tour of Costa Rica and Panama. Subsequently, in the following months, it will visit the Caribbean and continue with other itineraries in Europe.
In addition, it belongs to a new generation of ships with innovative equipment designed to respect the environment, minimizing nitrogen oxide, sulfur, and CO² emissions and usually embarks scientific research teams and supports the creation of Marine Protected Areas.
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Ileana Fernandez
