The arrival of new and more cruise ships to Yucatan continues

Once again, Yucatan is pleased to receive the Ruby Princess cruise ship in Puerto Progreso for the first time, reaffirming the destination as a trend for cruise tourism, a segment that has had significant support from the administration of Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal, who through of the Ministry of Tourism Promotion (SEFOTUR), headed by Michelle Fridman Hirsch, has implemented important strategies that have allowed the attraction of more ships and visitors, increasing the perception of new income through this segment.

In this way, the transformation of the entity continues, with the arrival of the ship owned by Princess Cruises, which Fincantieri built in 2008 in Trieste, Italy and remodeled in 2018, offers almost 900 balconies, a variety of entertainment options that include Movies Under the Stars and world-class shows, the best surround sound in the industry for an immersive experience, sumptuous dining options, spa and beauty center.

This vessel arrived at the Yucatecan port with 3,046 passengers, who disembarked in Puerto Progreso to enjoy the attractions of the region, generating an economic benefit for the entity.

Ruby Princess arrives in Puerto Progreso with an 80's theme after a voyage from the port of Galveston, Texas, on a 5-day itinerary, with a previous stopover on the island of Cozumel to continue the route back to Galveston.

It should be noted that the Port of Progreso has been remodeled during the current administration, adapting to the needs of the shipping companies and to attract more cruise ships. Therefore, SEFOTUR has carried out constant actions to keep the presence of the brand active. Yucatan, on different international stages such as Seatrade Cruise Global, which brought together more than 500 specialized exhibitors from around the world and is one of the main events dedicated to the cruise segment, adding to the recent tourist promotion tour in Florida, where Fridman Hirsch and his entourage held work meetings with the main representatives of the shipping companies from the North American and Caribbean region that arrive in Puerto Progreso.

During 2022, the Yucatecan entity was consolidated as a trend destination for cruise tourism, with an arrival of 99 ships and 252,224 passengers in Puerto Progreso, a fact that meant an increase of 350% in the number of ships and 394.3% in the number of passengers in compared to 2021, establishing a new record figure for this tourist segment, which is expected to be surpassed in 2023.  

For its part, Disney Cruise Line announced that this year it will gradually increase its arrivals to Progreso, which will allow a greater economic apportionment in the area at the same time as generating more jobs.

To date, the local cruise market has recovered 67.7% of arrivals and 54.4% of passengers, compared to the record numbers observed in 2019, before the pandemic, while, in 2022, the World began to touch base in Yucatan. Voyager, from the Mystic shipping company; American Queen's Ocean Voyager; Prima, from Norwegian; Le Bellot, from Ponant; Radiance of the Seas, from Royal Caribbean, and Magic, from Disney.