The Dominican Republic Just Welcomed More Than 56,000 Cruise Passengers in One Week
The Dominican Republic recorded 15 cruise calls across four terminals in the final week of October, as port officials projected more than three million cruise passengers for 2026.
More than 56,000 cruise passengers arrived in the Dominican Republic in the last week of October, with ships calling at ports from Puerto Plata on the north coast to Pedernales in the southwest.
The total: 56,330 passengers aboard 15 ships, according to the Dominican Port Authority, known as Apordom, in figures published by the country’s Ministry of Tourism.
The week’s arrivals spread across four terminals, with Puerto Plata accounting for 11 of the 15 calls. Cabo Rojo received three ships, while La Romana welcomed one.
Puerto Plata Led the Week
Puerto Plata’s two cruise terminals handled the largest share of ship visits.
Amber Cove received six vessels: Caribbean Princess, Eurodam, Carnival Vista, Mardi Gras, Carnival Magic and Carnival Celebration. The lineup brought together ships from Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line.
Nearby Taíno Bay recorded five calls, with a roster including Celebrity Beyond, Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas and Norwegian Getaway.
Together, the two terminals accounted for nearly three-quarters of the country’s cruise calls during the reporting period, reinforcing Puerto Plata’s central role in Dominican cruise tourism.
Three Ships in Cabo Rojo
In Pedernales, Cabo Rojo welcomed Freedom of the Seas, Norwegian Viva and MSC Poesia.
The calls brought Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises passengers to the country’s southwest, adding another destination to a week otherwise dominated by Puerto Plata.
La Romana completed the four-terminal total. Mein Schiff 2 arrived there on Friday, October 30, carrying 2,634 passengers.
The geographic spread is a significant part of the story: cruise arrivals are supporting tourism activity across several parts of the country, with opportunities for excursion operators, transportation providers and local businesses around the ports.
A Three-Million-Passenger Projection
Apordom executive director Alejandro Campos said port operations were contributing to the sector’s projected total of more than three million cruise passengers during 2026.
The ministry’s announcement did not include a comparable figure for the same week last year, so the numbers represent a snapshot of activity rather than a year-over-year growth measure.
But the late-October tally offers a clear indication of the volume arriving by sea: 15 ship calls, four terminals and more than 56,000 passengers in a single week.
