Tourists in Costa Rica now can board cruise ships in Limón

The Caribbean port of Limón became a boarding port for cruise-ship tourists this week, after 20 years as a stopover on cruise routes.

On Wednesday a total of 1,189 tourists — 95 percent of them Ticos — boarded the Monarch cruise ship that tours Central American and Caribbean ports, the Atlantic Port Authority’s (JAPDEVA) said.

JAPDEVA President Ann McKinley said it was a breakthrough for the province, after being just a stopover destination for decades.

“Finally tourists here can board and return to Costa Rica,” she said. Previously, local tourists had to fly to ports in Panama, Mexico or Florida to board cruise ships.

The cruise ship will return to Costa Rica on Sunday and 1,200 more tourist will embark on a new tour, JAPDEVA confirmed.

“This means the creation of jobs for our province, and also represents a great improvement for Costa Rica as a home port,” McKinley said.

The port’s new status involved the construction of new facilities at the Limón dock to host offices for officials of the Immigration Administration, Health and Agriculture ministries, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, Child Welfare Office, Drug Control Police and Traffic Police.