Grand Turk Cruise Port in Turks and Caicos
Grand Turk has a sister port now, as Roatan’s Mahogany Bay, Honduras, opened its cruise terminal this last week. The brand-new facility joins Costa Maya and Grand Turk as the third something-out-of-nothing port designed specifically to appeal to cruise passengers.
Mahogany Bay is not the first terminal built exclusively for cruise ships and cruise travelers. The trend began in early 2001, when Costa Maya opened its doors to visitors. Previously, the location had been an undeveloped area whose only settlement was the nearby village of Majahual (population: 200). The original infrastructure built for cruise passengers included pools, bars, restaurants and shops. Since that time, cottages for workers — who come from elsewhere in Mexico — and shore excursion areas have been added.
Following in 2006 was Grand Turk — another Carnival Corporation-sponsored initiative that carried a whopping $60 million price tag. Although it’s still largely considered an off-the-beaten-path destination, the island (one of just eight inhabited islands in the 40-island Turks and Caicos chain) now boasts retail shops and recreation areas that offer everything from horseback riding to fly fishing.
Mahogany Bay has come on the scene as the third of these manufactured playgrounds for cruise travelers. Just how popular Roatan’s new port will become remains to be seen, but as cruise lines seek to expand their offerings, especially in the heavily traveled Caribbean, the trend of creating new cruise ports out of undeveloped areas remains a fashionable one.
(resource: CruiseCritic.co.uk)