Playa del Carmen, Q. Roo — Cruise ships could begin docking in Playa Del Carmen by 2019 if expansion plans and financing come through.
Ships would pull in just opposite the popular island destination of Cozumel, where large cruise ships dock. From there, tourists access the mainland by ferry.
City officials are first planning to extend their pier by 100 meters to accommodate larger luxury yachts. Then a second expansion, of 220 meters, would make Playa del Carmen a cruise ship port of call if US$20 million in funding can be found.
The closest cruise ships ever got to Playa Del Carmen was the decidedly unglamorous sand-and-gravel industrial port of Calica, which is 10 km away and was once used by smaller Carnival ships until 2005. Guests had easy access to the city and shore excursions, but “sadly the port was just a pier and not photo worthy at all. There were often local craft stores but that was about it,” according to the travel blog Cruise Hive.
“If cruise ships do begin calling at Playa Del Carman, this might not go down well for the Mexican island of Cozumel which can actually be seen across the way on a nice day,” writes Cruise Hive.
Sources: Noticaribe, Rivera Maya News, Cruise Hive, Cruise Critic
