Starting Sept. 1, Costa Rica will reactivate cruise tourism for the 2021-2022 season, in order to stimulate the tourism industry and employment in coastal areas. This was announced in a press release.

As a requirement, vessels must guarantee complete vaccination schedules against the COVID-19 virus in all crew members and 95 percent of passengers who are of age to be vaccinated.

Permitted vaccines are those authorized by the National Commission of Vaccination and Epidemiology, and the last dose must have been administered at least 14 days prior to departure. Given the nature of the cruise activity, both crew members and cruise passengers are covered by travel insurance.

“The resumption of this tourist activity will benefit the ports of Limón, Puntarenas, Caldera, Quepos and Golfito,” said Costa Rica’s Minister of Tourism, Gustavo J. Segura.

“Each passenger spends an average of $137 per day, which has an important impact on the reactivation of local economies in coastal communities,” he added.

Segura said that in the run-up to the reopening, nine cruise lines have included Costa Rica in their itineraries: Windstar, Lindblad, Sea Cloud, Seabourn Quest, Celebrity Millenium, Carnival Pride, Crown Princess, Diamond Princess and Seven Seas Mariner.

Five of these cruise lines will arrive in Limón and the remaining ones will arrive in Pacific ports.

Four of the cruise lines that currently include Costa Rica in their itineraries have an average capacity of 2,500 passengers, while five have an average capacity of fewer than 500 passengers.

“During the first phase of this reopening, most cruise ships will be luxury and accommodate smaller capacities of passengers, such as the Lindblad (National Geographic Expeditions),” said Segura. “The first cruise ship to arrive will be the Windstar line on Sept. 2 in Golfito with approximately 150 passengers onboard.”