NCL Star home porting at the new Panama City, Panama, Amador October 2020?

[dccruisin]

I am trying to find information about the NCL Star home porting at the new Panama City, Panama, Amador cruise port.

 

There were press releases in May 2019 in Panama that the Star would be home ported Panama City in October 2020.

All the website I check on line do not show any sailings for the Star in October and November.  And that the Star is in England in September and then magically in Buenos Aires in December.

[JimnKaren]

I would find it difficult to believe that any cruise line would 'home port' in Panama City. Getting provisions on board would be too much since the ship would need to be anchored. I don't believe you read correctly. Look again.

 

Jim

[Underwatr]

It's not unheard of for ships to embark in Panama City. Look at Crystal Symphony, Panama City to New Orleans departing on Oct 15.

[Essiesmom]

Crystal Symphony is not homeporting in Panama City.  She is doing a cruise that starts in LA and goes to NOLA, and picks up passengers in several ports along the way.  EM

[Underwatr]

No one said that.

[Underwatr]

Here's some additional info:

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/panama-city-port-584

 

In August 2018, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) finished dredging works in Fuerte Amador's new terminal area and navigation canal. The project was part of new cruise port terminal project with scheduled completion by mid-2019. On Aug 15 were started works on preparing 7-acres land area by the new port development project, which also includes building new cruise terminal at Fuerte Amador.

 

Initially, the new cruise terminal will have berthing capacity 2 mega-liners simultaneously and max passengers 10,000. The facility will have large terminal building plus recreational centers, bars and restaurants. As long-term plan, the project will be expanded to docking capacity 5 mega-liners at once.

[BillB48]

The Canal authority is trying to sweeten the deal by offering a free transit to any ship home porting at Ft. Amador.  One thing that is not clear is whether it is a total of one free transit or one of the transits will be comped assuming the ship makes a round trip through the Canal for disembarking/embarking passengers.  Guess they will sort that out.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/panama-to-pay-one-canal-transit-as-homeporting-incentive/?utm_content=Panama to pay one Canal transit as homeporting incentive&utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Seatrade Cruise News&utm_contact=24896632&utm_term=Newsletter_Seatrade Cruise Weekly News&utm_campaign=146739

[RSLeesburg]

Nice.  I remember that Royal had Vision of the Seas departing from Colon for a few cruises several years ago.  They would do a few 7 day cruises, and then a 3 day repo to Miami.  I really wanted to book one of those, but they stopped them shortly after I found the itinerary.  

[BillB48]

4 hours ago, RSLeesburg said:

Nice.  I remember that Royal had Vision of the Seas departing from Colon for a few cruises several years ago.  They would do a few 7 day cruises, and then a 3 day repo to Miami.  I really wanted to book one of those, but they stopped them shortly after I found the itinerary.  

 

The Grandeur of the Seas did that itinerary before the Vision... think they did it about 5 or 6 years.  Those cruises were also called "immersion"  cruises as the primary language would be Spanish.  Never did the 7 day cruises, but I was on the last Vision reposition from Colon back to Florida.  The ship had only a little over 1000 guests on board and it probably was the cheapest cruise I ever took... $36/night!  Now the air fare to Panama was not such a bargain😉!

[dccruisin]

Thanks for the replies.

Here is the article - https://www.tvn-2.com/economia/economia-panamena/Crucero-Norwegian-Star-primera-reserva-Terminal-Cruceros-Panama-Amador_0_5313218657.html

 

TVN is the local TV station. It has a rendering of the new port.  I have watched them build the port.  Big cranes out in the water putting in the pillions.    There will be a great view back to the city when the ships port. 

 

Another article (https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/panama-city-port-584) states: (NEW) Fuerte Amador cruise terminal

“In October 2017, Panama City Port Authority started expanding its cruise shipping capacity by opening a second location on East Avenue. Earlier in 2017, Jan De Nul Group (family-owned company specializing in construction and maintenance of port facilities) together with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) won the USD 165 million contract to design and build a new cruise terminal on the Fuerte Amador Causeway.”

 

Amador Causeway is set up nicely to be a tourist area.  There is a great Bio Museum built and run by the Smithsonian.

Also on the Causeway is a new convention center due to open in the next couple of months which can hold 20,000 conventioneers. 

 

Since the Star is not showing any sailings that can be booked in October/November 2020 I assume NCL is still working out the details of the cruises.  We are interested in booking.

 

We took both RCL Enchantment and Vision from/to Colon.  2013 was the last time RCL did that.   

 

Pullmantur (also owned by RCL) does the cruises out of Colon.  We have taken Pullmantur twice.  It is a cheap cruise and everyone gets the basic alcoholic drink package.  It is a Spanish language first and the food and entertainment is Latin oriented.  We and 4 of our friends had a nice time.  All the crew members I ran into spoke English.  Nice setup if you have a suite.  Access to great suite lounge.  I found it interesting even though everyone had access to as much alcohol as they liked I don't think I saw anyone drunk or boisterous.  They also picked up passengers in Cartagena and Aruba.  Vacations to Go lists the Pullmantur cruises. 

Linda

 

[dccruisin]

Oh, you can get some deals on Copa for airfare.  Spirit use to be the cheapest but they have gotten more expensive.

 

I love Copa.  You get meals in coach and wine if you want.  

Linda 

[RSLeesburg]

Thanks for the information.  We looked at Star for the BA to SA cruise over Christmas in 2020, but decided to book on Celebrity Silhouette instead.  But I will keep my eye on the itineraries that NCL posts when Star in leaving from Panama City.  Hopefully they will have some sailings over the school holidays, as we travel with our son.  My DW is getting tired of Caribbean, so starting to branch out and see other parts of the world.   Would love to do a 10 day PC cruise over the Christmas holidays one year.  

[Underwatr]

7 hours ago, dccruisin said:

It is a Spanish language first and the food and entertainment is Latin oriented. 

I would expect that of any cruise using Panama as a home port.  While personally I would struggle in that environment due to my nonexistent Spanish skills I can see that there'd be a market for it.

[dccruisin]

bumping up to see if anyone has info.  Called NCL sales number.   They has no idea.