Explora I Becomes First Cruise Ship to Port Overnight in Santa Marta, Colombia

Explora I, a cruise ship operated by Explora Journeys, completed an overnight stay in the Colombian coastal city of Santa Marta earlier this month, on February 19 marking the first time that this type of vessel has spent a full night in the Caribbean tourist hotspot.

The ship carried more than 1,000 passengers, including crew, and arrived to Santa Marta from Aruba around 12:30 in the afternoon. The 15-day cruise initially departed from Miami on February 16 and continued on to Cartagena after its stay in Santa Marta.

The first-ever occurrence was praised by Germán Umaña Mendoza, Colombian minister of commerce, industry and tourism, in a statement as “confidence from the cruise lines that arrive at our ports and in particular of this company.”

Domingo Chinea, president of the Regional Port Society of Santa Marta, also celebrated what this means for the city.

“We are pleased to welcome a cruise ship that will experience the city during the day and night, which is positive for the port and for Santa Marta, both nationally and internationally, and confirms the need to work together to have a specialized cruise terminal,” he said in an annoucement. “So far in 2024, we have received seven cruise ships with more than 3,000 cruise passengers, contributing significantly to the economy of the city, the department and the progress of the country.”

According to business promotion agency ProColombia, it helped pave the way for Santa Martas stops by cruise ships operated by Explora Journeys, which is part of the MSC Group, starting in October 2022 during meetings at the 28th Annual Conference of the Florida & Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).

Explora I cruise ship that traveled to Santa Marta. (Photo: Foto Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Santa Marta)