News: Between Sunday, April 19 – 23. 2015, seven cruise lines will arrive to the areas largest port: Puerto Quetzal. Cruise lines calling on the port include: Azamara Club Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Regent, and Norwegian.
The Director of Cruises and Aviation for the Tourism Board, Diego Sierra, has confirmed that Guatemala will welcome 79 cruises and 16 more cruises are in the process of being negotiated for the year.
Located on Guatemala’s Pacific coast, Puerto Quetzal’s nearest town is San Jose, which is about a mile away. Guatemala City, the capitol, is about 70 miles away. Click here to learn more about Guatemala.
Some of the highlights for cruise visitors calling on Puerto Quetzal include a chance to see Guatemala’s historical sites, culture, and Mayan specialties. Popular shore excursions include outings to Antigua, Guatemala, Pacaya Volcano, Lake Atitlan and Tikal, which can all be seen with a full day in port.
Sample excursions (will vary by cruise line but the links below can serve as an overview)
From Silversea Cruises Puerto Quetzal port guide: “a specialty in Guatemala is chilies rellenos, chilli peppers stuffed with meat and vegetables. Churrasco, charcoal-grilled steak, is often accompanied by chirmol, a sauce of fresh chopped tomatoes, onions and mint.”
The cruising industry operates between October – May.