After a very successful first season last year, Banana Coast hosts its first call of the new year on January 13 when P&O Cruises’ Adonia arrived. The cruise port is located in the deep-water Bay of Trujillo in Honduras, which is in the western Caribbean.
Counting P&O, four cruise lines have a total of 11 calls scheduled on four ships this year, including Oceania Cruises’ 1,250 passenger Riviera, Holland America’s 1,350 passenger Veendam, and Thomson Cruises’ 1,506 passenger Dream. The Adonia arrived with 688 passengers, and over 50 percent of them chose to take an organized shore excursion. If you know much about cruise excursions, you know that that’s a pretty high percentage of passengers taking one from a single ship. Very good for Banana Coast!
Last year, the cruise port received a total of 54,440 cruise passengers, and they had great things to say about the new destination. Satisfaction ratings for Banana Coast Tours were 89%, guides and staff were rated 94%, and 92% said they’d recommend the port to family and friends. It certainly seems like a great place to visit.
The port has been busy training their tour guides in anticipation of a busy second season this year. They are all trained in CPR and first responder skills, speak fluent English, and have completed a certification course. Training consist of focuses on customer service, problem solving, storytelling, and emergency situations.
In 2016, Banana Coast Tours and Campo del Mar will offer 22 excursions that include kayaking, snorkeling, waterfall explorations, beach time, horseback riding, ATV adventures, zip lining, and a lot more. As guests arrive at the port via tender boats, they’ll be greeted by local dancers, musicians, and performers in native attire. The welcome center will include a museum, jewelry, organic frozen coconuts, a liquor store, gift shop, and a variety of souvenir and snack kiosks.
About Banana Coast
The cruise port features 10 acres of beachfront and lots of retail shops. Christopher Columbus landed there over 500 years ago during his trip to the Americas, and since then its been under the control of the Spanish, Dutch, French, and even pirates. During the early 20th century it was the banana export capital of the word, shipping over 8 million banana stems every year. Today, visits enjoy the beach and tropical rainforest, as well as the historic 16th-century Santa Bárbara Fort.
