Peru Swings Gates Wide Open for Cruises

Last year, Peru received the calls of 15 cruise liners in the ports of Callao (Lima), Salaverry (La Libertad) and San Martin (Ica), logging a grand total of 11,382 passengers. This time around, Peruvian authorities expect to see a dozen deluxe vessels docking in during the first third of 2005.

These cruises will bring somewhere between 200 and 1,900 passengers each, the Peru Trade Office in Miami reported this week.

An increasing number of cruise companies, like Cunard, Princess and Hapag Lloyd, are including Peruvian destinations among their ports of call in the South American region.

Representatives from that Florida-based office and the Peru Promotion Commission attended the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention that came to a close Saturday in Miami.

Such companies as Condor Travel, Contactus, Lima Tours and Gray Line Peru have pieced together exploratory travel packages targeting nearby destinations and seaports with good connections to accommodate river and sea recreational ships.