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Panama welcomes Lindblad homeporting spurred by nation's incentivePanama welcomes Lindblad homeporting spurred by nation's incentive

Lindblad Expeditions is the latest cruise operator to take advantage of Panama's homporting incentive.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

December 10, 2020

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

According to the Panama Tourism Authority, Lindblad signed a letter of intent to operate cruises from Puerto Cristóbal and the new Panama Cruise Terminal at Amador in 2021 and 2022.

The line, which has sailed to Panama for years, has a new itinerary that features a Canal transit and explores the country's Caribbean coast and Colombia. Another route visits Costa Rica. 

20 cruises

The Panama Tourism Authority said six cruises are planned in 2021 and 14 in 2022 in connection with National Geographic and Ancon Expeditions in Panama.

Lindblad expressed an interest in availing itself of the benefits of Executive Decree No. 274, which reimburses operators for their Panama Canal toll when they homeport in the country. Panama expects the incentive to generate economic impact from passengers staying in the country before or after their cruise.

The program will operate on the 100-passenger National Geographic Quest. 

Panama-Colombia

The new Panama-Colombia itinerary sails between Panama City and Cartagena, with the opportunity to explore the island of Barro Colorado, home of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and Soberanía National Park; Portobelo, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Guna Yala (San Blas) archipelago.

Panama-Costa Rica

Another itinerary pairs Panama and Costa Rica, and begins or ends at Puerto Cristóbal, transiting the Panama Canal and visiting Barro Colorado; Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and destinations in Costa Rica including Golfo Dulce.

Panama Tourism Authority Administrator Iván Eskildsen noted the small-ship segment supports the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2020-2025 that aims to transform Panama into a world-class sustainable tourism destination.

 

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lindblad expeditions

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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