Cruise ships finally coming in greater numbers

One of the primary ways to get to Cartagena has been aboard cruise ships. 4 1/2 years ago, in the light of 9/11, most of the cruise ship lines quit coming to Cartagena as the result of the negative travel warnings for Colombia as a whole. The lines had been coming for quite some time in spite of the warnings, because they knew that Cartagena had always continued to be safe and a very profitable and attractive destination. But liability concerns won out. Cartagena went from 160 visits per year to 20!

Finally the cruise lines have decided to return in significant numbers, led by Royal Caribbean (which includes Celebrity Cruises) and followed immediately thereafter by the Princess ships. There will be some new activity in April of 2006 but the real "return" will be from October 2007 onwards. All this is a result of the tremendously improved security situation in Colombia as a result of the current President's policies. The last four years have made it a different country! Cartagena, as a result, is getting more and more visitors both local and international.