PR/DR ferry sidelined through July for $8M overhaul
Caribbean Fantasy
America Cruise Ferries, which offers ferry service between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, is anchoring its Caribbean Fantasy cruise ship through July for an $8 million remodeling, company officials announced.
The Puerto Rico-based company will remodel the majority of the ship’s hotel area, machinery, and will improve a number of passenger services, including a change in the boarding logistics to make the process easier, said Néstor Cidrás, vice president of sales and marketing for America Cruise Ferries.
“Any vessel that provides transportation of passengers and/or cargo requires, under the admiralty laws that govern us, a review and certification of compliance with all safety and operating standards required by different agencies in charge of these approvals,” Cidrás said. “Every two years we have a responsibility to present the vessel to be evaluated as required by the relevant authorities.”
While the ship will be sideline for the next four months, cargo service will not be affected, because the company contracted a third-party vessel to keep the operation going on the same schedule, he said.
Passenger service, however, will not be available until the Caribbean Fantasy is ready. The ship has a capacity for 1,050 passengers, and has 148 cabins, 450 seats for passengers who opt-out of paying for a room, and capacity to carry 200 cars and/or other vehicles, as well as 120 cargo containers.
“We’re proud of the growth we have achieved so far and we’re carrying out these efforts to exceed the expectations of our customers to contribute to social and business progress of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic,” the executive said.
