Puerto Plata Province
Receives 82.6% of DR cruise passengers (2.66M in 2024, $251M spending); Amber Cove solar park powers 80% of terminal; named for regional amber deposits.
Carnival Corporation named its Dominican cruise terminal 'Amber Cove' after the ancient fossilized resin that made Puerto Plata famous—and that naming decision captured a broader transformation. In 2024, Puerto Plata's two cruise terminals (Amber Cove and Taíno Bay) received 82.6% of the 2.66 million cruise passengers who visited the Dominican Republic, generating $251.4 million in direct expenditures. The province has become the Caribbean's cruise hub, with 275 ships docking in Q1 2024 alone.
The cruise industry created over 430 direct jobs at the ports, while the tourism boom rippled through hotels approaching full occupancy by late 2024. Amber Cove's solar park, inaugurated in March 2024 with 1,800+ panels, now supplies 80% of the terminal's electricity—an unusual sustainability commitment for Caribbean cruise infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Amber Museum displays the region's paleontological heritage: Dominican amber contains some of the world's best-preserved prehistoric insects, including species found nowhere else.
By 2026, Puerto Plata will test whether cruise dominance translates to sustainable development. Cruise passengers spend hours, not days; their economic footprint differs from resort guests. If the province develops overnight accommodations and attractions that convert day-trippers into multi-day visitors, it could diversify its tourism base. If cruise dependency deepens without broader investment, Puerto Plata may find itself vulnerable to shipping route changes it cannot control.