Acapulco-based Ocean Star Cruises Sets Sail April 10

(Acapulco, AN 30 March) Ocean Star Cruises, based in Acapulco, plans to start its activities on April 10. The cruise line specializes in sales into the domestic Mexican market. Its director general, Henry Yaniz, signed agreements this week with local providers of tourism services with a view to promoting this new tourist attraction. The initial investment, by businessman Anuar Name Checay, will be $100 million US dollars.

Ports of call for the new cruise line will be Acapulco, its home base, Zihuatanejo, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Chiapas. The Pullmantur cruise ship Ocean Dream pioneered this route as a domestic (not international) service last year. Departures are planned for the entire year, and not just the few months of the winter high season.

Ocean Star Cruises calculates that it will create 750 new jobs, plus 3,000 indirect employments and an economic output of 620 million pesos annually in tourist expenditures, food and beverage, port services and taxes. The experience aboard the cruise ship will be focused squarely on the tastes, customs and desires of the Mexican national tourist. Everything will be in Spanish language, and no passports or visas will be required. Pricing, according to the operator, will he “highly competitive.” The initial voyages will be aboard the Ocean Star Pacific, with more, larger-capacity vessels to come on line as the demand grows.