Puerto Rico Going After Jumbo Cruise Ships

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Puerto Rico plans to expand its cruise ship pier to accommodate the new line of mega-cruise ships capable of handling more than 6,000 passengers.

Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla said this week that Puerto Rico will spend $8.7 million to extend the cruise ship pier by 182 feet and add a new baggage inspection center. The new facility will be better equipped to handle the larger cruise ships, such as Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, which is scheduled to make its first stop in Puerto Rico in December 2014.

The 348-meter long, 167,000-ton Quantum of the Seas is one of a new class of super cruise ships that are raising the bar for the cruise industry. The ship will include bumper cars, simulated sky-diving, roller-skating and an "observation capsule" capable of lifting passengers 300 feet above the water.

The cruise business is becoming increasingly competitive, driving destinations to upgrade to woo the big ships. In Belize, for example, two different projects are moving forward to create cruise ship facilities.

Puerto Rico hopes to increase its cruise ship revenue by $300 million in the decade, Mr. Garcia said.