Posted on January 2, 2003 - by Ralph Grizzle
Redrawing The Maps
Today’s geography challenge: Name the locations of Icy Strait Point and Costa Maya. Slim chance that you will find these destinations on your world map. That’s because neither existed until just a few years ago, when they were built from the foundation up with one purpose in mind — to host cruise ship passengers.
Our worry? The experience of arriving in ready-made ports may not be as culturally invigorating as arriving in traditional ports. After all, these new ports are outside the stream of native populations. Moreover, these ports have been sanitized all around, and to at least a few cruise ship visitors, they will smack of amusement parks and shopping malls constructed shoreside.
On the other hand, these new ports — well, at least one them — offer respites from cruise ship congestion at traditional ports. Alaska’s Icy Strait Point was designed to host only one cruise ship per day to avoid overcrowding. Anchored by a refurbished 1930s-era cannery, Icy Strait Point sits at the mouth of Glacier Bay, with good access to nature,. Excursions range from a tram ride through a spruce and hemlock rainforest to salmon-fishing trips to whale-watching and brown bear and wildlife viewing explorations.
Taking the opposite approach, Mexico’s Costa Maya is gearing up to host as many as five cruise ships a day by the end of 2005. The western Caribbean’ first port designed exclusively for cruise ships currently has a capacity for three cruise ships at once. More than 300 cruise ship calls are scheduled for 2005.
Costa Maya features (you won’t be surprised by this) a 70,000-square-foot shopping center and bazaar. Not a shopper? Leave the crowds by walking to the on-site “ecopark” and climb the stairs to the swinging bridges suspended over the jungle. The views are stunning. Excursions take passengers to nearby beaches and to Mayan ruins.
Maps may never show these new destinations, but look for more purpose-built ports as traditional ones reach their capacity in the coming years.
