MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

MS Amsterdam signals start of cruise season in Uruguay

The official 2006/07 cruise season began Thursday morning in Uruguay with the arrival in Montevideo of the MS Amsterdam carrying 1.300 tourists and 600 crew members.

The 61.000 tons displacement MS Amsterdam belonging to the Holland America Cruise Line arrived from Rio do Janeiro and is scheduled to continue for Buenos Aires.

In the previous 2005/06 season a total of 29 cruise vessels called in Montevideo with 110.827 passengers and 52.314 crew members. The actual number of calls was 106 compared to 77 in the 2004/05 season. According to Montevideo's Town Hall cruise passengers spent an estimated 4.2 million US dollars equivalent to an average of 40 US dollars per visitor.

Montevideo is the main port of call in Uruguay absorbing 75.526 visitors, 68.1% followed by Punta del Este with 35.301, 31.9%. Last season Brazilians made up the bulk of visitors, 26.06%, followed by the US with 20.9% and Britons 13.2%.

The cruise industry in Uruguay is under going a sustained growth with 110.827 visitors in 05/06; 56.167 in 04/05 and 29.765 in 2001/02.