Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy and 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy will be the first cruise ships to call at the newly rebuilt Puerta Maya Cruise Center in Cozumel, Mexico, when it re-opens on Thursday, Oct. 16 – nearly three years to the day after being severely damaged by Hurricane Wilma.

            Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Fantasy visit Cozumel as part of the vessels’ year-round four- and five-day Western Caribbean cruise programs.  

            Operated by Carnival Cruise Lines’ parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, Puerta Maya’s expansive cruise center houses 42 different retail outlets offering apparel, fine jewelry, artwork and other merchandise from a number of recognizable retailers, as well as a wide variety of dining options.

            There is also a newly constructed shore excursion pier, separate from the main pier, which allows for quick and convenient access to all water-bound excursions, as well as water-based transportation to and from the facility.

            The calls by the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Ecstasy will be the first of 550 cruise-ship visits at Puerta Maya over the next year.  Collectively, these ships will bring an estimated 1.5 million visitors annually to Cozumel, who are expected to spend $126 million on the island each year.