Cruise ship companies assess damage from Dean

Two major cruise lines are still assessing damage to their property and ships in the wake of Hurricane Dean’s detestation of the Majahual port in Mexico. Carnival Corp. And Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd both use the port known as Puerto Costa Maya which sustained serious damages as a result of the storm.

Hurricane Dean, a Category 5 hurricane, passed through the Yucatan region of Mexico on Tuesday, leaving damage and devastation in its wake. Houses were ruined and part of the concrete docks in the port were washed away.

Costa Maya first opened in 2001, as a port which could provide cruise ship passengers the closest access to several popular Mayan sites. Though not as popular as Cozumel or Grand Cayman, the port never the less receives a significant amount of tourist traffic and can accommodate a maximum of three cruise ships in the port. Each year, Puerto Costa Maya sees more than a million passengers use its port, making it one of the top six ports in the region in terms of passenger numbers.

Hurricane Dean has caused a significant amount of damage to the port which Carnival spokespeople say is extensive. “The port will be out of commission for an indeterminate period,” read a statement from the company. “We are working on alternatives for ships that call there and hope to announce those shortly,” the statement said.