Another embarkation option in the Dominican Republic will soon be added to a Costa Cruises’ ship that plies the Caribbean on a seasonal basis.
Beginning in December 2025, guests can board the 3,800-guest Costa Fascinosa at Santo Domingo and sail roundtrip from the port. The cruise line, a Carnival Corporation brand, held a celebratory event at the nearby La Romana port to mark the announcement on February 24, 2025.
“We are excited to introduce the beautiful port of Santo Domingo as an embarkation option in the Caribbean with Costa Fascinosa, which will deliver a new, memorable experience for our guests,” said Dario Rustico, general manager of North and South America for Costa Cruises.
“Thanks to this new opportunity to join a cruise from the port of their choice adds flexibility for Costa guests who will have more Caribbean options than ever,” added Rustico.
La Romana, located about 75 miles east of Santo Domingo, also is an embarkation port for Costa Fascinosa, along with ports in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
Cruise ships calling at, or embarking guests in Santo Domingo, use the Sansouci Port, which is the main seaport in the island nation that welcomes cargo, container, and other types of vessels. Santo Domingo is the capital city of the Dominican Republic.
Marking the occasion with Rustico were several high-level officials, including Rudy Pimental, executive director of the Sansouci Port; Ana Vilchez, maritime segment director of Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism; Stefano Queirolo Palmas, Italy’s ambassador to Santo Domingo; and Andres Fernandez, commercial director of the La Romana cruise and airport.
Costa Fascinosa, a Concordia-class ship that launched in 2011, operates seasonal voyages in the Caribbean through March, repositioning to the Mediterranean for spring and summer cruises.
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In the 2025-26 winter season, starting in December 2025, Costa Fascinosa will offer 8-day cruises that call at destinations such as Barbados, St. Maarten, Tortola, St. Lucia, and the cruise line’s private island, Catalina Island. Guests will have a choice of four embarkation ports — Santo Domingo, La Romana, Martinique, and Guadeloupe.
Costa Fascinosa is currently deployed to the Caribbean, through March 2025, when she will return to Europe for the spring and summer seasons.
Another Costa Cruises’ ship, the 3,470-guest Costa Fortuna, also is based in the Caribbean for winter 2025, sailing similar cruises with embarkation options in Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The deployments of the ships were confirmed in 2023, with the cruise line offering its fly-cruise packages for all itineraries.
Costa Pacifica Will Deploy to the Caribbean For Winter 2025-26
In winter 2025-26, Costa Fascinosa will be joined by the 3,780-guest Costa Pacifica, which will sail a series of Caribbean cruises with embarkation offered from La Romana and Guadeloupe. Eight- to 16-day itineraries will be featured.
The Dominican Republic has seen a surge in cruise ship arrivals in recent years and is expecting a robust 2025. The destination’s post-pandemic recovery got into full swing in 2023, when more than 1.5 million cruise guests called at the island’s ports.
In fact, the Dominican Republic has the most cruise ports of any Caribbean nation. In addition to Santo Domingo and La Romana, the island operates cruise ports in Puerto Plata (Amber Cove); Punta Cana; Samana; and Cabo Rojo.
Amber Cove and Puerto Plata are the busiest cruise ports, both located on the island’s north shore, while La Romana and Santo Domingo are on the southeast coast. Cabo Rojo is on the southwest coast, closer to the Haiti border.
