Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 was greeted with excitement during her visit to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic last Sunday. Coming from Tortola in the British Virgin Islands on her Caribbean voyage, Queen Mary 2’s visit to Amber Cove marked the first call that the ocean liner has ever made in the Dominican Republic.

Her arrival was celebrated during a traditional maritime ceremony aboard, during which port officials and dignitaries exchanged decorative plaques with Captain Kevin Oprey to commemorate the maiden visit. Local executives who welcomed the ship included Vice Minister of Tourism, Julio Almonte; Director of National Police, Coronel Jose Isaia Santana Morillo; Commander of the Air Force, General Richard Vazquez. “It is an honour to bring Cunard guests to Amber Cove, and to join Carnival Corporation’s major cruise brands in making regular visits to the Puerto Plata,” said Captain Oprey.

“We thank the kind people of Dominican Republic for such a warm and hospitable welcome, and we look forward to further time Queen Mary 2 will be spending here in January as part of her World Voyage.” Set in a cove among a mountainous and lush tropical landscape, Amber Cove features dramatic architectural elements that reflect the area's storied Victorian and Colonial past. The waterfront welcome center hosts a variety of retail offerings, including a marketplace for Dominican crafts and souvenirs, as well as a wide range of unique food and beverage establishments featuring an array of specialty dishes of the north coast along with an artisanal coffee shop that brews and sells locally grown coffee.

"On behalf of the President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, The Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia and the city of Puerto Plata, we wish to thank Cunard for the arrival of Queen Mary 2," said Julio Almonte, Vice Minister of Tourism for the Dominican Republic. "We are very happy and honoured to have this important ship visiting our destination. It is a day of joy and celebration for the arrival of Queen Mary 2."