The official opening in December of Don Diego Port in Sans Soucí as home port for the Royal Caribbean ship 'Legend of the Sea' is expected to bolster cruise ship tourism in the Dominican Republic. The Tourism Ministry and private sector intend to promote the country as a port-of-origin destination.

Approximately 2500 passengers will board the ship in Don Diego, using Santo Domingo not as a port of call but the starting point on their Caribbean cruise. Before boarding their ship the tourists will tour Santo Domingo and the Colonial Zone absorbing over 500 years of history since Columbus discovered Hispañiola.

Other ports expecting a boost from cruise ship tourism are Samaná in the northeast and La Romana in the east. 

Already the sector has posted higher than expected figures with 235,000 total cruise ship tourists arriving from October 2006 to April 2007 - 155,000 in La Romana, 60,000 in Samaná and 40,000 in Sans Soucí.