PHOTO: The new Banana Coast cruise center is set on the beach, near jungles, mountains, waterfalls and a historic colonial city. (Courtesy of Banana Coast)

The Caribbean’s newest cruise destination, Banana Coast, will officially open on Oct. 15 when the Norwegian Jewel visits the purpose-built facility on the north coast of mainland Honduras.

The $20 million development is located on the protected deep-water Bay of Trujillo, “one of the finest harbors in the Caribbean, if not the finest,” said Michael Greve, president of Miami-based Global Destination Development, which is a partner in the project.

Eight ships have scheduled 29 calls at Banana Coast during the 2014-15 winter season. In addition to Norwegian Cruise Line, other companies with plans to visit include Holland America Line, Silversea Cruises, Oceania Cruises and P&O Cruises.

Although a ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for Oct. 15, the Norwegian Jewel is not the very first ship to call at Banana Coast. That honor went to the Travel Dynamics International’s 130-passenger Yorktown, which visited on Feb. 10. But the 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel is the first mega-ship to call at the new cruise facility.

“We finished construction this past spring after a couple of years,” Greve said. “Tenants are still moving in, and that will continue as we build up our business. Tours are fully developed at this point.”

The 10-acre waterfront facility now has a beach and about 20,000 square feet of retail, including a jade museum and jewelry store, CocoLoco’s organic frozen coconuts, duty-free liquor and gift shop, and kiosks offering refreshments and souvenirs crafted by local artisans. The shopping area can build out to 50,000 square feet over time, Greve said. There isn’t a restaurant at this time, but several are within walking distance just outside the Banana Coast welcome center.

Arriving cruise passengers will be welcomed by local Garifuna performers — who play a unique Central American style of music, including Punta — and dancers in colorful attire. Signage will be in English and Spanish, and translators will be on hand at the port.

Banana Coast Tours offers 15 shore excursions that include active, adventurous activities as well as tours on trams. Among the excursions are a snorkeling trip to a bay populated by starfish, kayaking in a bio-diverse lagoon, a hike to cascading pools of water, an ATV tour through the jungle, horseback riding, hikes through the Campo del Mar nature parks, and tram rides through the historic city of Trujillo.

“Our dedicated cruise center is adjacent to the colonial town of 30,000 people, which offers a plethora of options,” Greve said. “There are all kinds of walking activities very close to the port, which is one of the highlights of Banana Coast. Trujillo was established in 1525, so it’s a really quaint Spanish colonial town. It’s less than a five-minute walk away.”

Christopher Columbus landed in Trujillo in 1502 during his final voyage to the New World. Among the attractions in Trujillo are the 17th century Santa Bárbara Fort, a traditional Spanish plaza, and 19th century San Juan Baptista Church. Historic British, French, and U.S. consulates also are within walking distance.

Banana Coast is about 32 miles south of Roatán, an island that is home to Carnival Corp.’s Mahogany Bay Cruise Center and the facility at Coxen Hole partially owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. But as those facilities have grown in popularity on the Western Caribbean circuit, it sometimes gets crowded.

“They can become quite full on middle days of the week in high season, which is part of the reason some of the lines are interested in our port,” Greve said.

Although there are plans to build a pier, Banana Coast now will operate as a tender port. Ships will use their own tenders to bring passengers about 550 yards to the cruise center. “The water is so calm in that bay, we really don’t foresee that to be a major issue for the guests,” Greve said. “We have plans for a dock but it depends on the growth and the feedback we get from the cruise lines.”

Global Destination Development is building Banana Coast with Grand Trujillo Authority, a partnership that includes Life Vision Properties and the municipality of Trujillo.

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