Carnival Corporation & plc has signed an agreement to build and operate a cruise terminal on the island of Roatan, Honduras. Development of the facility – to be called Mahogany Bay – Roatan – is expected to start in fall 2007 and be completed by summer 2009 at a cost of $50 million.

The cruise facility will be situated on 20 acres on the Roatan waterfront and will consist of a two-berth cruise terminal capable of accommodating super post-Panamax vessels and up to 7,000 passengers daily.

Partnering with Carnival on the project is Jerry Hynds, a local business leader and a member of the Honduran Congress. He is also the owner of Coral Cay, a resort property located adjacent to the planned port facility.

Within five years of operation, Mahogany Bay – Roatan is expected to host 225 cruise ship calls and 500,000 passengers annually.

Adjacent to the facility will be a 35,000-square-foot Welcome Center including retail shops, restaurants and bars, along with a 60-foot-high lighthouse, a lagoon with cascading waterfalls, and a nature trail.

A transportation hub with the ability to accommodate taxis, rental cars and tour buses is also planned. A variety of shore excursion opportunities, to be provided by local tour operators, are being developed, as well.

The island is currently featured on the western Caribbean itineraries of Carnival Corporation & plc brands Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, and P&O Cruises. The new Mahogany Bay – Roatan facility will further enhance guests’ shoreside experience on the popular island destination.

The new Roatan project continues Carnival Corporation & plc’s efforts at developing Caribbean ports to provide consumers with an even greater variety of destination choices within the region. These include the new Grand Turk Cruise Center, which in its first year in operation hosted nearly 300,000 passengers.

The Caribbean remains the world’s number one cruise destination and Carnival Corporation & plc is always looking for ways to capitalize on many distinct attributes that make the region so attractive to consumers. ‘Mahogany Bay – Roatan’ is designed to build upon the success of our other projects by providing cruise ship guests with an unparalleled landside experience, with modern facilities and wide range of shore excursion choices, along with opportunities to explore this fascinating and beautiful island, said Giora Israel, Carnival Corporation & plc’s vice president of strategic planning.