The Oasis of the Seas will be docked at the Cruise Liner Pier for a total of 12 hours.
Balloon release, farewell salute from El Berbés Pier, musical performances, street parades, animated characters, tourist information and a photography contest on Twitter are some of the activities scheduled for this day.
The Port Authority of Vigo, the Free Trade Zone, the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Galician Regional Government presented this morning, in a joint press conference, an intense program of activities to mark the inaugural stop of the world's largest cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas, in the Port of Vigo, which will take place next Saturday, September 27.
According to the top port official, Ignacio López-Chaves, the institution he heads will decorate the area around the Transatlantic Dock (upper part of the Maritime Station building and protective fence) with thousands of white and red balloons to welcome the ship, and will release them at the time of the farewell, which will take place around 7:00 p.m.
Also, as the Oasis moves away from the Transatlantic Pier, a farewell salvo of 10 firecrackers will be launched from the western end of the Berbés Pier.
The institution, headed by Ignacio López-Chaves, has also considered social media and, in addition to all these activities, wants to encourage all Vigo residents to share their experiences. As López-Chaves explained, “We encourage you to send us your photos of the Oasis in Vigo via Twitter using the hashtag #VIGOasis. Among all the photos tagged with this hashtag, we will raffle off a ‘Day at the Port,’ which will consist of a guided tour by sea and land for the winner. The winner will have the opportunity to witness the various port operations taking place on the chosen day, including visits aboard one of the ships docked in port that day, previously selected by the Port Authority. For its part, the Vigo Free Trade Zone Consortium, through the A Laxe Shopping Center, will award the winning photo with a tablet.”.
Finally, a team of professionals will be recording images throughout the day in the area of the Maritime Station and the Transatlantic Dock, by sea and by land, with the aim of not missing any detail of the stop and the surroundings.
Tourist information
Similarly, as explained by the Vice President of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, José Manuel Figueroa, Turismo Rías Baixas will provide visitors arriving in Vigo with an information booth opposite the Terminal, at the Transatlantic Pier. There, tourists will receive a free, user-friendly, and comprehensive Vigo guide for their smartphones, which will inform and guide them through the city's most attractive spots in the cultural, architectural, gastronomic (tapas and quality restaurants), shopping, and other areas. Passengers disembarking to explore the city will also receive an explanatory brochure and a card with a code that they must enter to access the guide free of charge. Starting at 12:00 PM, the information booth will also be located in the Celebrity Infinity area.
Traditional music
Visitors will also be entertained by the Tremiñado Bagpipe Band (Ponteareas), who will provide music in the dock area between 12:00 and 13:00. This band, composed of 27 members, will be located in the area closest to the Transatlantic Pier.
Meanwhile, the Pontevedra Provincial Council will provide entertainment during the Oasis's stopover with a performance by the Vigo-based Xarabal Bagpipe Band, comprised of 50 musicians playing traditional Galician instruments. They will also delight cruise passengers with some of Galicia's traditional dances. They are scheduled to begin playing around 6:00 PM at the start of the Paseo de Las Avenidas, next to the Commercial Wharf, where the Celebrity Infinity will be docked. From there, they will proceed in a kind of street parade towards the Transatlantic Wharf, entering the protected area to bid farewell to the ship almost at the foot of the gangway. This way, those who come to see it off can also enjoy this traditional Galician music.
According to Yolanda Lesmes, Head of the Territorial Delegation of the Xunta de Galicia in Vigo, the Galician Agency for Cultural Industries (AGADIC), under the Secretariat of Culture of the Xunta de Galicia, has scheduled a performance by the “AGADIC Traditional Music Group.” Its five members will give a short concert so that both Vigo residents visiting the port to see the Oasis and its passengers can discover and enjoy a highly skilled and experienced professional group. They will perform on the deck of the Ría Maritime Station (stone bleachers) from approximately 5:00 to 5:30 p.m.
The Galician Tourism Agency (Axencia Galega de Turismo de la Xunta de Galicia) will also reinforce its service by deploying additional information officers near the Transatlantic Pier Terminal, utilizing the permanent information booth set up by Turismo Rías Baixas. They will also send information staff to the Commercial Pier Terminal.
Finally, the Vigo Free Trade Zone Consortium, through the A Laxe Shopping Centre, will liven up the Transatlantic Dock area, primarily in the area adjacent to the Shopping Centre, with characters who will interact with the public: a pair of stilt walkers and another pair consisting of Charlotte and her girlfriend, all dressed in a similar style. They will be there from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Given the massive influx of people expected next Saturday, and following the experience in other Spanish ports such as Malaga or Barcelona, where the Oasis has also stopped, the Vigo Port Authority is calling on the residents of Vigo to travel on foot or use public transport to avoid possible gridlock.
