The Azamara Journey cruise ship, carrying 616 passengers and nearly 400 crew members, concludes a season in which the number of travelers has almost quadrupled.
Half of the cruise passengers who visited the port of Roses were American tourists, while the British are the second largest group, representing 19%.
The economic impact of the ten ships that called at the port of Roses was approximately €260,000, further solidifying the destination as a leading cruise tourism destination on the Costa Brava.
The port of Roses closed its cruise season yesterday with its best figures ever: 3,700 passengers across 10 ship calls. These figures represent a doubling of the number of calls and a near quadrupling of the number of passengers compared to the 2013 season, which saw five calls and 1,000 passengers.
The strong increase in cruise activity this year – the third consecutive season for the Port of Roses – reaffirms the destination's position in the cruise market and brings a type of high-spending tourist, boosting employment and stimulating the economy in Roses and its surrounding area. In this respect, the economic impact on the region this season has been approximately €260,000.
In terms of tourist profile, almost half (49%) were North Americans, followed by British (19%), French (11%), Belgians (7%), Australians (7%), Canadians (4%), and Germans (2%), among others. The number of cruise ship calls is expected to continue at this year's level in 2015, an indication of the beginning of the consolidation of cruise tourism in the Alt Empordà region.
Shipping company loyalty
In 2014, the port of Roses welcomed, for the first time, the cruise lines Azamara Club Cruises, Club Med Cruises, and Sea Cloud Cruises, along with the ships Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, Club Med 2, Sea Cloud II, and Seabourn Sojourn. Of particular note is the continued commitment of Seabourn Cruise Line, which has chosen Roses for the third consecutive year, and Seadream Yacht Club, which had already visited in 2012.
The ports of Roses and Palamós and their destination participated under the Costa Brava Cruise Ports brand at the Seatrade Med fair held in Barcelona last September, where the new promotional video was presented to raise awareness among cruise companies, tour operators and agents worldwide.
First stop
The arrival of the Azamara Journey, which has called at Roses for the first time, marks the end of the 2014 season. The cruise ship carries 616 passengers, mostly Americans and Britons, and 398 crew members. It arrived at 8:00 a.m. from the French port of Marseille and is scheduled to depart for Barcelona at 6:00 p.m.
The acting mayor of Roses, Carles Pàramo, accompanied by various authorities, presented gifts from the Alt Empordà region to the cruise ship's captain. Representatives from Ports de la Generalitat also presented him with a commemorative plaque marking the ship's maiden call at the port of Roses.
The American company Azamara Club Cruises belongs to the Royal Caribbean group. The luxury cruise line Azamara Club's fleet consists of two ships: the Azamara Quest and the Azamara Journey, both of which visited the port of Roses for the first time this year.
