The Azamara company's 'Azamara Quest' cruise ship visited Tarragona for the first time this weekend with 700 cruise passengers on board; this is the first cruise of the season in the Port of Tarragona.
The ship docked Friday afternoon at the Port of Tarragona's cruise terminal, located on the Levante dock, arriving from the port of Nice, France. It remained in the city until Saturday, when it set sail for Málaga. The 'Azamara Quest's' stay was longer than a typical cruise ship visit to Tarragona. This exceptional overnight allowed its passengers to more leisurely enjoy the city and the experiences Tarragona has to offer in the afternoon and evening.
The cruise passengers had a variety of cultural and leisure activities planned, including guided tours of the main historical and cultural heritage sites in Tarragona. Friday was dedicated to exploring the city of Tarragona. Of the activities organized for Saturday, 31% of the passengers booked an excursion, and of these, 42% visited Tarragona, a World Heritage Site; 9% visited the medieval Poblet Abbey and Milmanda Castle; 38% visited Barcelona; and 11% visited Montserrat Abbey and the Codorniu wineries.
The “Azamara Quest” sails under the Maltese flag, has a length of 180.45m, a beam of 28.30m, and a maximum draft of 5.95m.
9 cruise ships and 8,000 passengers
Tarragona Cruise Port Costa Dorada is reaping the rewards of the strategy launched three years ago and is consolidating its position as an exclusive international cruise destination in the Mediterranean. For 2015, the Port of Tarragona forecasts receiving 9 cruise ships and 8,000 passengers, a significant increase from the nearly 2,000 passengers it handled the previous year.
Tarragona Cruise Port Costa Dorada
Tarragona Cruise Port Costa Dorada offers all the virtues of the Mediterranean lifestyle, with a wide variety of activities for tourists seeking unique and unforgettable experiences, such as wine tours at renowned wineries, a rich gastronomy, golf courses, sunshine, pristine golden beaches, and all kinds of outdoor activities. This destination boasts international recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encompassing the archaeological ensemble of ancient Roman Tarraco, the medieval Poblet Monastery, and the Castells, one of Europe's most authentic and unique cultural expressions, recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Tarragona Cruise Port is also synonymous with Gaudí. Reus, the birthplace of Antoni Gaudí, still preserves the places the genius frequented and that were connected to his life.
Its maturity as a top-level tourist destination and its potential to open up to the world are the main arguments for the definitive entry of Tarragona and the Costa Dorada into the competitive world of cruises.
The cruise table is structured with agents from the territory: a project led by Port de Tarragona and where the Tarragona Provincial Council Tourism Board, Tarragona City Council, the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce, Reus City Council, the Tourism Employers Association, URV School of Tourism and Port Aventura are also present.
