The stopover of the Costa Magica, a ship of the Italian shipping company Costa Cruises, made today in the port of Palamós, has brought 2,740 cruise tourists, mostly Italian, and 950 crew members to the municipality, being the largest number of cruise passengers to arrive to date on board a cruise ship on the Costa Brava.
This ship is estimated to have an economic impact of €137,400 on the region. According to industry studies, each cruise passenger visiting a port of call spends an average of €62, with an estimated 75% of passengers disembarking. These cruise tourists' spending includes excursions, dining, shopping, transportation, and passenger services. It is also estimated that 50% of the crew disembarks at a port of call, with an average expenditure of €21 per crew member. In fact, the tourism sector is a key driver of the region's overall economic activity, and cruise ship activity boosts ports and their destinations, contributing to the growth of tourism.
The Costa Magica, a ship belonging to the Italian company Costa Cruises, made its third stop of the year in Palamós today, after which it will have carried 7,170 cruise tourists this season. The ship arrived at 8:00 a.m. from the port of Arrecife (Lanzarote) and is scheduled to depart at 2:00 p.m. for the Italian port of Savona.
The cruise ship has a length of 272 meters, a beam of 35.5 meters, a draft of 8.3 meters, and a gross tonnage of 102,587 tons. Onboard amenities include four swimming pools, one of which is for children; four restaurants; six bars; two lounges; a nightclub; a ballroom; a theater; a casino; a library; meeting rooms; a multi-sports court; and a health center.
The Genoa-based company Costa Cruises is the European operator with the largest fleet, a total of 25 cruise ships, with two more to be added in 2016. Costa is part of the Carnival Corporation group, the world leader in the cruise sector.
