The port of Almería has welcomed the Seven Seas Navigator cruise ship, from Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a specialist in luxury cruises worldwide, for the first time. As this was its inaugural call at the port of Almería, a special ceremony was held on board to welcome the ship and proceed with the traditional exchange of plaques with the Captain, accompanied by members of his crew, and staff from the Port Authority of Almería, the Bahía Almeriport Foundation, and the ship's shipping agent, Lopez Guillen.
The Seven Seas Navigator offers 252 decks and a capacity for 490 passengers. During their stay in Almería, many of the cruise passengers have taken advantage of the tourist attractions. Intercruises was the tour operator responsible for coordinating their activities at the port.
In recent years, the quality and variety of excursions offered to cruise lines have improved, leading to the creation of new tour packages and their marketing to cruise lines and tour operators. The promotion of Almería as a cruise destination is coordinated by the Almería Cruise Club (ACC). It was created within the Bahía Almeriport Foundation, which represents all stakeholders involved in the cruise industry that calls at the Port of Almería. These include the Port Authority of Almería itself, shipping agents, authorized cruise tour operators, tourism companies, and institutions with jurisdiction over tourism.
Cruise ship activity at the Port of Almería has intensified in recent years. Twelve more cruise ships are scheduled to visit before the end of the season in December, bringing the total number of passengers visiting Almería to over five thousand by December 2016. According to Trinidad Cabeo, President of the Port Authority of Almería, “Cruise traffic this year will increase in both the number of port calls and passengers, and the forecasts for 2017 confirm this very positive trend.”.
