The Port of Cartagena will break its all-time record for cruise ship arrivals for the seventh consecutive year. Throughout 2017, 148 ships carrying more than 230,000 passengers are expected to dock, a 25% increase over the previous year. This represents growth four times higher than the national average, where the sector grew by 6.5%, according to data provided by the port authority.
The strong figures achieved in recent years have earned the city the eighth position in the ranking of Spanish ports by number of cruise passengers. Barcelona holds first place, followed by Palma, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Málaga, Valencia, and Cádiz.
October will be the busiest month for cruise ship calls, with 33 vessels arriving and over 50,000 visitors. There will be days with double calls, such as the 4th, 11th, and 17th; triple calls, such as the 6th and 15th; and even a quadruple call, like the one announced for the 23rd. On that day, more than 7,000 foreign tourists will stroll through the streets of Cartagena. As for last year, the largest increase in cruise traffic was recorded in April, May, September, and October, coinciding with spring and autumn.
Nationalities
The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France are the main countries of origin for cruise ships arriving at the Port of Cartagena, also linked to the nationality of the shipping company.
The typical cruise passenger in Cartagena is a 56-year-old British man, married, with an upper-middle-class income, who usually travels as a couple and chooses the cruise based on its proximity, destination, and itinerary. Many Germans, Italians, and French also arrive, traveling with their families and opting for trips of one week or even two weeks.
