The cruise ship 'Freedom of the Seas', belonging to Royal Caribbean International, has made its first stop in the Port of Malaga, arriving from Cadiz. The ship will remain docked at Terminal A until departing for its next destination: Palma de Mallorca.
The 'Freedom of the Seas', traditionally found on Caribbean itineraries, has crossed the ocean for the first time to call at several European ports, including Málaga. The 338-meter-long vessel has a maximum capacity of 4,375 passengers and 1,360 crew members.
To commemorate this first stop, a delegation made up of representatives from Malagaport, the Malaga Port Authority, the Tourism Department of the City Council, Cruceros Malaga and Agencia Marítima Condeminas (ship's agent) presented commemorative plaques to the ship's captain at a reception held on board.
The president of the Port Authority, Paulino Plata, considers Royal Caribbean's commitment "very interesting," noting that "during 2017, they will make a total of 16 calls at our port, highlighting Málaga as a key link between the Atlantic and Mediterranean routes included in their itineraries." Plata adds that, during the spring season, "cruise passenger traffic will increase by 48% compared to the same period last year, thanks also to the selection of Málaga as a home port by companies like Thomson and Pullmantur.".
For his part, the Councillor for Tourism and City Promotion, Julio Andrade, highlighted the importance of ships of this type choosing Malaga as a stopover on their Mediterranean voyages, advocating for "continuing to work so that Royal Caribbean, the shipping company that owns the 'Freedom of the Seas', will once again choose Malaga as a home port for one of its ships.".
During the meeting with the captain and his crew, Katherine Louise Calder was a notable presence. A few years ago, she became the first non-celebrity godmother of a cruise ship. Since then, the company has relied on her invaluable support for specific events, such as the promotion of the 'Freedom of the Seas' in the European market.
Today, four cruise ships are in port, making it the busiest day for cruise passengers since the beginning of 2017, with approximately 10,500 cruise passengers arriving. In addition to the 'Freedom of the Seas', three other ships have called at the Port of Malaga: the Aidablu, from AIDA Cruises, with a capacity of 2,192 passengers; the Aurora, from the British company P&O Cruises, with a capacity of 1,950 passengers; and the TUI Discovery, from Thomson Cruises, with a capacity of 2,074 passengers.
