Madrid, February 1, 2018 – Pullmantur Cruises – the only cruise line in the market offering a 100% Spanish product – closed 2017 with a34% increase in the number of Spanish passengers, growth closely linked to an increase in offerings aimed at this market. This further strengthens the company's position in the Spanish market.
In the words of Pullmantur Cruises President & CEO Richard J. Vogel, “This spectacular result was driven by the significant increase in our offerings in Spain, with three of our four ships dedicated to this market during the peak season, compared to two the previous year.” This “allowed us to once again offer our guests highly sought-after itineraries, such as the Greek Islands and Venetian Rondo.”
Vogel adds: “Another fact to take into account is that, as a novelty, we sailed in the Canary Islands during the winter months, increasing our portfolio, which meant that for the first time in history we operated all year round from a Spanish port.”.
In total, Pullmantur Cruises made 161 calls at Spanish ports, of which approximately 70% were embarkation and disembarkation calls. Looking ahead to 2018, this figure is expected to remain virtually the same.
20 Million Euros Investment in the Sovereign
At the end of November 2017, the Sovereign ship left the Cádiz Shipyards (Navantia) after undergoing a three-week revitalization process. The project involved 42 companies, around 1,000 workers, and an investment of 20 million euros.
After the Brazilian season concludes, the Sovereign will arrive at the port of Barcelona on March 26, from where it will set sail every Monday until November 19.
Positive outlook for 2018
Looking ahead to this new season, Richard J. Vogel notes: “Our main objective is to consolidate the passenger volume achieved in 2017.” “It won’t be easy, but I am absolutely convinced that we will reach our goal,” he adds.
In this regard, Vogel explains: “We are working intensively across all areas of the company to further improve our product, offering new features, and always enhancing our main attribute: we are the only cruise line that brings the Spanish lifestyle to the way of traveling on a cruise.”.
New routes: from North Cape to Dubai
Among the new itineraries from Pullmantur Cruises for 2018, the launch of Pullmantur Cruises Exclusive Destinations stands out. Dreams that become journeys.
This sub-brand encompasses itineraries that invite passengers to experience their vacations - both on land and on board - with great intensity and offers them the possibility of taking excursions and themed activities on board depending on the route.
Under this umbrella are the following routes: Expedition to the Arctic Circle, Secret Corners of the Mediterranean , and Dubai and Legends of Arabia. The latter is a new itinerary that will take Horizon passengers to the United Arab Emirates and Oman in a completely Spanish atmosphere. With this route, the company will operate in this region for the first time in its history.
