The 'Symphony of the Seas', flagship of the Royal Caribbean International company, will dock at the Port of Malaga on March 27, a date that will mark a historic day in the capital.
The shipping company has chosen Malaga for the world premiere of its new ship, making it the first port of call after leaving the STX France shipyard and becoming, within a 48-hour period, the only port facility that will have received all four of the company's large ships, all of them belonging to the 'Oasis' class.
To mark this highly anticipated visit, the port and the city have joined forces to commemorate the arrival of the 'Symphony of the Seas' by coordinating a program of activities that will allow citizens and all visitors who come to the port docks on March 27th to participate in this special day.
The program is the result of a collaboration between Royal Caribbean International, the Port Authority, Malaga City Council, Tourism and Planning Costa del Sol and the company Cruceros Malaga.
Reception of the ship
The 'Symphony of the Seas' is scheduled to arrive at the port from 6:00 a.m., at which time it will dock at Cruise Terminal A, located in the Levante area.
During the day, the institutional representatives, together with the Condeminas Maritime Agency (the ship's agent), will carry out the traditional exchange of commemorative plaques with the captain at a reception held on board.
Afterwards, the delegation will meet with the media previously invited by Royal Caribbean to learn about the ship's features 'in situ'.
In addition, the Paseo de Levante (from the Farola to the Cruise Terminal) will be decorated to welcome this colossus of the sea.
Major charity event: Andrés Olivares Foundation
Malaga is considered a safe, friendly, and welcoming city. These are key qualities that have been reflected in surveys conducted with cruise ship passengers who have visited our destination in recent years.
For this reason, the organizing institutions of the port and the city and the Royal Caribbean International company have developed an important social event that will have a solidarity focus, with the aim of having citizens participate in this very special day, as they already did with the first stop of the 'Oasis of the Seas' in 2014.
The Levante area will be transformed into a recreational space on March 27th, open to all who wish to enjoy this day in our port. The following activities are planned:
- Mr. Proper concert,
- Entertainment for the little ones
- Food trucks
- Photocall
And, in addition, a very interesting incentive: the opportunity to participate in a raffle for a trip aboard the 'Symphony of the Seas' for two people, offered by Royal Caribbean International, by purchasing raffle tickets in the Levante area during the day. 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Andrés Olivares Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children and teenagers with cancer, among other chronic illnesses, and their families, thus demonstrating that Málaga is a welcoming city, but also a city of solidarity.
Other actions
- Attention to foreign media
A group of international journalists, invited by Royal Caribbean to take the pre-inaugural trip from Malaga to Barcelona, will visit the destination with guided tours of the city's most emblematic places on March 26 and 27, providing an opportunity to showcase the tourist offerings and the port infrastructure's capacity to accommodate the world's largest ships.
- Dissemination of the event
Within the framework of the actions carried out to promote Malaga as a maritime and port city, social networks play a fundamental role as a tool to foster that sense of belonging.
In this regard, during the weeks leading up to the ship's arrival, a contest was organized among students of the University of Malaga on the Malagaport Facebook page. The winner will travel on board the 'Symphony of the Seas' and share their experience during its pre-inaugural itinerary. The student, currently studying for a degree in Audiovisual Communication, was chosen from among nearly 500 participants, reaching an audience of over 70,000 people.
This same trip, which will last two days, will also be undertaken by two influencers from Malaga: @travelthelife and @javicubo, who will share their impressions through their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram networks, with the aim of bringing the experience of a trip aboard the world's largest ship closer to the citizens.
For them, as well as for the media and all those who broadcast this event via social networks, the hashtag #SymphonyEnMálaga has been created.
Farewell to the ship
The 'Symphony of the Seas' will remain docked in the Port of Malaga until 10:00 p.m., at which time it will depart for its next destination. The voyage will welcome international journalists and professionals from the Royal Caribbean International company who will have the opportunity to see the ship before it opens to the general public.
Once the ship sails away through the harbor entrance, the port and the city will bid it farewell with fireworks, bringing to a close an intense day and months of joint effort to place Malaga on the map of the world's great cruise ports and in the hearts of its citizens.
