The Port of A Coruña has been chosen by the leading company Tui Cruises, whose flagship ships are the saga<Mein Schiff> , for the debut of a new ship in this family of next-generation cruise ships.
TheMein Schiff 2 Newwill make its maiden voyage to A Coruña, the first port of call on the inaugural route of this German-built ship. Having departed yesterday, Sunday, from Bremerhaven, Germany, it is scheduled to dock at the Transatlantic Pier on Wednesday, February 6, around 7:30 a.m., remaining in the city until 6:00 p.m.
After its world premiere in A Coruña, the<Mein Schiff 2 New> It will set sail for Porto and Lisbon, where the official christening will take place, before continuing on to Andalusia and the Canary Islands. Along with the<Mein Schiff 1> , the new<Mein Schiff 2> It represents a new generation of ships for the company, adding 20 meters in length compared to previous models. Furthermore, it increases its capacity, accommodating nearly 3,000 passengers.
Another historic milestone to add to the list of achievements in recent years for the cruise sector in A Coruña, which is set to break its passenger record once again, as reflected in the 2019 calendar, with more than 120 port calls scheduled. Around 190,000 passengers are expected this year, surpassing the record set in 2017, which closed with just over 184,000 cruise passengers. This figure will be further increased by approximately 75,000 crew members, bringing the total number of travelers arriving by sea to the city of A Coruña to around 265,000.
The economic impact is estimated at around €15 million, including port fees and charges, spending by passengers and crew, as well as payments to tour operators, transport companies, and suppliers. Furthermore, A Coruña's consolidation as the leading port on the Cantabrian-Atlantic coast, from Lisbon to France, both in terms of the number of cruise passengers and port calls, continues to boost its international image as a tourist destination and a top-tier cruise port.
This year's calendar is notable for the number of ships making their maiden calls. Seven newly launched vessels, having chosen this destination for their inaugural voyages. In addition, four other cruise ships will be docking at the Transatlantic Pier for the first time, demonstrating the destination's appeal for new Atlantic routes. Some of these ships belong to cruise lines joining the Port of A Coruña's client roster, highlighting the success of the Port Authority's commercial plan, while others are joining the fleets of leading companies with a high level of customer loyalty. This is the case for P&O Cruises, Fred Olsen, Aida Cruises, TUI Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and MSC Cruises, which lead the list of dockings, along with other iconic companies such as Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Saga Cruises, Costa Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd, Cunard, and Ponant.
The Port of A Coruña will continue to play a decisive role in reducing the seasonality of tourism, as the peak seasons will once again be spring and autumn, with 22 ship calls and over 36,000 passengers expected in May and 22 calls and 30,000 cruise passengers in October. Large-scale visits will be the norm, with a total of 24 calls scheduled from ships with a capacity of 3,000 or more passengers, as well as one quadruple call, one triple call, and 14 double calls.
