The El Batel Auditorium in Cartagena hosted the twelfth edition of the Excellence Cruise Awards ceremony, which was attended by more than 350 guests.
The gala, as every year, brought together top executives from cruise lines, cruise tour operators, shipping agents, ports and destinations, travel agents, press, partners, professionals, and businesspeople from Cartagena and Murcia, along with other industry suppliers. These were the award winners:
- Best Spanish Port 2018 – Port of Barcelona
- Best Crew 2018 – PULLMANTUR CRUISES
- Best In-Flight Entertainment 2018 – NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
- Best Cruise Line for Value 2018 – MSC Cruises
- Best Cruise Line for Your First Cruise 2018 – COSTA CRUISES
- Best Popular Company 2018 – PULLMANTUR CRUISES
- Best Premium Cruise Line 2018 - HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
- Best Luxury Cruise Line 2018 – SILVERSEA CRUISES
- Best River Tourism Company 2018 – CROISIEUROPE
- Best Ship in the Mediterranean 2018 - SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS
- Best Ship in Northern Europe 2018 – MSC MERAVIGLIA
- Best Brand Recognition among Travel Agencies 2018 – COSTA CRUISES
- Best Onboard Dining 2018 – OCEANIA CRUISES
- Best Itinerary 2018 – PRINCESS CRUISES
- Best Brand Image Among Consumers 2018 – COSTA CRUISES
- Recognition of the Port of Cartagena to the Spanish Navy
- Cruises News Media Group Recognition for Intercruises ShoreShide & Ports Services
- Recognition Cruises News Media Group – Leixões Port Authority
In addition, a special presentation took place, the Andrés Mira Domenech Award, in memory of the founder of Cruisesnews Media Group, an emotional award that the organization gives when it considers that there are exceptional merits, and which fell to Emiliano González, President of MSC Cruises Spain and whom Virginia López, General Director of CNMG, described as one of her main supporters in these difficult years.
The gala featured a spectacular performance by the acrobats "Polémicos Dance," who captivated the audience with their pole dancing show, and was directed and presented by comedian and showman Mr. Corrales. This year, the organizers unveiled new trophies: custom-made sculptures crafted from Corten steel.
The Cruise Excellence Awards are the result of a large-scale survey conducted among national cruise passengers, a fact that gives special value to the results, as they represent the assessment of the passengers themselves.
This edition, promoted and sponsored by the Cartagena Port Authority, the Cartagena City Council and the Murcia Region Tourism Institute, also has the sponsorship of State Ports, the Association of Maritime Activities Entrepreneurs (ASEAM) of Cartagena, Cruises Atlantic Islands, Blazquez Cruises Maritime Agency, Cruise-Friendly Commerce, Mediterranean Unique Experience, Planout, Erhardt Mediterráneo, the Roman Theatre of Cartagena, Asiático shop, Licor 43 and Estrella Levante.
The choice of the city is due, among other considerations, to the consolidation of the Port of Cartagena as one of the Spanish destinations that has experienced the greatest growth in recent years. In 2018, it received more than 230,000 passengers on 148 cruise ships, making it the eighth largest Spanish port in this type of traffic. In 2019, it has 165 scheduled calls, which will bring the total to 240,000 passengers, and will also overcome seasonality by receiving ships every month of the year.
The Excellence Cruise Awards, whose first edition was held in 2008 in Barcelona, are a brand of CruisesNews Media Group, organizer of the International Cruise Summit in Madrid and publisher of CruisesNews and TopRiver magazines.
