Ceuta stands guard at the entrance to the Mediterranean, on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the Strait of Gibraltar. Ceuta is an enclave brimming with attractions, beginning with the famous Mount Hacho, one of the two Pillars of Hercules, which had to be separated to join the waters of the Mediterranean with those of the Atlantic Ocean. This position as a gateway between two continents makes Ceuta an exceptional city due to its location, its climate, its cultural fusion, the coexistence of religions within its borders, and its status as a piece of Europe embedded in Africa.
Article from CruisesNews magazine no. 51 – December 2019
The future of the port of Ceuta inevitably depends on one obvious fact: the existence of an entire continent that it can serve, taking advantage of its Spanish and European nationality in Africa, without neglecting other circumstances that boost its traffic, such as the tax advantages it possesses and its costs, which are comparatively cheaper than others in the Peninsular area.
Although Ceuta is often a fleeting stopover for cruise passengers crossing the Strait of Gibraltar on ships bound for established destinations like the Mediterranean, cruise lines should consider including it in their itineraries to explore its hidden gems. Its location between two seas and two continents, along with the hospitality of its people, makes it an added value that enriches any cruise itinerary.
The first cruise ship calls in Ceuta:
Ceuta has a long tradition as a transit port for tourist cruises. Before World War II, it had illustrious visitors such as the German ship Monte Rosa, which called at Ceuta in 1935 on a cruise that shared an itinerary with Barcelona. Another German ship, the Milwaukee, also visited Ceuta on a cruise from Genoa to the Canary Islands. Its British competitors were also frequent visitors to Ceuta, with recorded calls on tourist cruises by ships such as the Montclare, the Montrose, the P&O Mongolia, and the Lamport & Holt Voltaire.
Ceuta is a unique example of the fusion of four cultures.
In another milestone for the port, in August 1957, the Cabo San Roque, the flagship of Ybarra y Compañía, stopped in Ceuta on its inaugural Bilbao-Barcelona cruise.
In more recent times, in 1998, the Fiesta Atlántica itinerary, offered from Malaga by the ship D. Juan, of the Royal Hispania shipping company, stopped in Ceuta.
Calls in the 21st Century
References to cruise ship calls in the 21st century are abundant: for example, on April 29, 2006, the Wind Surf, belonging to Wind Sail Cruises, called at Ceuta on a voyage between Cádiz and Málaga. That same year, its sister ship, the Club Med 2, docked at the western pier. However, that year saw a sharp decline in activity, with only nine calls, compared to the thirteen ships that docked in Ceuta in 2005. Changes in the routes of many shipping companies, as well as the emerging economic crisis, were impacting the port of Ceuta.
However, cruise activity in Ceuta rebounded in 2007 with 20 port calls. In October of that year, the Norwegian Dream, from Norwegian Cruise Line, arrived and remained for several years the largest cruise ship to call at Ceuta.
In 2008, there were 25 cruise ship calls with 32,606 tourists. That year marked a significant event: following the D. Juan incident, Ceuta was once again included in a round-trip itinerary from Málaga. The British cruise line Thomson Cruises included the autonomous city in several of its itineraries, and its ships, the Thomson Destiny and Thomson Spirit, made nine calls at the port. These two years, 2007 and 2008, represent one of Ceuta's most successful periods as a cruise port of call and set a high bar to surpass.
The trend changed in 2009. That year, Ceuta ended with only ten cruise ship calls, something that had only happened once in the previous ten years. The season began on March 14th with the arrival of the classic ship Saga Ruby and closed on April Fool's Day with the Amadea, from the German operator Phoenix Reisen, which arrived with more than 900 German tourists on board. Between these two dates, there were three more calls in May, three in September, and two in October, bringing more than 5,000 tourists. Among them was the Tahitian Princess, one of the first ships to visit Ceuta, a well-known cruise line and a leader in the premium sector. The ten calls represented one of the lowest figures since 1998, when 18 ships docked.
Ceuta is a shopping destination. Its tax regime allows you to buy jewelry, eyewear, photography equipment, electronics, imaging equipment, cosmetics, and clothing at very competitive prices.
The first decade of the 21st century closed with eight port calls, among them once again a benchmark in the cruise world: the Pacific Princess, which docked for the first time in the port of Ceuta on December 10, 2010, arriving from Barcelona and continuing on to Casablanca. The Portuguese ship Funchal also made calls from Lisbon. Its owner, Arcalia Shipping, which later went bankrupt due to the economic crisis, had sent its entire fleet to Ceuta, meaning that the Princess Danae, Ocean Monarch, and Athena had all called at the Spanish enclave. This demonstrates the appeal of Ceuta as a destination for the Portuguese market and the nautical viability of an itinerary that includes Lisbon and Ceuta. Given the growing importance of the Portuguese capital as a cruise base, it would be very worthwhile to promote Ceuta on cruises departing from that port.
2011-2015: The Effects of the Crisis.
The impact of the economic crisis and the arrival of larger ships in the Mediterranean affected Ceuta's cruise traffic figures during the first five years of this decade. Interestingly, this decline coincided with a sharp drop in Málaga, which fell from 322 port calls in 2010 to a record low of 227 in 2015. Gibraltar, Ceuta's rival, also experienced a decrease in traffic. Therefore, we are witnessing a regional, not local, phenomenon that affected the ports of the Strait of Gibraltar. This was due to pressure from new destinations like Cartagena, the decrease in the availability of long-haul cruises from the ports of the Gulf of Lion to the Canary Islands, and the economic crisis, which led shipowners to move their vessels to more established destinations, such as the Western Mediterranean or the Adriatic/Aegean.
2011 began with good news: the inclusion of Ceuta in a regular MSC Cruises itinerary. The Melody would offer stops in Ceuta on its 12-day cruises departing from Genoa and calling at Alicante, Cartagena, Tangier, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Funchal, Ceuta, Palamós, and returning to Genoa. That year also saw the first call by the cruise ship Kristina Regina, from the Finnish company Kristina Cruises.
Another of Ceuta's long-standing clients is the British cruise line Saga Cruises, which offers cruises for senior citizens. In 2012, it maintained its commitment to Ceuta with two calls by the Saga Ruby, the second of which arrived from Cartagena and continued on to Casablanca. Its entire historic fleet, with ships like the Saga Pearl II and the Saga Rose, were regular visitors to Ceuta almost every year. Saga Cruises is currently undergoing a complete fleet renewal, which includes the addition of two new ships this year and in 2020: the Spirit of Discovery and the Spirit of Adventure. Several institutions, such as the Port Authority and the Department of Public Works, are doing remarkable work to make Ceuta an accessible city, free of architectural barriers. This goal of ensuring that everyone can enjoy Ceuta could be a significant draw for cruise lines with a high percentage of retirees or, as they are now called, "senior" passengers. Customers of Saga, Holland America, etc. could access the city, its museums, attractions, etc. without any architectural barriers, and that would be a very important commercial draw.
The Sapphire Princess is the largest cruise ship that has ever called at Ceuta.
Cruise traffic remained sluggish in 2013. It was long-standing clients, such as Thomson Cruises, who kept the port active. On May 1st, the 243-meter-long Thomson Dream arrived, becoming the largest cruise ship to enter the port, though still far from the nine calls made in 2008 by its fleetmates, the Thomson Destiny and Thomson Spirit. It arrived from Portimão (once again, the Portuguese connection) and sailed for Cartagena. But it was clear evidence of the company's interest in bringing the port of Ceuta back into its ships' itineraries. Another frequent visitor, the Kristina Katarina, carrying nearly 300 Finnish passengers, also called at Ceuta that year before departing for Málaga.
2014 began relatively well in Ceuta, with four port calls by July from different shipping companies, almost all of them regular customers: P&O with the Adonia, Princess with the Ocean Princess, Phoenix with the Amadea (which became the first cruise ship to refuel in Ceuta), and Peter Deilman with the Deutschland. These were all relatively small vessels, evidence of the existing infrastructure deficit in Ceuta at the time. However, this trend did not continue for the rest of the year, and there was a decrease compared to 2013.
The year marking the midpoint of the decade represented a turning point for the future. It was the year in which the adaptation of the Muelle España (Spain Wharf) began to accommodate the length of the new cruise ships. Those in charge declared at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping event in Miami that year that "Ceuta is now preparing for a completely different scene." With only four port calls and fewer than 1,600 passengers, 2015 marked the beginning of Ceuta's journey as a cruise ship destination.
The Impact of New Infrastructure – Megaships Arrive.
In 2016, a total of fifteen cruise ships docked in Ceuta, bringing more than 20,000 people, a new all-time record. That year, Panamax-sized ships began arriving in Ceuta, such as the Oosterdam, operated by Holland America Line, and its near-twin, the Arcadia, operated by the British company P&O. Both belong to Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise liner, a giant that has never hidden its interest in Ceuta. These ships, 290 meters long and carrying around 2,000 passengers, broke all previous records. Holland America also sent the Rotterdam to Ceuta for the first time. At the same time, Ceuta retained long-standing clients such as Thomson Cruises, which again highlighted the Thomson Spirit on seven occasions (which accounted for almost half of the stops), arriving from Almeria and departing for Malaga, demonstrating once again the complementarity of Ceuta with other Andalusian ports.
The completion of the works at Muelle España, together with the promotion carried out by the Port Authority, meant that the number of port calls tripled that year, and thanks to the increase in the size of the ships, the number of cruise passengers increased tenfold.
In 2017, the four calls by the TUI Discovery 2, the new flagship of a long-time port client, Thomson Cruises, stood out, with the company showcasing its largest and most modern vessel in the Autonomous City. The Westerdam took over from its sister ship, the Oosterdam, from Holland America, but with three calls in the autonomous city, confirming the interest of this premium American cruise line in the port of Ceuta for its cruise itineraries. P&O returned with the Arcadia and the Aurora, and had to cancel a call by the Oriana due to bad weather. That year also saw the Ceuta Cruise Forum.
In Ceuta, cruise ships dock a five-minute walk from the city centre.
In 2018, a slight decrease in cruise ship traffic was recorded. Ceuta continued to receive ships from its regular clients. Thomson Cruises changed its name to Marella Cruises, but its fleet, in this case the Marella Spirit, visited the Autonomous City four times, and P&O returned with the Aurora. However, 2018 ended with several significant events: the first was the call by the Zenith, from Pullmantur Cruises, on September 20, 2018. It was the first call by a ship from the Royal Caribbean group, the second largest cruise ship operator in the world. Its absence had been a long-awaited development for the port.
The second was the arrival of the Sapphire Princess on October 2nd, the first post-Panamax ship and the largest cruise ship to ever dock in Ceuta, measuring 290 meters in length, with a draft of 8.5 meters and a gross tonnage of 115,857. The year closed with the arrival of Holland America Line's flagship on October 11th, the 100,000 GT Koningsdam, delivered in 2016. It was unequivocal proof of Holland America Line's loyalty.
Present and Future Outlook
: 2019 began on January 22nd with the call in Ceuta of the Saga Pearl II on its final voyage for Saga Cruises, one of the port's long-standing clients. This ship departed for Melilla, one of the few occasions on which an itinerary has included both autonomous cities. P&O returned with the Arcadia and the Aurora, Princess with the Sapphire Princess, and Holland America Line sent the Prinsendam last spring, also on one of its final voyages. The season will close in October with the Saga Sapphire, another Saga Cruises ship, on an itinerary called "Viva España." In total, seven cruise ships called in Ceuta this year.
Ceuta has a long tradition as a cruise ship stop.
The Port of Ceuta was present this past September at Seatrade Europe Cruise and River Cruise, the leading trade fair for the cruise industry in Europe, which celebrated its tenth edition in Hamburg, Germany, with the aim of increasing the number of port calls. German cruise lines are one of the key areas the port of the Autonomous City has yet to reach, as to date neither Aida nor TUI, the two main German cruise lines, have called at its docks, nor have smaller lines such as Hapag-Lloyd or Plantours. And Germany is the leading European market for cruises.
For next year, Saga Cruises has confirmed two calls by its new Spirit of Discovery, delivered last June, and Holland America will return with the Rotterdam. Another loyal customer, Princess Cruises, will once again offer Ceuta on two cruises: one by the Crown Princess from Southampton and another aboard the Sea Princess, which will call at the Autonomous City on June 26th, during a World Cruise from Sydney. That day, the streets of Ceuta will be filled with Australians. For 2021, there are already two bookings for two Princess ships making their Ceuta debut: the Grand Princess and the Island Princess.
Facilities for Tourist Cruises:
In 2015, the Port Authority of Ceuta launched a project to upgrade the Muelle España (Spain Wharf), the historic berth for cruise ships, to accommodate vessels up to 300 meters in length and improve port-city integration. The project, budgeted at nearly two million euros, was carried out in three phases, with the aim of dedicating this infrastructure to cruise ships and megayachts and enabling Ceuta to compete with Gibraltar and Tangier.
The first phase involved relocating the businesses that operated on that dock to other locations. Thus, Muelle España was given a single purpose: to provide a dedicated berth for cruise ships, a welcome addition for the shipping companies, and also serving as the gateway for cruise passengers into the city.
The Muelle España is capable of accommodating 75% of current cruise ships.
Subsequently, three of the sheds that occupied the dock were demolished, resulting in an open dock, with the exception of the control tower and the Port Authority headquarters, a very interesting building shaped like a ship. This action made it possible to separate pedestrian and vehicular traffic and create parking areas for coaches and taxis.
The final phase of the project included the construction of new fenders and bollards on the eastern side, which is used by cruise ships to dock, enabling vessels with a greater tonnage to berth than before. A tourist information point was also installed, and this year it was reinforced with another similar one, which opened with the arrival of the Sapphire Princess.
Subsequently, the work to improve the exterior access to Muelle España was carried out, to continue the previous work, with an approximate area of 4,200 m2 and is located in front of the main gate of the facilities of the aforementioned Muelle España.
The future of Ceuta in cruise traffic:
Ceuta has remarkable infrastructure for receiving cruise ships. But growth in cruise traffic means providing Ceuta with guides, interpreters, buses, organized excursions, etc. And all of this must be publicly funded and prepared well in advance for when cruise passengers arrive.
It is also necessary to improve communication and information about Ceuta on social media and the internet, and to offer this information in several languages. Information about its tax system also needs improvement, one of the most notable aspects of which is that Value Added Tax (VAT) is not applied.
There are approximately 350 cruise ships with an overall length of less than 300 meters, which is roughly the maximum length that the port of Ceuta can accommodate. Therefore, its infrastructure can handle most of the current cruise fleet. It seems unlikely that larger ships (such as the RCI Oasis, MSC Meraviglia, or Costa Smeralda) could call at Ceuta.
Carnival Corp's cruise lines are Ceuta's best customers.
In the commercial sphere, Ceuta must, in addition to retaining its long-standing clients, such as the "Premium" brands of Carnival Corp. Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and P&O, and other independent brands like Saga Holidays, etc., necessarily attract calls from the other three major cruise lines in the industry: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises. Finally, Ceuta is a port that currently does not receive calls from luxury cruise lines such as Silversea, Seabourn, Ponant, etc., or "upper premium" lines such as Oceania or Viking Cruises, with mid-sized ships that would have no problem docking at the Muelle de España (Spain Wharf) and carrying passengers with high purchasing power. Furthermore, some of these lines, such as Viking Cruises, maintain ships in the Mediterranean year-round offering cultural itineraries, for which the presence of Ceuta and its surrounding area in Morocco would represent an interesting new addition. The richness of the Strait's fauna, together with the beauty of the Rif Mountains, also place Ceuta in a good position in exploration cruise traffic, one of the segments with the greatest development potential.
Ceuta has a privileged position in the western Mediterranean, in an area frequented by cruise ships especially in spring and autumn, coinciding with the beginning and end of the summer season in the Mare Nostrum.
When planning itineraries, Ceuta is ideally located from home ports such as Málaga, just 69 miles away (only 5 hours at 15 knots), Alicante (298 miles, 20 hours at 15 knots, ideal for a midday arrival), and Cartagena (239 miles, 16 hours at 15 knots, also ideal for a mid-morning arrival). The same applies to Cádiz (84 miles). For example, Lisbon and Ceuta are 313 miles apart. Thus, a Lisbon-Cádiz-Ceuta itinerary, for instance, is a very attractive combination. It also offers great potential for itineraries from the Canary Islands: it is 720 miles from Santa Cruz de Tenerife (two days of sailing), or 703 miles from Las Palmas, which, with an intermediate stop in a Moroccan port, such as Casablanca, can be part of a very appealing route.
Ceuta has always been a port of call for cruise ships, both for its charms and for the tax incentive for refueling.
Finally, for transatlantic cruises, Ceuta is located 510 miles from Barcelona, while Málaga, for example, is 460 miles away. The 50-mile difference between Málaga and the Strait of Gibraltar is perfectly manageable for competing as a port of call. The same applies to competing with Gibraltar, a port that recently won AIDA's Strait of Gibraltar calls and with which it must compete through promotion, attractive services, and affordable rates.
Ceuta: The Pillar of Hercules.
Centuries of harmonious coexistence among its four cultures (Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and Hindu) make Ceuta an exceptional case in the world, all united in a single cosmopolitan environment. But Ceuta is also a modern, clean, and compact European city, making it perfectly suited for a layover of several hours. It offers numerous attractions. Perhaps the most popular is the Mediterranean Maritime Park, a leisure complex designed by César Manrique, covering approximately 55,000 m² and located opposite the port. It features three artificial saltwater lakes, gardens, waterfalls, a solarium, a stage, and entertainment venues.
For the cultural traveler, Ceuta offers its most iconic monument, the Royal Walls with their navigable moat, built over centuries by Romans, Arabs, Portuguese, and Spaniards to protect the isthmus and the Almina peninsula, where the old city was located. The complex comprises several defensive lines with battlements, towers, bastions, and the parade ground. Another attraction is the Arab baths, dating from the 12th century, consisting of four rectangular rooms, which were restored and reopened in 2006. Other examples of the city's history include the Marinid walls, the Hacho fortress, and the three military museums, including the Legion Museum.
But it also offers examples of contemporary architecture, such as the House of Dragons, completed at the beginning of the 20th century as the headquarters of the African Casino and famous for the large mythological sculptures that adorn its roof. Or the new auditorium designed by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza.
Regarding religious architecture, the 16th-century Baroque cathedral and the 17th-century Baroque church of Our Lady of Africa stand out.
Finally, for more active travelers, Ceuta boasts a wide range of nautical tourism options. The sea is central to Ceuta's leisure activities, with beaches along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, and a large marina in the heart of the bay, from which you can enjoy sport fishing or scuba diving, or take a circumnavigation cruise aboard tourist boats.
Excursions
The Port becomes the best starting point for visiting Morocco, since from Ceuta excursions lasting a few hours are organized to nearby cities such as Tangier, Tetouan or Chefchaouen, provided by specialized destination agencies that offer a service and guarantee at European levels.
Tetouan is only 41 kilometers south of Ceuta. It is a UNESCO World Heritage city thanks to its medina, considered the most complete in Morocco, as well as one of the most authentic, with almost no outside influences. The area adjacent to the medina, known as the Spanish Quarter, is also very interesting, featuring important examples of Spanish colonial architecture.
Tangier is located 77 kilometers east of Ceuta. The historic area comprises two distinct zones: the medina with its kasbah, an ancient walled enclosure on one of the city's hills, featuring a chaotic network of narrow streets that incorporates the wall and fortifications built by the Portuguese, as well as the Kasbah Museum; and the new city, with the old French quarter and the new Spanish quarter.
Chefchaouen, 105 kilometers from Ceuta, is known as the Blue City for the striking color of the houses in its medina. Its souk, its citadel, and the 15th-century Great Mosque with its octagonal tower, along with the narrow streets of the upper medina, are all part of Chefchaouen's charm.
The Rif mountain range is a mountainous area with consistently strikingly green and rugged landscapes, and is an option for the most adventurous passengers.
