The ship Amera, consigned by Perez & CIA and owned by Phoenix Reisen, a major German tour operator that also operates a fleet of cruise ships, docked at the North Bank pier of the port of Santander in what is the first visit of a cruise ship to Cantabria since cruise activity was halted due to the Covid-19 health crisis.
To commemorate the ship's first stop in the port of Santander and the arrival of the first cruise ship in nineteen months, the President of Cantabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla, accompanied by the President of the Port Authority, Francisco Martín; the Mayor of Santander, Gema Igual and the Director General of Tourism, Marta Barca, presented the captain, Elmar Wilfried Muehlebach, with a commemorative plaque and some books about Santander and Cantabria for the onboard library.
For the president of the Port Authority, this visit represents “an important step in the return to normality” and in the recovery of traffic that supports the tourism industry, “one of the hardest hit by the pandemic.” Martín also pointed out that both the 460 crew members and the 603 passengers traveling on the AMERA visited the Autonomous Community “in compliance with all the established health measures,” both by the shipping company and by national and local authorities.
The head of the Port Authority of Santander (APS) also highlighted the "essential institutional collaboration" that occurs during these types of port calls, emphasizing the support the port receives from both the regional government and the city council to guarantee "top-quality". In this regard, he emphasized the creation of the Santander Cruise Deluxe brand, under which the Port Authority, the Santander City Council, and the Government of Cantabria operate, to promote Cantabria as a cruise destination, presenting the region as "a safe, sustainable, and innovative destination" for both seasoned cruisers and those experiencing this mode of travel for the first time.
For his part, the president of Cantabria, Miguel Ángel Revilla, emphasized that the arrival of the Amera at the port of Santander after more than a year and a half is “a sign of a return to normality in every sense.” Revilla also pointed out that pandemic figures in Cantabria are beginning to decline, “which makes us optimistic about the future.”
The mayor of Santander, Gema Igual, who also wanted to be present at this welcome to the AMERA cruise ship, stated that this is "one of the first milestones of recovery due to the economic impact generated by cruise ships" and highlighted the importance of the institutional collaboration that takes place in the cruise sector.
The Amera, a 205-meter-long cruise ship, arrived in port at nine in the morning from Ferrol and departed at five in the afternoon bound for the port of Le Verdon (Bordeaux). Of the 603 cruise passengers, mostly German, 200 took a panoramic tour of the city to see its main attractions, while 171 enjoyed a combined tour of Santillana del Mar and Santander.
This stop marks the beginning of cruise activity, which is expected to increase in the coming months, as shipping companies continue to plan new itineraries as ships become operational.
