The Port of Vigo has experienced an important moment for cruise traffic in Galicia and, probably, one of the benchmark days in the cruise sector in general, since it represents, in this resumption season, the return to international activity of the company P&O Cruises, a major reference point for British cruise tourism.
All this is due to the first stop in Spain of its new flagship, the IONA, which also coincided, in a double stop, with the visit, also for the first time in Vigo, of the cruise ship MARELLA EXPLORER 2.
Under normal circumstances, these two cruise ships would bring more than 7,000 passengers and 2,600 crew members to Vigo. However, these figures will not be reached today due to the strict COVID-19 safety protocols being implemented by cruise lines, which limit occupancy to 70%. In fact, according to information provided by the shipping companies, the Port of Vigo will receive approximately 4,000 passengers—mostly British—and more than 2,200 crew members from both ships.
Between the two ships they add up to a whopping 590 meters in length, which would be equivalent to about 5 football fields.
To welcome these two giants of the sea, the president of the Vigo Port Authority, Jesús Vázquez Almuiña, participated this morning -along with civil and military authorities- in the traditional exchange of plaques and, later in the afternoon, will offer these visitors a sample of traditional Galician music and dance before their departure, as well as the escort of the tugboats as the ships leave port, with their fire-fighting water jets, which reach a spectacular height.
During the ceremony held at the dock - due to the strict restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic - both captains highlighted the safety offered by the Port of Vigo for the navigation and port calls of this type of vessel.
For his part, the top port official was “very satisfied” after the recovery of “the only activity that was paralyzed during the pandemic” in the Port of Vigo and stressed the importance of both calls “for the Galician economy” because of the “prestige” of receiving these giants of the sea, one of which - referring to the IONA - is one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
Vázquez Almuiña also expressed optimism about "recovering the normal pace" of these types of port calls and hoped that 2022 "will be the definitive year" for cruise traffic arriving at the Port of Vigo, reaching pre-pandemic levels. In this same context, the Director of Tourism for Galicia, Nava Castro, explained that the planned port calls for next year in our region represent "an opportunity to further position Galicia as a destination.".
In fact, he said, around 1,200 passengers have opted to take some kind of excursion today to different locations in the Galician Community, with the importance that this implies for the "recovery of economic and tourist activity" in Galicia.
During their stay in Vigo, the IONA and the MARELLA EXPLORER 2 were not alone. A few miles away from the Transatlantic Pier, the Vigo Estuary welcomed the AL LUSAIL yacht early in the morning. This 123-meter-long vessel, owned by the Emir of Qatar, remained anchored off the Cíes Islands archipelago for a technical stop.
Vigo is part of the 12-day "Sailway to Spain" itinerary, which originates in Newcastle (United Kingdom) and has a final destination of Malaga, including stops in other Spanish ports such as Bilbao, Almeria and Cartagena.
