Five exclusive cruise ships made simultaneous calls in Cartagena today for the first time in the port's history. "This demonstrates that we have modern and efficient infrastructure to advance cruise tourism in the Port of Cartagena; with a safe Cruise Terminal, certified for COVID-19 safety, and docks prepared to welcome passengers at any time of year," highlighted Yolanda Muñoz, President of the Cartagena Port Authority.
Muñoz highlighted that “the arrival of cruise ships is progressing at a rapid pace in the Port of Cartagena. Nearly 5,000 passengers and crew members are currently moving freely around the city, patronizing its shops and bars, and discovering the rich heritage and culture of a city with over 3,000 years of history.” He emphasized that “85 percent of cruise ship passengers choose to stay in the city, as demonstrated today by the streets being packed with tourists.”.
Mayor Noelia Arroyo highlighted the significance of this five-ship stop, which presents a picture that conveys "the best image of Cartagena as a major Mediterranean capital." According to the mayor, "a fifth of urban tourism arrives by cruise ship, and they account for one in five visitors to the museums at Puerto de Culturas," Arroyo noted, emphasizing that the presence of cruise ships breaks the cycle of seasonality and provides a steady flow of income for local businesses and restaurants throughout the year.
The Director General of Competitiveness and Tourism Quality, Carlos Peñafiel, emphasized the historic fact that the Port of Cartagena is receiving five cruise ships simultaneously for the first time. For this operation, the ships were distributed among the docks of the Cartagena harbor, and more than 40 personnel from the Port Authority were involved, along with the collaboration of the City Council, including local police, guides, and the Port of Cultures program, as well as the work of the shipping agents Agencia Marítima Blázquez, which is handling four ships, and Erhardt Mediterráneo.
The two largest ships have docked at the Cruise Terminal: the Ventura, from the P&O Cruises shipping company, with 2,018 passengers, mostly British, and 1,125 crew members; and the Marella Explorer 2, from Marella Cruises, with 661 passengers, mostly British, and 660 crew members.
At the Santa Lucía pier, the Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud 2, from the cruise line of the same name, docked with 33 German passengers and 58 crew members, and 60 German passengers and 60 crew members, respectively. Both ships were transferred by bus throughout the morning to the city center to begin their tour of the streets, museums, and other attractions. Finally, the San Pedro pier welcomed the Clio cruise ship, from Grand Circle Cruises, with 55 passengers, mostly American, and 59 crew members, who were also transferred to the city by bus throughout the morning.
The president of the Port Authority praised the outstanding work of the Port Authority staff and the port community, including pilots and mooring crews, who "ensured the operation was a success, adhering to the schedules from early morning to guarantee the docking of the five cruise ships and the transfer of tourists, both upon arrival and departure. We are in a great port, as we have seen once again today, and we are prepared to continue growing as an engine of economic and tourism recovery.".
The Ventura, Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud 2 cruise ships are calling at Cartagena for the first time this year, while the Marella Explorer 2 is returning for the third time and the Clio for the second time, guaranteeing that shipping companies trust the Port of Cartagena and the Region as a safe tourist destination, placing us among the top destinations in their itineraries through Spain.
75 cruise ship calls are scheduled for 2021, bringing more than 60,000 passengerssince the first docking on June 17th after the pandemic. October and November are expected to be the busiest months for cruise ships at the Port of Cartagena, with three triple cruise ship calls anticipated in November alone, on the 10th, 11th, and 16th, carrying approximately 2,300, 1,000, and 1,400 passengers, respectively.
To date, 40 cruise ships carrying over 30,000 passengers have docked in Cartagena, playing a key role in the economic recovery of the city and the surrounding region, a sector that suffered greatly during the pandemic. This represents a definitive boost for the reactivation of tourism and a drive for closely linked sectors such as commerce, restaurants, culture, and passenger transport.
