The Port of Vigo will be the entry point by sea this week for approximately 22,000 people, including passengers and crew, who, according to current forecasts, could arrive aboard the seven cruise ships scheduled until next Sunday.
Following the arrival of the Voyager of the Seas, with 2,457 passengers and 1,002 crew members, it was the turn of the AidaPerla, on its inaugural call. The ship, belonging to the German shipping company Aida, entered the Transatlantic Pier with 2,081 passengers and 937 crew members from Arrecife (Lanzarote), and is scheduled to set sail for A Coruña. It was a highly anticipated stop, as it marks the return to Vigo of a shipping company that had not visited the Maritime Station for years. For this reason, the president of the Vigo Port Authority, Jesús Vázquez Almuiña, accompanied by the head of the Operations and Commercial Management Area, Dolores Rois, welcomed the ship's captain, Boris Becker, who explained that, due to adverse weather conditions during his voyage, he decided to cancel his stay in Leixöes and Le Havre and opt for Vigo, considering it a safe port with great attractions for passengers.
The Aidaperla stands out as one of the first hybrid cruise ships on the market, using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and fuel oil as fuel, which, together with having its own fleet of bicycles for the enjoyment of its passengers in port, demonstrates its great commitment to sustainability.
A double cruise ship call is scheduled for Thursday the 21st, featuring the Sky Princess and the Ventura. Around 7,000 people are expected to arrive that day.
Similarly, on Saturday the 23rd, the Celebrity Silhouette will share the dock with the Amera, and on Sunday the 24th, the Transatlantic Pier will welcome the MSC Preziosa, which will be in charge of putting the finishing touch on a great week.
Although the final figures will depend on the occupancy rate of these ships, which could significantly alter the result, at the moment, everything seems to indicate the arrival of some 21,000 or 22,000 people throughout this week.
In April, the Port of Vigo will receive a total of 15 ship calls, with 14 more expected in May. June, July, and August will see another 16 calls, and in the last quarter of the year, the 12 calls scheduled for October, 9 for November, and 5 for December stand out. The brand-new Iona will be responsible for bringing this successful season to a close on December 30th.
