On June 29th, A Coruña will host the Cruise Excellence Awards Gala, presented by Cruises News Media Group since 2008, the same group that organizes the International Cruise Summit in Madrid and publishes CruisesNews magazine.
The Port of A Coruña has seen a surge in passenger traffic and calls from large ships and new shipping lines. The industry, severely impacted by the forced shutdown due to the pandemic, is beginning its recovery with the return to operations of all vessels, the emergence of new companies, and the arrival of state-of-the-art ships that have now completed construction in the shipyards and joined the fleets of existing shipping companies.
The outlook for 2022 in A Coruña is very positive, with record-breaking cruise numbers expected, including over 160 scheduled port calls, several double and even triple calls during the season. In addition to regular cruise lines that visit the city, demonstrating their continued commitment, new ships such as the Spirit of Adventure from Saga Cruises and the Valiant Lady from Virgin Voyages will also be making their debut.
The Calvo Sotelo dock will be opened to the public and renovated for regular cruise ship use. The Port Authority has also announced a strategic plan for innovation, sustainability, digitalization, and process modernization, while also promoting the A Coruña Green Port program.
As in previous years, cruise passengers and travel agencies actively participated in the Cruises News Media Group's Excellence Awards by voting until last week to award prizes in the following categories:
- Best Spanish Port
- Best Crew
- Best Family Company
- Best Premium Shipping Company
- Best Luxury Cruise Line
- Best Entertainment
- Best Shipping Company in terms of Quality and Price
- Best Ship in the Mediterranean
- Best Ship in Northern Europe
- Best Gastronomy
- Best Itinerary
- Better brand image among consumers
- Best River Tourism Company
- Best Cruise Line for Your First Cruise
- Best Brand Recognition among Travel Agencies
- Best Cruise Destination
The ceremony will bring together top executives from cruise shipping companies, cruise tour operators, shipping agents, ports and destinations, travel agents, press, collaborators, professionals and businesspeople from A Coruña and other suppliers in the sector, who will enjoy a unique gala at the Rosalía de Castro Theatre, followed by a cocktail dinner at Palexco.
This edition has been promoted and sponsored by the Port Authority of A Coruña, the City Council of A Coruña and the Xunta de Galicia, and also has the sponsorship of Puertos del Estado, MEGA, Corunna Cruise Terminal, Bergé, Cruises Atlantic Islands, Gadis and Marítima Consiflet.
