The Port of A Coruña closes its July cruise schedule with a new double stop, which has brought more than 7,000 travelers to the city, including passengers and crew.
Early this morning, the imposing 330-meter-long "Sky Princess" docked at the Transatlantic Pier, while the "Disney Magic" arrived simultaneously at the Calvo Sotelo Pier. This marks the first time a ship from the world's largest entertainment company has called at A Coruña, and a reception was held on board to celebrate, including the traditional exchange of plaques. As the captain explained, access to the event was very restricted due to the cruise line's COVID-19 safety protocols.
The event was attended by the president of the Port Authority, Martín Fernández Prado, and the territorial delegate of the Xunta de Galicia, Gonzalo Trenor, as well as representatives of the Tourism Consortium, the shipping agent Rubine and the State Security Forces.
During the reception, the ship's captain highlighted the work of the port services and their support during the docking maneuvers, as well as the hospitality of the Port of A Coruña, which they were visiting for the first time, "but not the last; we hope there will be many more," he remarked. He was also impressed by the beautiful view of the maritime access to the city, especially the Tower of Hercules, and expressed his hope that the passengers would enjoy the city's tourist and cultural attractions, as well as its cuisine, throughout the day.
The president of the Port Authority was very pleased with the inclusion of A Coruña as one of the ports on the routes of such a prominent shipping company as Disney Cruises, which highlights the interest generated by A Coruña as a leading Atlantic port and a leader in cruise traffic throughout the Cantabrian-Atlantic coast.
This double stopover closes the July calendar, and with statistics so far that suggest record figures at the end of the year, surpassing the peak reached in 2017 with 120 stops and 184,000 passengers.
Fernández Prado reported that since January 1st, 66 stopovers and 90,000 passengers have been reached, and there is still another peak of the year to be counted, which usually occurs in the months of September and October.
The “Sky Princess” arrived at the Transatlantic Dock at around 8:00 a.m. from Bilbao with 3,660 passengers and 1,330 crew members on board, bound for Saint Peter Port on the Island of Gernsey.
As for the “Disney Magic”, it docked at around 7:00 a.m. from Porto with 1,250 passengers and 1,000 crew members, bound for Bilbao.
The next cruise, which will open the August schedule, is expected next Tuesday, the 2nd. It is the “Carnival Pride”, another large ship with a length of 294 meters.
