Palamós kicks off the Costa Brava cruise season on April 1st with the arrival of the Viking Saturn. The 2024 cruise season in the ports of Palamós and Roses anticipates 61 cruise ship calls and approximately 53,000 passengers. In percentage terms, this represents a 1% increase in passengers and a 15% increase in calls compared to the 2023 season. Thus, Palamós begins its season on April 1st and Roses on May 1st.
The economic impact of cruise activity in the region is estimated at €5.1 million, according to a study by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The study indicates that each passenger who disembarks at a port of call spends an average of €90 when visiting the destination. An additional €6 per passenger has been added to account for port-related expenses.
The ports of Palamós and Roses receive cruise ships from both the North American and European markets. This season, 50% of the arriving cruise ships are from the North American market and the remaining 50% from Europe. In addition, six cruise ships will be calling at the ports of Palamós and Roses for the first time.
52 stops in Palamós
In 2024, the port of Palamós expects the arrival of 51,500 passengers and 52 port calls, increasing port calls by 6% and with 1% fewer passengers, compared to last year.
The cruise season at the port of Palamós will last eight months. It began on April 1st with the Viking Saturn cruise ship and is scheduled to end on November 24th with the visit of the Seabourn Sojourn. 57% of cruise ships call during the low season and the remaining 43% during the high season. In 2024, there will be four inaugural calls: Silver Ray, Spirit of Discovery, Viking Saturn, and Viking Sea.
The Viking Saturn has inaugurated the 2024 cruise season on the Costa Brava with its inaugural stop in the port of Palamós. Representatives of the Costa Brava Cruise Ports brand, led by the Director General of Ports of the Generalitat, Annabel Moreno Nogué, the Mayor of Palamós, Lluís Puig Martorell, the Mayor of Roses, Josep Maria Martínez Chinchilla, the Deputy of the Girona Provincial Council, representing the Costa Brava Girona Tourism Board, Maria Puig Ferrer, and the Councillor for Tourism of Palamós, Antoni Bachiller Puig, presented the cruise ship's captain with a port plaque to commemorate its first visit to the Costa Brava port, as is customary for inaugural calls.
The cruise ship arrived at 9:00 a.m. from the French port of Marseille and set sail at 8:00 p.m. for Barcelona, carrying 900 passengers, mostly from the United States. In addition to visiting Palamós, the tourists wanted to explore the medieval towns of Pals and Peratallada, Figueres, Empúries, and Tossa de Mar, as well as take part in wine tours of the Empordà DO wine region at local wineries.
Once again, representatives from Costa Brava Cruise Ports will participate in the Seatrade Cruise Global trade show, which will be held from April 8 to 11, 2024 in Miami, Florida (United States).
Follow cruise news at Cruisesnews.es
