The Port of Castellón welcomed the first cruise ship of the year yesterday, the 224-meter-long luxury vessel 'Seven Seas Splendor', from the Regent Seven Seas shipping company.
With a capacity for 750 passengers and 542 crew members, 'Seven Seas Splendor' docked at eight in the morning at the cruise pier and is the first of the four that are expected to call in Castellón in 2024, adding up to a total of eleven planned stops for the next two years, which will allow more than 8,000 cruise passengers to get to know the territory.
The president of the Port Authority, Rubén Ibáñez, celebrated that “Castellón is starting to be on the cruise map, which is very important for port-city interaction and for the repercussions and economic impact of the cruise industry for the entire province.”
In this regard, the top representative of the Port Authority highlighted that "Castellón's specialization in the world of luxury cruises and its good positioning worldwide in this sector is attracting the attention of many tour operators."
Thus, Ibáñez explained that “a new stage is beginning in which Castellón will focus attention on a specific type of cruise, a medium-sized luxury cruise, in which passengers, far from the overcrowding of large cruise ships, seek to enjoy experiences such as the twenty excursions scheduled for today to different municipalities in the province.”
Finally, the head of PortCastelló celebrated that “today we are reaping the rewards of these months of work”, while thanking the PortCastelló Foundation for their effort and work.
“Castellón and the province are dressed up to welcome people who want to visit, want to get to know us, and who will surely want to remember this experience for years to come,” Ibáñez concluded.
Rubén Ibáñez highlighted the economic impact of the cruise ship that is docking at the port today. He made these statements before participating, along with the Deputy Mayor of El Grao, Ester Giner, the Councilor for Tourism, Arantxa Miralles, the Provincial Deputy, Andrés Martínez, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Lola Guillamón, in the presentation of plaques to the ship's captain, Felice Patruno, and the shipping agent, Óscar Martínez.
Reception and delivery of metopes
During the reception, and on behalf of the Castellón City Council, the deputy mayor of Grao, Ester Giner, and the councilor for Tourism, Arantxa Miralles, presented the captain with a miniature Gaiata made of ceramic.
A gift laden with symbolism, being the unique and distinctive monument of the capital's founding celebrations, also using material from the province's main industry.
For her part, the deputy mayor of Grao, Ester Giner, welcomed the cruise passengers and wished them "a happy stay enjoying a wide range of activities that have been prepared exclusively for them."
In this regard, the Councillor for Tourism, Arantxa Miralles, highlighted the shuttle buses with tourist guides to "discover our beaches with their attractive beach bars, thanks to the fact that after many years they are open from Easter; there are also guided tours scheduled and this Monday, exceptionally, the Fadrí will also be open for them."
"All so that they can get to know our city, including visiting the maritime district, tasting our cuisine, and exploring the commercial and fishing port."”.
Twenty excursions planned by the province
The program of activities includes a total of twenty excursions to different towns in the province such as Morella, Peñiscola, Vall d'Uixó, with a tour of the San José caves, Vila-real, with the orange route, a visit to the Vilafamés museum, which opened its doors today Monday to welcome the cruise passengers, or participating in a paella masterclass at Mas Dels Doblons in Almassora.
Departing from Barcelona and with a final stop in Civitavecchia, this luxury ship, which has a total of 353 rooms, will remain all day until its departure for the port of Alicante.
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