The May Day holiday and the start of the Cruces festival in the Port of Motril have been synonymous with cruise ships. Up to three luxury and expedition vessels docked at its piers, allowing a total of 850 disembarked passengers to explore the nearby destination and the rest of the province. One has to go back to April 2018 to find a similar triple port call.
In addition to the heritage, cultural, commercial or gastronomic offerings, today there is also a recreational aspect with the celebration of the May Crosses, one of the most important popular festivities in the city of Motril, which the passengers, cameras in hand, have come to learn about.
“The cruise ships docked at the port today represent the strategic and commercial approach we are pursuing, in which quality takes precedence over quantity,” highlighted the president of the Port Authority, José García Fuentes.
Ocean Victory
One of the three announced ships has made its maiden call at the Port of Motril. It is the Ocean Victory, owned by Alma Cruceros, Spain's first boutique luxury cruise line. Both the port and the city council exchanged a plaque and various gifts with the ship's captain, Costin Simion.
“It is a unique cruise and the first genuinely Spanish and Andalusian one, where on board the language and customs, such as meal times and leisure activities, are in harmony with its passengers,” García Fuentes emphasized.
On behalf of the Motril City Council, the Councillor for Commerce, Susana Peña Gómez, highlighted the importance of welcoming cruise ship passengers arriving through the port because "they bring life to the city and its commerce, also taking advantage of the holiday of the Cross to learn about our traditions.".
Alma Cruceros offers itineraries through North Africa, from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; through the Western Mediterranean from Malaga; and through the Mediterranean, Corsica and Sardinia, from Barcelona.
With a capacity for 186 guests and 100 crew members, the Ocean Victory is a newly built, exclusive boutique cruise ship that meets the latest safety, sustainability, and environmental regulations. In addition to today's port call, this cruise ship will return seven more times this season.
Explore II
Adding to the festivities was the luxury of the Explora II, which, on its third stop, arrived in Motril with 465 passengers and 645 crew members. Three shuttle buses, provided by the port and the city, transported passengers to the Tourist Office so they could visit the various locations in the municipality where the festival was taking place. The Explora II is the second ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, offering 461 oceanfront suites and penthouses with private terraces and expansive ocean views.
The World Navigator completes the trio of cruise ships that arrived at the Port of Motril on May 1st. It features four accommodation decks and approximately one hundred suites and cabins. Onboard, passengers have six dining options. All three cruise ships are handled by the local agent, SA López Guillén
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