The Port of Roses, on the Costa Brava, anticipates 15 cruise ship calls and 4,500 passengers this season. The port will nearly double last year's cruise ship calls, achieving its best season ever in terms of calls. Furthermore, Roses expects to triple its passenger numbers compared to the previous season.
Cruise ship activity in the Port of Roses will run for eight months this year, from April to November, without interruption. The season began on Friday, April 25, and will end on Monday, November 17.
More than half of the cruise ships will visit during the low season, which will help to deseasonalize tourism in the Alt Empordà region and on the Costa Brava, thus boosting employment and the economy in the municipality of Roses and its surroundings.
Six cruise lines will visit Roses this season: Club Med, Emerald Cruises, Mystic Cruises, Ponant Yacht Cruises, Seabourn, and SeaDream Yacht Club. Eighty-three percent are European, originating from countries such as France, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland, while the remaining 17% are North American. In addition, the port will host two inaugural calls: L'Austral and Emerald Sakara.
L'Austral's inaugural stop
The season began with the arrival of the cruise ship L'Austral, operated by Ponant Yacht Cruises, which made its maiden call at the Port of Roses. To commemorate the occasion, a plaque exchange ceremony was held. Representatives from Costa Brava Cruise Ports also presented the captain with a local product from the region.
The ship arrived on Friday, April 25, from the port of Palma, anchored in the Bay of Roses, and set sail for the port of Barcelona. There were 203 passengers on board, mostly French and Australian. L'Austral is 142 meters long, has a draft of 5 meters, and a gross tonnage of 10,944 tons.
82 stopovers and 69,500 passengers on the Costa Brava
This year, the ports of Roses and Palamós expect to receive a total of 82 cruise ship calls and 69,500 passengers. This represents a 31% increase in the number of passengers and a 41% increase in calls compared to the previous season, reaching the best figures since cruise activity began. The season began on April 3rd in the Port of Palamós.
Cruise activity had an estimated economic impact of €6.6 million on the region. This figure is based on a study by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which estimates that each passenger spends an average of €89 upon disembarking and visiting the destination. An additional €6 per passenger is spent on ship-related port services.
One of the highlights of the season on the Costa Brava is the arrival of 20 cruise lines, 85% of which are high-end operators offering passengers a wider range of services. The arrival of these cruise ships means that tourists with greater purchasing power will visit the area, allowing them to discover unique and distinctive experiences in the region through cultural, gastronomic, and wine tourism activities.
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