Following the port call yesterday, Sunday, by the Sirena, operated by Oceania Cruises, the Ambience, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, and the Ventura, operated by Carnival P&O, both arrived at the Cantabrian port this morning.
The president of the Santander Port Authority (APS), César Díaz, announced this morning that the third of the five double calls scheduled for this season had docked at the port. An event “not very common” which gives you an idea “the remarkable growth this tourism segment is experiencing in Cantabria”.
Thus, at 8:00 a.m., the Ambience, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, and the Ventura, owned by P&O, docked at the port of Santander. Both ships are managed by Pérez y Cía.
“With 39 confirmed port calls and expectations of reaching nearly 60,000 passengers, we are facing an unprecedented year, confirming that cruise tourism is experiencing one of its best periods in Cantabria”
César Díaz, president of the Santander Port Authority (APS).
The first ship will remain at Maliaño Pier 1-4 with 1,900 passengers—mostly British—and 600 crew members on board until 2:00 p.m., when it will continue on its route to La Coruña. The ship, which is 245 meters long, is including Santander in its itinerary for the second time this year.
For its part, the Ventura, docked at the Maritime Station, has 3,300 passengers on board—also mainly British—and a crew of 1,200 people. This ship, which is scheduled to make a total of eight stops in the city this season, will remain at the dock until 9:00 p.m., at which time it will depart for Gijón, having arrived from Southampton.
In total, nearly 5,200 cruise passengers will be able to enjoy the region's tourist attractions and the culinary and cultural experiences available in the capital.
Díaz emphasized that the region has established itself as “an attractive destination” for shipping companies and passengers, “both for its tourism offerings and for the added value of docking right in the heart of the city.”
In this regard, Santander Cruise Deluxe—the brand created by the Government of Cantabria, the Santander City Council, and the Port Authority itself to organize port calls and promote this type of tourism—is forecasting a record-breaking season with 39 ships and nearly 60,000 tourists.
These record figures are nearly double the activity recorded last season, when 21 cruise ships carrying nearly 30,000 passengers docked at the port of Santander. Figures that, in Díaz’s words, “are unprecedented” and confirm that cruise ship traffic “is experiencing one of its best periods in the autonomous community”, thanks “the promotional strategy developed over the past few years by Santander Cruise Deluxe.”
The goal is for Santander to become “the premier port for premium cruises in northern Spain,” while at the same time committing to “seasonal adjustment and balanced, sustainable tourism in the region,” he stated.
International Promotion
Santander maintains an active presence at the industry's leading trade shows, such as Seatrade Miami, Seatrade Europe, and the International Cruise Summit, and is a member of leading organizations such as CLIA and Cruise Europe, which allows it to maintain direct and ongoing contact with the major cruise lines.
This work is complemented by initiatives aimed at strengthening the destination’s positioning, such as organizing familiarization trips for cruise line executives (fam trips), seeking out new experiences for passengers, disseminating content in specialized media, creating promotional material specifically tailored to the luxury segment, and improving services through digitalization.
Upcoming Stops
Next Thursday, August 20, the Port of Santander will welcome the Deutschland, operated by Bernard Schulte Cruise Service; on Wednesday, August 26, the Ventura, operated by P&O; and on Sunday, August 30, the Star Legend, operated by WindStar, which will be making its first port call at the Cantabrian port.
As for the month of September, eight port calls are scheduled, including a visit by the Silver Down, owned by SilverSea, which will dock at the port for the first time.
