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Alicante looks forward to huge cruise ship weekend as 20,000 tourists arrive
Five ships will dock at Alicante port from Thursday to Sunday with Friday expected to be the busiest day
Alicante is preparing for a record-breaking weekend as almost 20,000 cruise passengers are expected to arrive in the city between Thursday and Sunday.
Five cruise ships will call at Alicante port over the four days, bringing a huge influx of visitors and making this one of the busiest periods of the year for the city's cruise industry.
The first groups arrived on Thursday, when around 3,200 passengers arrived aboard two ships. The Oceania Sirena, carrying around 700 passengers, stopped in Alicante as part of a Mediterranean itinerary departing from Rome.
The smaller luxury vessel is aimed at travellers looking for a more intimate cruise experience, with a strong focus on food and high-end service. While it does not fall into the ultra-luxury category, prices for some itineraries can reach around €12,000, giving an indication of the spending power of some of its passengers.
The second arrival on Thursday was MSC Opera, carrying around 2,500 passengers.
The ship's passengers headed out on organised excursions during their time in Alicante, with options including visits to Santa Barbara Castle, wine experiences and trips to other destinations around the province.
The arrival of so many cruise passengers is also expected to have an impact on traffic around the port. Alicante City Council's Traffic Department has warned that there will be greater than usual traffic approaching the cruise terminal, particularly because of the large number of coaches transporting passengers on organised excursions.
Friday is expected to be the busiest day of the weekend, with around 11,500 cruise passengers arriving in Alicante aboard two ships.
Among them will be Arvia and MSC Virtuosa, two of the largest cruise ships operating in the Mediterranean, each capable of carrying more than 6,200 passengers.
Their arrival will set a new record for the number of cruise passengers arriving in Alicante on a single day during a high-volume double stopover.
The busy cruise weekend will then continue into Sunday, when Costa Cruises' Costa Diadema is due to arrive carrying almost 5,000 passengers.
Image: Puerto Alicante
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