Date Published: 01/10/2021
ARCHIVED - Relaxed Covid rules for cruises sees more ships dock in Andalusia
Cruises in Málaga and Almería are booming as British and German tourists flood the cities
Málaga had its highest influx of cruise passengers in the last 16 months when four cruise ships arrived at the port yesterday, Thursday September 30, with a total of 4,608 passengers. Cruises are back on the rise in Andalucía after international cruise companies eased their restrictions for vaccinated tour passengers, and the Almería port is now expecting five cruise ships carrying 7,400 passengers in October.
Cruises in Málaga
Two of the ships that docked in Málaga yesterday, the Iona (P&O Cruises) and the World Navigator (Mystic Cruises), were stopping in the city for the first ever time, prompting representatives of the tourism board in Andalucía to present their captains with commemorative plaques at a formal reception held at the dockside.
The Iona cruise ship, which docked at 7am yesterday, is one of the largest cruise ships sailing today at a length of 337 metres. Most of the 3,000 cruise passengers who disembarked for the day in Málaga were of British nationality. Meanwhile, the exclusive ship Clio (Grand Circle Cruise Line) arrived with 42 passengers on board, and the well-known ship Mein Schiff 3 (TUI Cruises) brought German tourists to the city at 8am.
Cruises in Almería
The Port of Almería has declared that it plans to welcome a total of five cruise ships in October, with around 7,400 passengers on board in total, making this the busiest month for cruises in the Andalucía city.
The Marella Explorer, with capacity for 1,814 passengers, will call at Almería at 8am this Friday, coming from Cádiz, and will depart again at 6pm on its way to Cartagena, Murcia. At 262 metres, it’s the largest cruise ship that will come through Almería this year, and intends to pass through the same port on at least two more occasions (on Saturday October 16 and Saturday October 30).
Relaxed Covid restrictions for cruise ships
Last week, shipping companies made cruise excursions more flexible so they no longer have to travel in bubble groups. All passengers must be vaccinated, while implementation of sanitary protocols on board is allowing more and more cruises to sail through Spain.
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