Saturday, August 19, 2006
Twelve of the world's largest cruise ships confirm forthcoming stopovers in Tenerife ports
After reporting a disappointing drop in cruise ship traffic of 25% in the first half of this year, things are looking more positive for Tenerife ports in the coming seasons. Between September this year and 2008, twelve of the world's largest cruise ships have confirmed stopovers.
The 2,500 passenger capacity Aida Diva, 830 more than sister ship, Aida Blu, who she will be substituting when she leaves the shipbuilders, will use Tenerife's port as a base for cruises around the Canaries and Madeira during 2007.
The luxury ship, Belle de l´Adriatique, of the Croisi Europe line has also chosen the Tenerife port as her base during the 2007-2008 season. She will make nine calls to Tenerife and 33 crossings between La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.
Aida Blu will be the first to commence Atlantic routes from Tenerife in September. In the first week of October, Thomson Destiny, with capacity for 1,600 passengers, will be next to arrive.
Three Royal Caribbean line ships, the second largest group in the world, after Carnival, will be calling into Tenerife and La Palma this autumn, they are; Legend of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas and Millenium. In 2007 come, Navigator of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas, both with capacity for 3,840 passengers.
Among the most novel arrivals in 2007 will be Disney Magic and, the jewel in the crown, Cunard's new Queen Victoria, which is currently still in the shipbuilders.
The Santa Cruz port authority also confirm data in a study published in specialist magazine, Lloyd´s Cruise International that, during the 2005-2006 winter season, 54,000 British tourists spent an average of 8.5 nights cruising in the Atlantic, figures that are only surpassed in the Caribbean.
Various business sectors have passed criticism that the Tenerife capital is not prepared to properly receive the thousands of cruise passengers, given that the welcome they receive at weekends is of the city center closed and lacking services that could make their stopovers more pleasant.
Doce de los más grandes cruceros han confirmado ya su escala en Tenerife
