The cruise season in Barcelona is about to begin and little by little the shipping companies are announcing the offer they have planned for this summer. The first to do so was MSC Cruises, but in a few days others such as Costa Cruises and Royal Caribbean have been added. There is interest in embarking on a cruise, mostly from local travelers, explains the general director of MSC Cruises in Spain, Fernando Pacheco, who faces this season with "great optimism", in a sector that extends until November.
The reactivation of the sector comes after a hiatus in the world of cruises that has lasted more than a year, as a result of the restrictions that have had to be imposed to contain the pandemic. These ships will return to the city with the hope that the current pace of vaccination will encourage customers to get on board, in a season that is still far from registering the demand of 2019.
Likewise, they will have to follow the measures dictated by the Government for the resumption and that each shipping company has adapted to its operation. It highlights the establishment of a maximum capacity of between 70 and 75% and the obligation to take tests before embarking and during the trip.
Although since June 7 cruises can already dock in Spanish ports, in the Catalan capital they will not do so until June 26 with the MSC Grandiosa. From this day on, the Port of Barcelona will again make calls and embark passengers every Saturday for MSC Cruises. The shipping company will operate seven-night cruises, which will pass through Genoa, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Palermo and Valletta (Malta). From July 30, Valencia will be incorporated.
MSC Cruises multiplies sales by five
Before announcing its return, just over a week ago, MSC Cruises expected to have a good season this summer, a forecast that was motivated by the excitement of returning to activity, but which is now accredited by the interest they are detecting. Specifically, Pacheco points out that sales have multiplied by five after the announcement of their return. For this reason, the executive is clear that they will fill all the ships that will travel this season through Europe ---a total of six---. Of course, taking into account that they will have to do so with a maximum capacity of 70%.
Today, nine out of ten clients come from Spain, especially from Barcelona and Madrid, while only 10% are foreigners, with a predominance of British and Germans. All of them are finding prices between 15 and 20% cheaper than in the 2019 season, with an average ticket of 100 euros per person per night. These prices already include the cost of mandatory tests, as well as return costs if someone tests positive before boarding.
For the general director of MSC Cruises in Spain, reactivating activity in Barcelona and throughout the country was key for the company. It is one of its strategic markets, the sixth largest in the world and the third in Europe. Likewise, Pacheco highlights the facilities of the port of Barcelona, which "have no comparison in the entire Mediterranean," as well as the airport, with connections that facilitate the arrival of its main foreign clients, such as the British and Germans.
A cruise with a geolocation bracelet and bubble excursions
Frequent cruise users will notice that daily life on the MSC Grandiosa will be altered by the tests that will have to be done before boarding and during the trip, but also because a bracelet will geolocate them and they will be monitored to see if they have symptoms, indicates Pacheco. In the event that they do, they will be isolated in a special area and the bracelet will serve to detect close contacts.
Bubble excursions will also be introduced on the route, where participants will not come into contact with other people external to the ship. Those who do, such as guides and drivers, will be tested before the excursion. One element that will not surprise cruise travelers will be the gel dispensers. According to Pacheco, these elements had already been incorporated into ships for some time.
Costa Cruises returns with the Costa Smeralda
Another shipping company that will return to Barcelona will be Costa Cruises. It will do so starting July 5 with the Costa Smeralda. This is the company's flagship vessel and is powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a less polluting fuel than those traditionally used in maritime traffic.
The Costa Smeralda is powered by LNG, a less polluting fuel than those traditionally used in maritime trafficBefore docking in Barcelona, the Costa Smeralda had begun making routes around Italy since early May."We have decided to focus on Mediterranean destinations, close to our European guests," explains the president of Costa Cruises, Mario Zanetti.
During this season, Costa Cruises will make longer stays in port calls, with the aim that passengers can spend more time ashore, in addition to other measures such as bubble excursions and mandatory tests. The onboard experience will also be reinforced, with new gastronomic options of dishes related to the places they travel through.
And Royal Caribbean does it with the Harmony of the Seas
The American company Royal Caribbean will focus its offer for this summer on the United States, although it will also include routes through Europe. The Harmony of the Seas will disembark from Barcelona starting on August 15 on seven-night itineraries, with stops in Palma de Mallorca, French Provence, and Rome.