In 2015, the Port of Palma is scheduled to welcome 139,000 passengers on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, generating an economic impact of over €8 million for the city
Palma de Mallorca
17/02/2014
Next year, the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, will be calling at Palma. The ship, which is 361 metres long, can carry a maximum total of 6,318 passengers.
In 2015, the Oasis-class vessel will be making a total of 22 calls at the Port of Palma. It will be the first time the ship visits Europe as, up until now, it has only been used on Caribbean routes, with Fort Lauderdale (Miami) as its home port.
According to the APB Chairman, Alberto Pons, “We are delighted that Palma has been chosen as a port of call for the world’s largest cruise ship as this endorses the investment and promotion efforts made by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands”.
In a joint press conference, which was also attended by Mateo Isern, the Mayor of Palma de Majorca, and Belén Wangüemert, Royal Caribbean’s General Manager for Spain and France, Pons highlighted the huge impact that the arrival of a ship of this kind has on the tourism industry and on cruise-based businesses. Belén Wangüemert pointed out that the 139,000 passengers that are set to call at the Port of Palma will spend over €8 million in the city, whilst the ship’s crew will spend another €500,000.
Royal Caribbean’s General Manager for Spain stated the Allure of the Seas stands out from other ships not only because of its size (the equivalent of three football pitches), but also because of its innovative features, and the wide range of activities and facilities it includes, such as a park with over 12,000 plants, an open-air aquatheatre, and a beach-pool.
A reference point in the Mediterranean
In the press conference, Mateo Isern, the Mayor of Palma de Majorca, pointed out that “thanks to the Port of Palma’s infrastructure, and to the changes the city has undergone, Palma has become a highly attractive destination for cruise tourism, and is now a reference point in the Mediterranean, a fact which is borne out by Royal Caribbean´s strategic decision to choose our city”. Isern added that “Palma has it all. It offers a wide range of different, high-quality activities and facilities that are available all year round, and this is what makes it special”.
The Allure of the Seas is scheduled to arrive in Palma in May 2015, and will call at the port until mid-October. During this time, 22 seven-night cruises are scheduled from Barcelona, taking in Marseilles, La Spezia (Florence and Pisa), Civitavecchia (Rome), and Naples, as well as Palma de Majorca.
