Cruise ships bringing in the good times

THE importance of the cruise industry to Mallorca was highlighted when four cruise ships berthed in Palma this week.

Between them they carried more than 11,500 passengers, who brought with them a potential off-season economic boost to the city.

The Costa Diadema – part of the Costa Cruceros fleet – arrived in the port just as it did last week and is scheduled to arrive in Palma every seven days. But this time it was joined by another giant cruise ship as the MSC Splendida also arrived. These two ships alone were carrying more than 7,000 passengers, many of whom disembarked to visit Palma.

Also arriving were the Costa Mediterranea and the Aidavita, bringing the single-day figures for passenger arrivals up to 11,540. And this is despite the fact that the off-season for cruises has already started, even though as many as 19 visits from liners are expected between now and the end of the year.

New to the scene will be the Ocean Princess, due to arrive on December 5, which has never berthed in Palma before.

Port officials expect 2015 to be a record year for port visits. The last figures available show that in 2013  the port handled 1.3 million cruise passengers, 26.5 per cent more than in 2012, making Palma the fifth busiest cruise-liner port   in Europe.