After the summer, the high season for tourism in the Canary Islands in recent years, cruises take over from airplanes. And so, in November the strong season begins in the Archipelago for the reception of these sea giants, who arrive in droves to the coasts of the Archipelago.
Arrecife consolidated in 2004 as the second port among those preferred by cruise passengers and it seems that this year the capital of the Island will continue to receive more and more cruises in the Port of Mármoles.
This weekend seven cruises moored in Arrecife, each with a capacity of hundreds of passengers.
But the forecast for the entire month of November is even more flattering, as no less than 17 ships will arrive in the city in the remainder of this month. For their part, in December another 25 transatlantic ships will do the same. In total, 42 cruises will arrive in Lanzarote in the remainder of the year.
Cruise calendar
On the other hand, the cruise calendar for the coming years that has been transmitted to the editorial staff of this newspaper by the Lanzarote Tourist Board foresees today that at least 112 ships will arrive on the Island of the Volcanoes. In this sense, the real number of ships that may call at Lanzarote next year could be much higher. In addition, there are already 32 reservations for 2007 and another 11 for 2008. There is no doubt that Lanzarote continues to consolidate as one of the destinations preferred by cruise passengers.
According to data provided to LA VOZ by the Las Palmas Port Authority, "The Port of Arrecife has tripled traffic data in the last ten years, both for passengers and goods. Derived from the outstanding rise of the tourism sector on the island, the Port of Los Mármoles, with nearly 213,000 passengers in 2004, 25.8% more in relation to 2003", was consolidated as "second port area of the Canary Islands in cruise traffic".
25.87% more than in 2003
"The Port of Arrecife registered 212,690 cruise passengers on board 184 ships in 2004, 25.87% more in relation to 2003. In second position, the Port of Las Palmas increased its traffic by 9.63% compared to 2003, with the visit of 146,008 passengers and 152 cruise ship calls. For its part, Puerto del Rosario recorded a slight decrease of 4.9% compared to 2003, with 34,697 passengers and 39 ship calls".
According to the Port Authority "The 2004-2005 winter season ended in May with an average occupancy per ship of 95%".
Forecasts
As for the forecasts for the next season that has started in summer, the figures "point to a stabilization of the sector, with figures similar to the previous one. Despite the withdrawal of the Carrousel ship from the area, from the British tour operator My Travel, which abandons its cruise branch, the cruises of the operators Thompson Holidays-TUI, AidaCruises (Carnival Corp.), and the Finnish Kristina Cruises, which highlight permanent base ships in the Canary Islands throughout the winter, will be repeated.
Another of the novelties planned for the next season is the replacement of the Thomson Spirit ship by the renovated Thomson Celebration, which will start the season earlier than usual, bringing it forward to the beginning of October 2005. Likewise, the luxurious Legend of the Seas ship, belonging to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, will call for the first time".
