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Cartagena is gearing up for a bumper autumn cruise season, with 85 ship visits scheduled between September and November and a combined passenger capacity of almost 125,000.

 

October will be the busiest month by far, with 39 cruise calls and a potential 64,827 passengers, bringing some of the world's biggest cruise ships into Cartagena.

 

The month gets off to a particularly busy start. Three ships, Aurora, Crystal Serenity and Insignia, are due to arrive on October 4, followed by Viking Jupiter, Costa Diadema and Clio on October 5. October 14 will also see three ships in port at the same time, with Mein Schiff 2 New, AIDACosma and Emerald Sakara all scheduled to call.

 

AIDACosma is one of the largest ships on the autumn programme, with capacity for 6,654 passengers. Other major vessels due in Cartagena include Costa Diadema, which can carry 4,947 passengers, Celebrity Xcel with 3,950, Odyssey of the Seas with 3,500 and Norwegian Escape, which has capacity for 5,218 passengers.

 

The cruise rush actually begins this month, with 15 calls scheduled for September and a combined capacity of 24,984 passengers. Among the highlights will be Cunard's Queen Anne on September 10, arriving alongside Silver Ray, while AIDACosma is due on September 16. Mein Schiff Flow and Marella Discovery 2 are also scheduled to visit during the month.

 

November will keep the port busy, with another 31 cruise calls and a potential 34,984 passengers.

 

The first few days are particularly packed, with four ships due on November 3 and another four scheduled for November 4. Among the vessels visiting during the month are Carnival Legend, Marella Voyager, Bolette, Wind Spirit, Brilliance of the Seas, Celebrity Eclipse, Nieuw Statendam and Viking Neptune.

 

The three-month programme means Cartagena will once again be firmly on the cruise map during one of the industry's busiest periods, with everything from huge cruise liners carrying thousands of passengers to smaller luxury and expedition vessels.

 

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena