Cartagena welcomes two giant cruise ships and a luxury yacht in triple port call

Three vessels with a capacity for almost 10,000 passengers visit Cartagena in just one day

Cartagena had one of its busiest cruise days of the year with the arrival of three very different vessels that brought thousands of visitors to the city.

The Mein Schiff 2, AIDAcosma and luxury yacht Emerald Sakara all called at the port on Wednesday October 14, with a combined passenger capacity of 9,648. For local shops, cafés, restaurants and other businesses, it was a busy day with most of the passengers streaming off the ships to wander around the historic port and stretch their legs.

How much could cruise passengers spend in Cartagena?

The potential economic impact varies considerably depending on which spending estimates are used. Figures from the Instituto de Turismo de la Región de Murcia (Itrem) put average spending at €49.46 per cruise passenger per stop in the Region in 2023. Adjusted for inflation, that's around €55 today.

If all 9,648 passengers spent that amount ashore, the total would reach approximately €530,000.
However, figures published by the Ayuntamiento de Cartagena in December 2024 put average spending at a much lower €19.10 per passenger. Using that estimate, the potential total would be around €184,000. Neither figure represents guaranteed income of course. The number of passengers on board, how many disembark and what they spend during their visit will all affect the final amount.

A giant cruise ship brings the biggest crowds

The AIDAcosma is expected to account for the largest share of Wednesday's visitors. Measuring 337 metres long, the ship entered service in February 2022 and has capacity for 6,654 passengers. It arrived at 10:00 am and is due to depart at 8:00 pm.

With 20 decks, 2,732 cabins, restaurants, a theatre and waterslides, it's practically a floating holiday resort. Its engines can run on liquefied natural gas as well as diesel.

The Mein Schiff 2 arrived earlier, at 8:00 am, and stayed around 10 hours docked at the port. The 316-metre vessel entered service in 2019 and has capacity for 2,894 passengers. Among its facilities are a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool and a 438-metre running track.

A luxury yacht rounds off the line-up

Completing the trio is the Emerald Sakara, which spent around 5 hours docked in Cartagena.

The 110-metre yacht began operating in August 2023 and accommodates just 100 guests in 50 cabins and suites, most with balconies. It also has 76 crew members.

All three vessels spent the afternoon in Cartagena, making Wednesday afternoon the busiest overlap of the day's cruise calls.

See also: Cartagena Christmas market returns to Plaza Juan XXIII in December

Image:Momenticos Portuarios de Cartagena