The cruise ship Mein Schiff 2 has kicked off the summer cruise season at Port of Valencia. The first, and long-awaited, cruise ship call after more than 15 months to Valencia was on June 27. The cruise ship Mein Schiff 2 arrived at the quay escorted by tugboats spraying water jets to celebrate her arrival. The German cruise ship has made a stopover in Valencia from Alicante and has docked at Cruise Ship Pier 1 of the northern extension of the Port of Valencia.

Around 800 passengers on board the Mein Schiff 2 disembarked the ship with music and were transferred in groups by buses (with half the capacity) to their excursions around the city and its surroundings. These visits were previously arranged, always accompanied by their guide and with a plan to comply with security measures. At present, passengers are not allowed to go down to their destination on their own. On this first cruise stop after the COVID-19 stopover, the cruise passengers have visited several places of interest in the city of Valencia (historic centre, the river and nursery parks, as well as the City of Arts and Sciences).

TUI Cruises has reduced the capacity of the ship, of 2,891 passengers, by 60% in order to maintain social distance and will only allow the visits of cruise passengers to the city organized in bubble groups to reduce close contacts with the local population.

The decision of the Spanish government to allow the resumption of international cruising has given the tourist sector the much-needed boost. As a result of this decision, the port authority now has dozens of vessels confirmed for the summer season.

photo credit: Valenciaport