Málaga Spain’s second-most popular cruise ship destination last month

Last year, the Harmony of the Seas visited Málaga: expect more similar sights this year.
Image: Twitter/David Escalara

Hands up anybody who’s ever been on a cruise? Yes, you can put your walking stick down first. Actually, that is quite inaccurate: while the majority of luxury cruise ship-goers tend to be aged 50 and over, cruises are growing in popularity among Europe’s younger generations – a trend that is forcing cruise companies to alter how they market their holiday packages…

What is likely to remain a constant, however, is the choice of destinations many cruise ship patrons wish to visit. From the tropical Caribbean to the sun-kissed Aegean, right up to the frozen fjords of Norway, cruises have to have something special about them to make them worthwhile.

Docking at exciting port cities has always been a highlight, and it appears that in March this year these highlights extended to numerous places in Spain. Data published by Cruise Trade News has revealed that the port of Málaga was the second-busiest in Spain last month for cruise ship traffic, coming in just behind Barcelona.

This should come as no surprise for Costa del Sol regulars who are blessed with the knowledge of what joys the beautiful city of Málaga holds. With its medieval architecture, tightly winding streets and stunning vantage points offering breathtaking vistas of the Mediterranean, there are thousands of reasons to visit.

Cruise ship patrons may only get a couple of days, or even just a few hours, to explore the city, but even in such a short space of time it will not fail to delight.

Málaga’s reputation as one of Spain’s most alluring sights is growing, particularly among the cruise world.

Next month, travel company TUI will sail its TUI Discovery 2 cruise ship to Málaga for the first time, bringing with it thousands of wealthy holidaymakers to dock at the port for a day or two of shopping and sightseeing,.

Helen Caron, managing director of Thomson Cruises, said: “I’m delighted to unveil Málaga as a homeport for our newest ship TUI Discovery 2. Málaga offers the perfect base for families, friends and couples, looking to explore stunning destinations.

“The introduction of TUI Discovery 2 to our fleet in 2017 continues our modernisation and transformation strategy.”

The cruise ship has a capacity of 1,832 across 915 cabins. Last summer, the world’s largest cruise ship – the Harmony of the Seas – wowed onlookers as it pulled into Málaga’s port for a day, having sailed down from Vigo in the northwest of the country.