article_detail

Cartagena's cruise calendar is about to get very busy indeed. The Port Authority has confirmed 39 calls across 25 days this October, with some days seeing as many as three ships docked at once. This builds on an already packed fourth quarter for the port, which is on track to welcome almost 125,000 cruise passengers across September, October and November combined.

 

Things get going on the 1st with the arrival of the Corinthian, before the pace picks up fast over the first weekend. On the 4th, the Aurora, Crystal Serenity and Insignia will all be in port together, carrying a combined capacity of 3,407 passengers. The very next day brings the Viking Jupiter, Costa Diadema and Clio, offering 5,957 berths between them, the vast majority aboard the Costa Diadema alone with 4,947.

 

The real highlight of the month comes on the 14th, when the Mein Schiff 2 New, AIDACosma and Emerald Sakara are all scheduled to dock simultaneously. Between them, the three ships have capacity for 9,648 passengers, though that figure reflects total berths rather than how many will actually step ashore. The AIDACosma is the standout vessel here, with room for 6,654 people, making it the largest ship on October's schedule.

 

The month continues at a steady clip from there. The Queen Victoria and Artania share the port on the 9th, while the Volendam and Island Princess arrive together on the 19th with a combined 4,375 berths. Later in the month, the Celebrity Xcel calls on the 24th with 3,950 berths, followed by the Odyssey of the Seas on the 29th with 3,500, and a second visit from the Costa Diadema on the 26th.

 

Not every ship is a giant though. Smaller vessels like the SeaDream II, carrying just 90 passengers, are also part of the mix, alongside the Emerald Sakara, which makes three separate visits during the month. Both the 22nd and 27th will see two ships calling on the same day.

 

October ends on a high note too, with the Norwegian Escape, capacity 5,218, arriving on the 31st alongside the sailing ship Sea Cloud Spirit. The day before, the Four Seasons I and Silver Dawn are both due to call.

 

All told, October accounts for 39 of the 85 cruise calls scheduled between September and November, according to the port's calendar. As ever, the capacity figures tied to each ship represent potential passenger numbers rather than confirmed totals, with actual visitor figures only becoming clear once each ship has come and gone.

 

Image: Archive