Marella Voyager’ and ‘Scenic Eclipse II’ celebrated this traditional ceremony together with the authorities of the Port and Destination.
The Port of Málaga was the setting for the christening of two cruise ships during last week. These are ‘Marella Voyager’ and ‘Scenic Eclipse II’. Focused on different publics, both of them agreed to choose the best destination to celebrate this traditional ceremony.
Representatives of the Port Authority of Málaga, Málaga City Council, Tourism of Costa del Sol, the Ministry for Tourism of the Andalusian Government with the collaboration of Málaga Cruise Port, Málagaport Foundation, Suncruise Andalucía and the shipping agent Intercruises, participated in the reception of the crew and all the celebration acts related to the christenings.
About ‘Marella Voyager’
The British company Marella Cruises, which offers voyages to Europe, The Caribbean and Asia, has an important connection with Málaga. It has been the place chosen by the cruise line to name 3 of their 5 ships: ‘Marella Discovery 2’ in 2013; ‘Marella Explorer 2’ in 2019 and now ‘Marella Voyager’ in 2023.
The ship
The flagship is operational since June 2023 on various itineraries that will cover the Caribbean, The Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean.
It has a length of 262 meters, 13 decks, 952 cabins and a maximum capacity for 2,681 passengers.
The Christening
‘Marella Voyager’, coming from the shipyard, was hosting mainly staff from the company and other professionals from the industry invited on board. Representatives from the Port Authority, as well as from the City Council, the Province of Málaga and the Region of Andalucía boarded the ship to celebrate the exchange of commemorative plaques with the Captain and crew on this first call.
Finally, on May 31st, the company celebrated the christening of their new ship, whose godmothers were two employees of the cruise line, Chief Purser Tatyana Olkhovskova and Destination Operations Manager Jacqui Nobile, having together over 40 years of experience in the cruise industry. As a grand finale, fireworks as the ship departed for its next destination: Almeria.
About ‘Scenic Eclipse II’
This exclusive ship visited the Port of Málaga for the first time last April, as a prelude to the christening that took place last Saturday June 3rd at the Palmeral boutique Terminal, after a series of exploration voyages to Mediterranean destinations.
The event also featured a godmother befitting the experience of sailing on a ship like this. It is NASA scientist Kathy Sullivan who, according to the company, embodies the values of “overcoming challenges, passion for adventure, and curiosity to discover the world around us,” having had a successful career dedicated to research and exploration.
The christening was celebrated by the passengers on board, as well as 80 other VIP guests and international media who travelled to Malaga to witness this event and have the opportunity to experience first-hand the possibilities of the destination. Local institutions offered excursions to Mijas, Puerto Banus, and the city of Malaga itself.
The ship, with a length of 168 meters and a maximum capacity of 228 passengers, has 2 helicopters on board and a custom-made submarine for excursions.
Currently, the cruise line is working together with the port and the destination to offer a unique experience to these exclusive passengers, organizing activities committed to sustainability, which is a very important pillar for the company. In this regard, they have fundamental objectives such as protecting the places they visit, collaborating with the communities, and leaving the smallest possible footprint.
Scenic considers Málaga “an ideal port with very good facilities for both passengers and crew. With its walking proximity to the city, it is the perfect place for our guests to experience the vibrant atmosphere of the old town and outdoor restaurants. We believe that Malaga is an important port for an ultra-luxury cruise in the Mediterranean and attracts a global audience with passengers from the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.”
In 2022, the cruise line joined ocean expedition cruising with its first ship, Scenic Eclipse, christened in New York. The next choice for the cruise line is Malaga, where they debuted Scenic Eclipse II. The Australian company stands out for its continuous innovation in terms of the size of its ships, technology, and safety.
The christenings scheduled for last week once again placed Málaga in the spotlight of international cruise tourism, in a year expected to definitively consolidate the pre-pandemic figures, as the sector is operating at full capacity.
