The aim is to promote the destination of the city of Huelva and the province in an Andalusian cruise itinerary.
The president of the Port of Huelva, Alberto Santana, accompanied by the mayoress of the city, Pilar Miranda, and the president of the Huelva Provincial Council, David Toscano, have held a meeting with the executive president of Alma Cruceros, Elisardo Sánchez, and the co-founder and Commercial vice-president, Pedro Costa, with the aim of getting to know in depth the cruise project with an Andalusian itinerary of this company and at the same time promote the tourist resources of the city of Huelva and the province, as well as the services and infrastructures of the city, Pedro Costa, with the aim of getting to know in depth the cruise project with an Andalusian itinerary of this company and at the same time to promote the tourist resources of the city of Huelva and the province, as well as the services and infrastructures offered by the Port of Huelva.
The cruise company Alma Cruceros has recently presented a boutique cruise ship Andalusian, which will call at most of the Andalusian ports of general interest, as well as in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. This cruise ship will be operated by the Ocean Victory and will call at the Port of Huelva from 2025. Alma Cruceros’ inaugural itinerary will begin in April 2025, with departures from Malaga and routes connecting the main ports of Andalusia.
The president of the Port of Huelva has assured that the meeting held with the cruise company ‘has reinforced the positioning of the port of Huelva as a cruise port of call for the luxury segment and has shown the existing union between administrations and institutions to offer a quality destination for a profile of demanding cruisers, who value the services and personalised attention’. He also recalled that this cruise with an Andalusian itinerary ‘is the result of the work of the Andalusian ports of general interest integrated in the Suncruise Andalusia Association, which, together with the Junta de Andalucía, have worked to promote a cruise that contributes to promoting the Andalusian ports and nautical and cruise tourism in the community’.
For his side, the president of Alma Cruceros, Elisardo Sánchez, highlighted that “Alma Cruceros’ proposal is genuine, avant-garde, exclusive and designed for the Spanish-speaking public both inside and outside Spain. Alma represents a different way of showing Andalusia and in this particular case Huelva. Our company will offer memorable experiences not only on board but also in each of the exclusive destinations. Thanks to the combination of cutting-edge technology and hotel excellence, guests will enjoy an incomparable service.
The mayoress of Huelva has valued the group’s interest in Huelva. Miranda insisted on the potential of the Huelva capital as a destination for the boutique cruise segment. The visitor arriving in Huelva ‘will enter our estuary, pass the Columbus Monument in all its restored splendor, and after the Muelle de las Carabelas and the Colombian sites with La Rábida among pine forests, it will cross a natural Biosphere Reserve area such as Marismas del Odiel and, surprised by the profile of the Riotinto Wharf, it will dock at the Levante Wharf to live a first class tourist experience, discovering a dynamic, green, friendly city with its own history, where you can discover the images, sounds, flavours and smells that make us unique’. The arrival of cruise ships in the heart of the city is ‘an opportunity that we cannot miss to boost the economy of the service sector, so that cruise tourists can get to know the many attractions of the city’. To achieve this, ‘it is essential that there is fluid collaboration between the administrations such as the Port, the Provincial Council and the City Council, together with private initiative’.
The president of the Huelva Provincial Council has stated that ‘from the Huelva Provincial Council, we greatly value the potential that this project represents for our province. The incorporation of Huelva in a luxury cruise itinerary such as that of Alma Cruceros not only reinforces our position as a tourist destination of excellence, but also highlights the natural, cultural and gastronomic wealth that we offer. This is a key step in our commitment to quality tourism, which diversifies our offer and allows us to showcase the unique character of Huelva to a traveller profile that seeks authenticity and differentiated experiences. Furthermore, this collaboration between institutions reinforces our capacity to attract investment and strategic projects, which will undoubtedly contribute to the economic development and positioning of Huelva on the international cruise tourism scene’.
Alma Cruises is the first Spanish boutique cruise line born on the shores of the Mediterranean and offers a completely Andalusian itinerary, designed to connect passengers with the cultural and natural essence of Andalusia, but also with the gastronomy, art, culture, entertainment and nightlife of Spain. This project responds to the growing demand for a more exclusive, authentic and sustainable tourism. In this way, Alma Cruceros not only offers genuine itineraries, but is also committed to sustainability, with the use of modern ships that significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Ocean Victory, equipped with the innovative X-Bow inverted bow, is designed to cut through the water more efficiently, minimizing environmental impact.
Suncruise Andalucía is an association formed by all the Ports of General State Interest in Andalusia – Algeciras, Almeria, Cadiz, Huelva, Malaga, Motril (Granada), Seville and those of the Public Ports Agency of Andalusia (APPA), as well as the Port of Ceuta and the Port of Melilla with the aim of promoting Andalusia as a destination for Cruising and Yachting.
