A new summer cruise season has officially started at Estonia’s Port of Tallinn with the arrival of Costa Pacifica in the Old City Harbour on May 4.
Around 3,000 cruise passengers from different European countries were on board the port’s first cruise ship of the summer season.
Costa Pacifica came to Tallinn from Russia’s St. Petersburg and sailed on to Riga, Latvia.
According to Sirle Arro, Port of Tallinn’s Head of Marketing and Communication Department, there are 281 cruise ship calls expected this season, bringing about 480 thousand people to Estonia. Twelve cruise ships will visit Tallinn for the first time.
”This year, the longest cruise ships, both 330 meters, will be Regal Princess and Britannia. These will be moored at the new cruise ship quay that was built especially for long ships and was opened last year. Old City Harbour in Tallinn can welcome 6-7 cruise ships simultaneously,” said Arro.
Similarly to previous years, Old City Harbour will become a turnaround port. Spanish cruise company Pullmantur, operating the cruise ship Empress, will organize three cruises with Tallinn being both the starting and ending point.
Saaremaa Harbour, the other cruise harbour located on Estonia’s biggest island Saaremaa and also owned by Port of Tallinn, is expecting six cruise ship calls and about 3,500 cruise passengers this season.
The second cruise ship of the season will arrive to Estonia on May 7. Port of Tallinn’s summer cruise season will last until October 17.