Mega cruise ship with capacity for over 5,000 people makes debut at Motril port

The chairperson of the Motril port authority, José García Fuentes, said, "The capacity and potential of the port of Motril to host cruise ship calls are very clear." He went on to say that the Royal Clipper, a regular visitor to the port, having docked there 25 times, represents “a completely different way of sailing compared to large ships”.

The Norwegian Escape, measuring 326 metres in length, built in 2015 and refurbished in 2022, has a maximum capacity of 5,450 passengers, plus 1,639 crew members. It arrived in Motril with around 3,962 passengers on board, representing approximately 70 to 80 per cent of its capacity.

The ship features a high-altitude adventure course, water slides and a children’s water park, while for those who prefer relaxation, there are also thermal baths and a spa. It also has a casino, live music and show performances.

It features themed restaurants serving dishes such as Bayamo seafood by Ocean Blue, Italian cuisine at La Cucina and French dishes at Le Bistro, as well as The Waterfront, a seaside promenade where every table enjoys sea views.

The Norwegian Escape' itinerary takes in New York, Halifax, Sydney, Ponta Delgada, Funchal and Gibraltar. Following its stop in Motril, it continued on to Melilla, where it was due to to arrive in the early hours of Friday morning, before heading on to Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona.

According to the figures, the passengers on board are mainly American, Canadian, European and Latin American; the language spoken on board is English and prices for the seven-day cruise range from 1,000 to 2,680 euros.

While in the area, passengers disembarked to go to a number of places in Granada and Malaga provinces including Salobreña, Almuñécar, La Herradura, Cerro Gordo, Vélez-Benaudalla, the Alpujarra and the Axarquía, as well as coach trips to Malaga city and Antequera.

The town hall and the port organised a shuttle service between the port and the town centre with 14 buses running in five shifts throughout the morning. Councillor for tourism Mari Ángeles Escámez, said that Motril “has become a popular destination” for tourists and pointed out that the town is seeing new developments that did not exist before, ranging from hotels that have already been announced and are currently under construction to cruise ships themselves. The aim, she added, is to promote the local culture, heritage and cuisine.

The cruise season at the port of Motril began in April and will end in November, when the ‘Le Champlain’ arrives on the 24th. This year, there were 73 port calls by 14 cruise lines, 73.8 per cent more than the previous record of 42 port calls set in 2025.

A further 126,746 cruise passengers are expected, more than double the previous record (58,900 passengers in 2024), representing an increase of over 211 per cent. Of the 73 port calls, 12 are by ships or shipping companies visiting Motril for the first time, while the remaining 61 are repeat visits.

25 of the ports of call are in the luxury, premium or expedition segments, and the remaining 48 are standard or contemporary, served by medium-sized ships.

Read comprehensive news from the Costa Tropical.