One of the world’s largest cruise ships, the Legend of the Seas, is due to arrive in Malaga this Monday

The arrival of this cruise ship, which is 364 metres long – longer than three football pitches lined up end-to-end – and can carry up to 7,600 passengers, marks a new milestone for Malaga as a leading cruise tourism destination, as revealed by the port authority’s president, Carlos Rubio, during the announcement of this event. The ship has 18 passenger decks and 20 decks in total.

The cruise ship is scheduled to dock at Cruise Terminal A at around 7am. During the day, local authorities will present a commemorative plaque to the ship’s captain. And to mark the ship’s departure, scheduled for around 10pm, a fireworks display has been organised to round off what is considered a historic day.

Various technical improvements have been carried out at the cruise terminal to ensure the ship operates smoothly during its maiden call. These include adapting the mobile boarding bridges to suit the ship’s specific characteristics, thereby facilitating the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers.

Announcing the event earlier this month, the importance to the destination of the continued confidence that major shipping companies place in Malaga and the Costa del Sol was highlighted.

“The arrival of the Legend of the Seas is seen as a sign of the appeal and competitiveness the destination has achieved in a sector that continues to generate significant economic activity and international exposure,” said Esperanza González, Chief Executive of Turismo Costa del Sol, who emphasised that “the arrival of this cruise ship means much more than just a new port of call, as it demonstrates the confidence that major cruise lines have in Malaga and the Costa del Sol”.

She also stated that “milestones such as this help to strengthen our international profile and consolidate an industry that generates wealth, employment and opportunities for the whole province”.

The chief executive pointed out that the destination “offers a range of tourist attractions capable of meeting the expectations of today’s traveller. Safety, the diversity of experiences, the quality of services, the cultural and gastronomic offerings, as well as the infrastructure and international connections, are some of the factors underpinning the province’s competitiveness.”

This is not the first time that the cruise line Royal Caribbean has turned its attention to Malaga, where it has already organised other presentations of its flagship ships, such as the Oasis of the Seas, the Symphony of the Seas and the Spectrum of the Seas.