Iberocruceros began turnaround operations at the Port of Bilbao’s Getxo cruise terminal in May with 1,700-passenger Grand Mistral, a first for the port. This year the northern Spanish port will receive 33 calls and about 40,000 passengers in total.
Newcomers this year are Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria, Silversea Cruises’ Prince Albert II and MSC Cruises’ MSC Poesia as well as P&O Cruises’ Azura.
In 2011 MSC Cruises and Cunard Line will embark passengers in Bilbao and Pullmantur will call for the first time.
Bilbao’s Getxo cruise terminal opened its doors in September just four years after the Spanish port inaugurated a dedicated cruise berth. Ships can berth on both sides: Getxo 1-North has a length of 366m and Getxo 2-South is slightly shorter, both with a draught of 12m.
Berth services include gangway, shiprepair, bunkering, garbage disposal, water, supply, provisions and telephone lines.
The port offers free shuttle buses when required to the city centre which is 15kms. The international airport is some 12km away.
