Bilbao is expecting 15,000 passengers on turnarounds this year compared to 2,808 in 2010, a 434% increase. Total passenger numbers in 2011 are 60,000 on 50 calls compared to 43,394 on 33 calls last year. The latter was a 50% increase on 2009.
In 2010 Iberocruceros became the first company to homeport in Bilbao. This year both Iberocruceros (Grand Mistral) and MSC Cruises (MSC Opera) will offer turnarounds while Cunard Line (Queen Victoria) and Pullmantur (Empress) will offer embarkations.
Ships calling for the first time this year include Oceania Cruises’ newbuilding Marina, Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas, Voyages of Discovery’s Discovery, Princess Cruises’ Ocean Princess and Peter Deilmann’s Deutschland.
A dedicated cruise quay of 355m in length is 15 minutes walk to the Getxo Center and 15kms from Bilbao town centre by free shuttle bus. The international airport is 15 minutes away and has permanent connections with London, Paris, Stuttgart, Madrid and Amsterdam. In 2010 it was the third airport in Spain in terms of growth.
A new E1.9m terminal has been in operation since early September 2010. The building is divided into several zones including baggage check-in, luggage collection, waiting room, services and tourist office.
The main building materials of aluminium, steel and glass are all recyclable and reusable. The terminal is situated next to a marina and Ereaga Beach in Getxo.
