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Beginning in April, Alicante hosts two to three ships per week to kick off the cruise season

Alicante Harbour

The cruise terminal at Alicante Port is getting ready to welcome tourists for the 2025 season, hoping to set a new record. Although they are theoretically larger and more capacious, the 100 tourist ships that are scheduled to arrive are essentially the same number as those that were reached in 2024, when over 230,000 people were reached. According to this newspaper, the Seabourn Sojourn, a ship operated by the Seabourn Cruise Line shipping firm, is expected to land this Sunday, March 2nd, with about 435 passengers on board. This stopover will serve as the campaign’s launchpad. We will have to wait until March 31st for the second visit, when Marella Cruises’ Marella Explorer 2, which will be carrying 1,723 guests, arrives.

With the oddity that 16 double stops (two ships docking at the terminal simultaneously) and even a triple one, scheduled for August 1, when the simultaneous arrival of the MSC Virtuosa, the MSC Música, and the Silver Whisper (in this third case, a smaller passenger ship) is expected to bring in approximately 10,000 cruise passengers in a single day, this milestone will actually be the one that kicks off the bulk of a program with visits from two to three ships each week after two blank months (January and February).

In actuality, MSC bears a great deal of the blame for these preliminary numbers—the schedule is always subject to potential changes owing to cancellations or new confirmations—and its reaffirmed dedication to using Alicante as a base port for embarkations and disembarkations on one of its Mediterranean itineraries (20 out of 32 stops) for the fourth season in a row since it first introduced this experience in the summer of 2022. However, it won’t be the sole protagonist. Throughout the year, Carnival UK offers up to eleven stops, while Regent Seven Seas Cruises has scheduled an additional seven. The addition of the Queen Anne ship, which can accommodate 2,846 passengers, and the Cunard shipping company, which will make two stops in August and October, as well as the debut of ships from companies like Saga Cruises, Scenic Cruises, Emerald Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line, or Royal Caribbean that have not yet made a stop in Alicante, are also considered new elements.

Purchase the “luxury” ticket.


According to these preliminary projections, 2025 is expected to end with a record of at least 234,659 passengers, 19.7% higher than the 196,058 recorded in 2023, according to Puertos del Estado’s provisional annual statistics at the end of 2024. According to current projections, 2025 may see a minimum of 232,000 passengers, though this could rise based on each ship’s occupancy rate. After the improvement and modernisation projects completed by its concessionaire company, Global Ports Holding (GPH), in collaboration with Servicios Portuarios Canarios (GPH), there will be the incentive of a refurbished maritime terminal with new amenities like baggage control scanners and additional passenger check-in counters.

After having to be postponed last November due to the Dana tragedy that devastated nearly a hundred towns in the province of Valencia, this intervention, which has involved renovating the facilities and aesthetics of the maritime station with an investment of more than two million, will be launched at an official opening ceremony set for May 23rd.

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But in addition to continuing to grow in numbers, GPH and the Port Authority are also attempting to invest in a different cruise market in an effort to attract high-end tourists who will bring in more money while visiting the capital or any other province municipality to which they can go after planning an excursion, or who are looking for unusual experiences that are not available elsewhere. This would entail making a qualitative change to ensure a larger economic impact—current estimates show that cruise activity brings in 60 million dollars for the province—without running the risk of a hypothetical flow saturation scenario, where too many passengers arrive in the province concentrated on the same routes. Based on the advice and information service provided by the Alicante Costa Blanca Tourism and Cruises Association (ALCTC) at the ship’s door, this option also permits advancement in other business domains, such as the area of company investments or house acquisitions.

Other tourist areas, like Cartagena, have actually already started to follow this road, despite the fact that they also continue to have double-digit annual growth, albeit with fewer visitors overall than Alicante. In this instance, 2024 ended with 219,432 visits, a 16.9% increase over 2023’s total of 187,768 at the time. As of right now, the Port Authority anticipates that about one-third of the 100 stopovers scheduled for 2025 will fall into the luxury cruise market. Examples of these include the Seabourn Sojourn, a luxury cruise ship with 435 passengers on board, which is scheduled to call at the Port this Sunday, and the Scenic Eclipse, a modern ship built in 2018 with 228 passengers that is designed to navigate through polar regions and offers expedition trips around the world.


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Costa Blanca

Torrevieja aims to have 200 local police officers by 2027

The Torrevieja City Council, a municipality with a registered population of 108,000, has recently added six new local police officers to its personnel. During the summer months, the population of the municipality doubles. Nevertheless, the governing team, which is led by the Popular Party (PP) candidate Eduardo Dolón, aims to have 200 active officers by the end of the current term in 2027. This number is crucial to provide the services that the residents of Torrevieja and the thousands of tourists who visit us annually deserve.

The Mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolón, confirmed these facts to the Councillors for Personnel and Internal Affairs, María José Ruiz, and the Head of Security and Emergencies, Federico Alarcón, during the swearing-in of the six officers and two other municipal workers. He welcomed and encouraged them to work with outstanding dedication to continue improving the quality of municipal services in Torrevieja after they had sworn in or promised their positions.

In particular, a Chief Heritage Architect and a replacement Green Team worker, as well as six local police officers (four constables and two officers), have been appointed. Eduardo Dolón emphasised the financial investments that Torrevieja City Council has made in recent years to increase the number of police officers. With over 108,000 registered residents, this initiative aims to meet the city’s increasing security needs.


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UK bans EU cheese and meat to stop disease spreading

The UK government has implemented a temporary prohibition on the importation of cheese and meat products from the EU by holidaymakers in order to mitigate the transmission of foot-and-mouth disease.

Since Saturday, travellers have been prohibited from returning with items such as cured meat and cheese, including those used in sandwiches, as a result of the expanding pandemic on the continent.

Regardless of whether the products are purchased from a duty-free store or are packaged or packed, the restrictions remain in effect.

It follows an earlier prohibition of comparable products from Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, and Austria in response to the escalating prevalence of the cattle disease in those nations.

The restrictions are applicable to individuals who arrive in Great Britain, not Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man.

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If individuals attempt to bring in products, they will be confiscated and destroyed. In “serious cases,” individuals may be subject to a fine of up to £5,000.

Among the restricted products are:

Pork, beef, lamb, mutton, goat, venison, other products created from these meats, such as sausages milk and dairy products like butter, cheese, and yoghurt.


Individuals are permitted to bring a maximum of 2kg of reconstituted infant milk, infant food, or special food that is required for medical purposes.

Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious virus that can result in lameness and nutrition difficulties, as well as blisters in the mouth and under the hooves of animals.

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At present, there are no instances of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom.

The most recent outbreak in the United Kingdom occurred in 2001. Despite the fact that there were only 2,000 confirmed cases, over six million sheep, cattle, and swine were slaughtered.

This is due to the fact that each of those instances resulted in the slaughter and burning of all of the livestock on a property.

The National Farmers Union’s president, Tom Bradshaw, expressed his satisfaction with the government’s decision to extend the initial prohibition, stating that it was “quick” to implement it.

He stated that “increased border controls are imperative” in order to contain the disease.

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Mr. Bradshaw advocated for “a comprehensive cross-government biosecurity plan that would establish these restrictions on a permanent legislative basis and receive the requisite investment.”

The Guild of Fine Food, which represents independent food and drink retailers, stated that the ban on ‘holiday treats’ was ‘hurried’. However, it also noted that it brought the UK government’s policy for holidaymakers more in accordance with the restrictions already in place for small businesses.

“The food and drink industry is unequivocally in favour of the importance of biosecurity and the protection of our farmers,” stated John Farrand, the managing director of the Guild of Fine Food.

He stated, however, that the “bureaucracy” that was implemented following Brexit had imposed “significant constraints” on minor food and drink importers and exporters..

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Arrested in Murcia for activities linked to jihadist terrorism

A person has been apprehended in the province of Murcia for alleged terrorist offences by Guardia Civil officers, who are under the supervision of Central Investigation Court No. 2 and the Prosecutor’s Office of the National Court.

Since 2019, the detainee has been aligned with a variety of terrorist organisations, including DAESH. More recently, he has radicalised his behaviour and activities.

The detainee’s family background was previously known, as a close relative was expelled from the country in 2020 for activities that violated national security. This action was taken in response to a complaint lodged by the Guardia Civil’s counterterrorism units with the competent authority.

It was noted that he conducted an extensive number of internet searches and retained information regarding the operation and storage of firearms and explosive devices during the investigation.

Additionally, he conducted information enquiries on the security forces. The requisite measures were instituted to mitigate the potential threat that this individual could pose, as there was substantial evidence of his purported terrorist activities.

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After the detainee was brought before the competent judicial authority, he was ordered to be imprisoned.


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Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA
December 15, 2024    
18:00 - 22:00
Candlelight are candlelit concerts that bring the magic of a live musical experience to incredible venues in Alicante. Get your tickets for Candlelight: Tribute to [...]
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Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA
15 Dec 24
Alicante

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