Bodrum Cruise Port, an up-and-coming cruise ship vacation spot on Turkey’s southwest coast, expects to see a roughly 35% hike within the variety of ship calls this season versus 2022. The port formally opened this yr’s cruise season with the arrival of the Blue Sapphire, which is able to homeport on the facility.
Port to Welcome 138 Cruise Ships in 2023
The cruise season has kicked off at Bodrum Cruise Port with the arrival on Could 2 of the 750-guest Blue Sapphire, operated by Lagoon Sea Cruises, a Turkish firm. The ship markets to Turkish, European, and South American cruisers, and can sail from the port for the total season, providing 46 sailings.
The ship is amongst many others which are scheduled to name on the port by means of the season, which continues into November. International Ports Holdings (GPH), the world’s largest cruise port operator, runs the Bodrum facility.
GPH Regional Director of East Med Aziz Güngör mentioned, “With the flexibility to host the world’s largest cruise ships on the planet, BCP could have a really profitable season, simply because it did final season. We are able to clearly see a rise in curiosity in direction of Bodrum. This season we anticipate 138 ships and 125,000 cruise passengers to go to Bodrum Cruise Port which can be a document yr by way of cruise tourism this yr.”
The numbers replicate a considerable improve in ship and passenger visits from 2022, when 101 cruise vessels known as, bringing near 100,000 company to Bodrum. The numbers point out that 37 extra ships will name versus final yr, or about 37% extra.
Rising Port Attracts A number of Luxe Cruise Ships
Whereas Istanbul stays Turkey’s hottest cruise ship port, each the Bodrum and Kusadasi ports are rising. Bodrum is located on the Bodrum Peninsula within the Aegean Sea, southeast of Athens.
Amongst its prime points of interest are the medieval Bodrum Fort and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of many Seven Wonders of the Historic World and relationship to the 4th century B.C.
Whereas Bodrum is understood for its many seaside cities and resorts, it additionally provides archeological websites, a waterfront pedestrian promenade stuffed with outlets and cafes, and a number of other museums, together with the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archeology.
A number of luxurious and ultra-luxe ships are scheduled to name on the port this spring and summer season, together with Silversea Cruises’ 608-guest Silver Spirit, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 706-guest Seven Seas Voyager, Seabourn’s 600-guest Seabourn Encore, and Windstar Cruises’ 312-guest Star Pleasure.
“We are able to additionally see the rising luxurious consciousness of Bodrum as a model in recent times that has led to a rise within the curiosity of luxurious cruise ships to go to Bodrum,” the port’s Güngör mentioned.
Different upmarket strains are together with Bodrum on their itineraries this spring and summer season, reminiscent of Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Girl and Resilient Girl, each accommodating 2,770 company, Oceania Cruises’ 1,250-guest Marina, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2,466-guest Norwegian Jade, amongst others. Cruises that decision in Bodrum sometimes embrace the Turkish vacation spot on itineraries that additionally go to a number of of the Greek Islands.
Bodrum Cruise Port operates a ship pier that may accommodate two large-sized, or 4 smaller cruise ships at a time. Its harbor additionally has capability for as much as 30 mega-yachts, and has three ferryboat ramps. Its cruise terminal provides welcome amenities, obligation free purchasing, and a restaurant.
