Limassol port sees record cruise visits in October — global mix of passengers welcomed

Port management company DP World Limassol on Wednesday announced that Limassol port saw record cruise ship calls in October 2023, welcoming 31 cruises and around 48,000 passengers to the island.

According to the announcement, this was the company’s best-ever monthly performance since taking over the operation of the cruise terminal in 2017.

“Cruise passengers had the opportunity to get to know the city of Limassol and take part in organised excursions to places of interest around the island, making a significant contribution to the local economy,” the company noted.

“Many guests chose excursions to Limassol’s wine villages, while other high-demand excursions included Paphos castle and the Troodos Mountains,” DP World Limassol added in its statement.

Moreover, the company provided details on the passengers aboard the cruise ships, noting that they arrived from all over the world, including the US, South America, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, Australia, Israel and the UK.

Citing data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the company underlined the fact that this variety in visitors is important for Cyprus’ tourism, considering that six out of 10 passengers often return to one of the cruise destinations they visited for a longer vacation.

DP World Limassol also said that it continues to offer the opportunity for locals to embark on a cruise from Limassol, as six cruise ships used Limassol as a homeport or partial homeport for the 2023 season and are expected to continue in 2024.

What is more, DP World Limassol and the Municipality of Limassol also organised an event to celebrate the October wine festival, offering passengers traditional delicacies such as palouzes (grape jelly) and handmade spoon sweets (fruit preserves).

In addition, passengers also got to see the Cypriot custom of grape stomping and enjoy a performance by local musicians playing traditional Cypriot music.

CEO of DP World Limassol Simon Pitout said that October’s performance is a result of the company’s ongoing and targeted efforts in coordination with the government and other stakeholders to develop the sector by establishing strong connections with major cruise lines.

“The cruise sector is undergoing a revival and despite the geopolitical challenges in the region, we are excited for the next few years,” Pitout said.

“We expect to have welcomed around 200 cruises by the end of this year and we have already received around 200 bookings for next year,” he added.

“This reaffirms Limassol as a key port of call for cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean”, the DP World Limassol CEO concluded.