After the fact that in 2023, due to various constraints, the number of stopovers scheduled in the archipelago did not reach the expected numbers, the year 2024, which is now beginning, has nearly 200 stopovers scheduled, a very interesting number that includes stops on all the islands of the archipelago, in a clear and effective demonstration that the Azores continue to deserve the best attention and interest from the main cruise operators, who continue to bet on their ships coming to our archipelago.
As in previous years, Ponta Delgada with 91 port calls, Praia da Victoria/Angra do Heroísmo with 34, and Horta with 27 are the most visited ports, but the islands of Pico with 12, and Santa Maria with 11 also deserve to be highlighted. It should also be noted that the islands of Graciosa, with 7 port calls, São Jorge, with 6, and Flores and Corvo, with 5, complete the list of port calls planned for this year.
Among the various ships passing through the archipelago this year, 17 will be making inaugural calls, mainly in Ponta Delgada and Horta.
Among the inaugural calls is the docking on April 28 of the ODYSSEY of the SEAS, one of the “Quantum Class” ships of the famous US operator Royal Caribbean. It is 347 meters long, 49 meters wide, and has a gross tonnage of 169,300 tons. It has 16 decks of public areas and can accommodate 3,844 passengers and 1,300 crew members at normal occupancy. It will become the largest cruise ship ever to visit Ponta Delgada.


The passage through Ponta Delgada on November 10 of the DISNEY TREASURE, the new ship from the well-known Disney Cruise Line operator, should also be duly noted. It will be making its maiden voyage between the German shipyards of Meyer Werft, where it is currently under construction, and Port Canaveral, DCLisney’s base port, where it will be based. The Disney Treasure is 341 meters long, has a beam of 41 meters, and a gross tonnage of 144,000 tons. It has 15 decks of public areas and can accommodate 2,476 passengers and 1,555 crew members. It is undoubtedly a visit that will receive due attention from the cruise industry media.
Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the most regular cruise companies in the Azores, will be bringing two ships to Ponta Delgada this year for inaugural calls. Of these, the November 10 call of the NORWEGIAN ENCORE, one of the operator’s largest ships, deserves to be highlighted. Inaugurated in 2019, this luxurious cruise ship is 333 meters long and 41 meters wide and has a gross tonnage of 169,116 tons. It has 20 decks and can accommodate 3,998 passengers and 1,735 crew. It will be one of the largest ships to pass through Ponta Delgada in 2024.
On October 29th, we should also note the inaugural call of the NORWEGIAN SKY, one of the smallest liners of the same operator. Built-in 1999, it has a gross tonnage of 77,104 tons. It is 258 meters long and 32 meters wide. It can accommodate 2004 passengers and 899 crew.


The inaugural call on November 13 of the MSC VIRTUOSA, one of the “Maraviglia Plus Class” ships of the famous Italian operator MSC, also deserves to be mentioned, as it also marks the return of this Italian operator to our archipelago with three calls by two of its ships. Built-in 2021, the ship is 331 meters long and 43 meters wide. It has 18 decks, 15 of which are public areas, and can accommodate 4810 passengers and 1704 crew members at normal occupancy. It should be noted that the MSC VIRTUOSA, with its 181,541 gross tonnage, will now hold the record as the ship with the largest tonnage to dock in the Azores.
Also noteworthy is the return to our archipelago of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, considered one of the most luxurious cruise companies in the world, which this year is making a very interesting presence in the archipelago, bringing three of its exquisite ships SEVEN SEAS SPLENDOR, SEVEN SEAS GRANDEUR and SEVEN SEAS MARINER on inaugural calls in the cities of Horta and Ponta Delgada.
The SEVEN SEAS SPLENDOUR was built in 2021 at the Italian Fincantieri shipyard in Triestre. The SEVEN SEAS GRANDEUR was built in 2023 at Fincantieri’s Italian shipyard in Encona. Both belong to RSSC’s Regent EXPLORER Class. They are 223 meters long and 32 meters wide, with a gross tonnage of 55,498 tons. They have 13 decks, 10 of which are public areas. They can carry 754 passengers in their 375 luxurious suites. Their crew is usually made up of 542 people.
The SEVEN SEAS MARINER was built in 2001 at the French shipyard Chantires de l’Àtlantique in Saint Nazaire. It is 216 meters long and has a beam of 28 meters. It has a gross tonnage of 48,075 tons and 9 decks of public areas, 5 of which are for installing its 354 cabins. It can accommodate 708 passengers and 354 crew.
VISTA, the latest ship to be built for Oceania Cruises, another of today’s most prestigious cruise lines, is also making its maiden voyage to the city of Horta as part of the NCL group.


It was built in 2023 at the Italian Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, and made its inaugural cruise in May. It is 251 meters long, 32 meters wide, and has a gross tonnage of 67,000. It has 15 decks, 7 of which are used for its luxurious accommodation. It can accommodate 754 passengers and 542 crew. Its design and the luxury and refinement of its facilities have earned it high praise from the operator’s fans.
Another ship that will be coming to Ponta Delgada for the first time is the CELEBRITY ASCENT, the latest Edge Class ship from the famous Celebrity Cruises operator, one of the premium companies in the RCI group. The ship was delivered last November and made its inaugural cruise on December 3, 2023. It is 327 meters long, 39 meters wide, and has a draft of 8.4 meters. It has a gross tonnage of 140,600 thousand tons. It has 16 decks of public areas, 10 of which are used for cabins. It can accommodate 3,276 passengers and 1,400 crew members.
The British operator Marella Cruises, a company that visits us regularly when some of its ships return to Europe after the winter season in the Caribbean, is bringing the MARELLA VOYAGER, its latest ship, to the cities of Horta and Ponta Delgada, which for some years was a visitor to Ponta Delgada and Praia da Vitória under the name of Mein Schiff Herz as part of the famous German operator Tui Cruises. It was built in 1997 at the German shipyard Meyer Werft in Papenburg for Celebrity Cruises. It was later transferred to Tui Cruises and, in 2023, was acquired by the current operator. It is 264 meters long, 32 meters wide, and has a gross tonnage of 77,302 tons. It has 13 public decks and can accommodate 1912 passengers and 909 crew members at normal occupancy.


For its part, Silversea Cruises, another of Royal Caribbean’s “premium” companies, is bringing the SILVER WHISPER, one of the luxury operator’s Mega Yachts, to the region’s three main ports for the first time in October.
It was built in 2001 at the Italian shipyard T Mariotti in Genoa for its current operator. It is 186 meters long, has a beam of 24 meters, and a gross tonnage of 28,258 tons. It can accommodate 388 passengers in normal occupancy and 295 crew.
Another stopover that deserves to be mentioned is the AZAMARA ONWARD, one of the liners that make up the Azamara Cruises operator. This company, until a few years ago, was part of the RCI group before being acquired by Sycamore Partners. This stopover in the city of Horta marks the operator’s return to our archipelago after a few years’ absence. Built-in 1999 as the R-Three, the ship is 181 meters long and 25 meters wide and has a gross tonnage of 30,277 tons. It has 11 decks, 6 of which are used to accommodate its 352 cabins. At normal occupancy, it can accommodate 672 passengers, and its crew is normally made up of 373 members.
Also worthy of special mention is the increase in calls by expedition ships in the various ports, which by 2024 will account for half of the total number of calls in the archipelago. This fact is not unrelated to the sound policy that has been developed in recent years by Portos dos Açores, SA, with companies specializing in this type of cruise tourism.
In this context, it can be said that all the islands will receive calls from operators with expedition and themed cruise ships and that in the Azores, they will find a group of islands capable of arousing the greatest interest and curiosity among a segment with high economic power and which, as a general rule, prefers this type of cruise.
Among the expedition and themed ships that will be coming to the Azores this year, the two inaugural calls that will take place should be highlighted.
The first will be the SEA CLOUD SPIRIT, the latest sailing cruise ship from the well-known Sea Cloud Cruises, returning to the Azores after a few years. This fabulous ship was built in 2021 at the Spanish Metalships Yard in Vigo, costing one hundred million USD. It is 138 meters long, has a beam of 17 meters, and a gross tonnage of 4228 tons. It has 5 public decks and can carry a maximum of 136 passengers, served by a crew of 83.

It should be noted that this luxurious sailing ship will make three itineraries in August through five islands, with embarkations and disembarkations in Ponta Delgada.
Also noteworthy is the arrival of EXPLORIS ONE in the Azores for the first time, the first cruise ship from the new French operator Exploris Expeditions & Cruises. This interesting expedition ship was built in 1989 at the Finnish Rauma Shipyard in Rauma as the Delfin Clipper, having passed through several operators until it was acquired by this French operator.
It is 108 meters long and has a beam of 15 meters and a draft of 4.3 meters. It has 7 decks and can accommodate 144 passengers at normal and 173 at maximum occupancy. It has a crew of 118. On this first foray into our archipelago, the ship will stop at five islands.
Given the numbers available, this is a very interesting scenario. We can only hope that all these stopovers are made, as they will always be an excellent visiting card for the beauty of all our islands.

in Diário dos Açores-Osvaldo Cabral, director

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