This winter, the AIDAprima will sail down from Northern Europe and spend the winter homeporting out of Tenerife alongside the AIDAblu.

It’s big news for the port authority, which will also get the TUI Discovery interporting in Tenerife and Malaga starting in September.

Airam Díaz, commercial director for the Tenerife Port Authority, said there is a standing discount arrangement for cruise companies homeporting in Malaga and sailing to one of the Tenerife ports of call.

Strong airlift compliments a winter sailing from either port. 

Also this winter, the port is expecting the Thomson Dream to sail from Tenerife, calling in La Palma and La Gomera and the Pullmantur Horizon, which will homeport as well.

“We have a complete incentive plan to make it as easy as possible for cruise lines to come here,” said Diaz. “Other discounts include a 30 percent volume discount for three or more calls and a 25 percent discount for calls in two of our ports.

As we are a year round destination but with a very successful and long high season, our challenge is to increase cruise traffic during summer time and have a balance during the whole year,” Diaz continued.

Last year, a state-of-the-art new terminal opened in Tenerife, and now the plans turn to lengthening the berth at La Palma in time for the 2019 season. In addition, the port is putting a plan in place to have LNG available by truck and barge.