Vladivostok continued its biggest and significant cruise season ever with a historic double call of two cruise ships as the Westerdam and Costa neoRomantica called simultaneously on April 22.
It was the first call to the Russian port for the Westerdam.
Passengers and crew of Westerdam and Costa neoRomantica were greeted with traditional welcome ceremonies, organized for each of cruise ship after docking at Vladivostok Sea Terminal with the support of tour operators and marine agent. Drums, vocal and dance collectives of the Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University presented a huge artistic program with great Russian hospitality.
During organized shore excursions in Vladivostok, passengers visited traditional tourist objects such as Central Square, Embankment, Orthodox churches, museums, traveled by train on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Some tourists visited Russian families, where they felt national traditions closer.
In a statement, the port said it had spent considerable time and effort to accomodate two ships, with work dating back to 2018 including both technical and organizational measures, and changes in the regulatory framework governing accommodating and clearance of foreign ships.
Later this year, the Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas are planned to make their maiden calls in September.
The port is also doing more turnarounds. On May 30, the Costa NeoRomantica will homeport for a cruise visiting Korean and Japanese ports.
On Sept. 9, the new Spectrum of the Seas sails from Vladivostok to Shanghai visiting Maizuru (Kyoto) and Fukuoka.
