Gibraltar’s Minister for Business, Tourism, Transport and the Port has announced that they are now ready to welcome back cruise ships, their passengers and their crew.

Minister for Business, Tourism, Transport and the Port, the Hon Vijay Daryanani MP said: “With the necessary safety protocols now in place, I am pleased to announce that Gibraltar is now ready to welcome back cruise ships. I have been discussing the resumption of cruise calls now for a while with cruise executives and we have worked hard to ensure that we can make this happen. The local shore excursion agents and shipping agents are also now prepared to continue their excellent tasks. In addition, the cruise companies have carried out impressive work in terms of on-board testing and screening facilities, which will be part of their protocols.

“Gibraltar offers many advantages for cruise itineraries with our excellent port facilities and our great range of shore excursion opportunities,” Daryanani continued. “The proximity of the port to the city center is a great advantage, where transit times for passengers to enjoy the uniqueness of the destination are minimal, a fact that is often welcomed by passengers and shore excursion management teams. Thanks to the assistance offered by the Government in the UK, the population of Gibraltar is fully vaccinated, making us one of the safest destinations in Europe to travel to at present.”

Passengers and crew must have either a valid PCR or lateral flow test taken up to 72 hours before arrival they will be able to disembark and visit Gibraltar.

“I have now written to all the cruise lines that normally call at Gibraltar and others I would like to attract or welcome back, to let them know that we are open for business again,” Daryanani said.