Every day this week CruiseBusiness.com’s Carolyn Spencer Brown will be reporting from the 64th General Assembly at MedCruise. We’ll sharing photos and stories from our explorations of this magical part of Spain, just south of Barcelona, along with insights from conversations with cruise industry leaders, to engaging panel sessions and port inspections. The conference takes place from Tuesday, June 11 – Friday, June 14 in its host city of Tarragona.
Attendees include cruise lines from Holland America, Seabourn, Silversea, Crystal, Viking, Royal Caribbean Group, Carnival, Princess, Four Seasons Yachts, Norwegian Cruise Line, among others.
Stay tuned as we update this live blog as news warrants.
Tarragona, our host port, offers marvelous inspiration
(Sunday, June 16, 2024)
And finally last but by no means least: we tour Tarragona. It can safely be argued that for travelers who have often visited marquee cities, discovering new-to-us and smaller cities like the Romanesque Tarragona, an hour or so south, is just the tonic this traveler has craved: magnificent history, beautiful views with the Mediterranean Sea photobombing us everywhere, and marvelous contemporary culture. I am particularly fascinated by the old market, which sits atop a modern supermarket— which oddly enough makes both the old place more relevant and gives the modern supermarket a hint of charm (you can buy your lobster so fresh it’s still quivering and also tuck a six pack of Coke Zero under your arm).
Add to all of this a convenient Renfe train service to Barcelona that takes a little over an hour and costs about 12 euro…there are a million reasons to come back here
Human Towers
(Saturday, June 16, 2024)
It’s Saturday night, MedCruise has ended, and I’m taking one last, long stroll through the old city. There’s this one charming and quiet, “out of the way” (quotes intended) square, where I thought I might take a table and sip an Estrella Damm. Instead, on this early Saturday evening, it turned out to be heaving with people. After a week here in Tarragona, I immediately recognized why by the different uniforms that emphasize a colored fabric around the waistline, which identifies each team, and by the sight of three or four groups rehearsing, just starting the baselines of their towers.
Link to Youtube video:
Tarragona is famous for its human towers – it’s so famous that MedCruise dedicated one slot in its program to bring in locals to teach us about them. I think those of us who are first time visitors here can be forgiven for not really knowing what it is. It’s this: They evolved from a tradition of folk dancing and now the tradition of the “castells” is part of the fabric of life here. Indeed, they’ve been awarded with the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity designation.
Photo: The Monumento a los Castellers on Tarragona’s Nova Ramblas is one of its most famous sculptures
We were lucky we got to see this in person – before our gala dinner, one club demonstrated the feat, which involves a human tower comprised of six to ten people high (and many more serve as the base). You know they’re getting to the end when young kids, wearing helmets, begin to scamper up to the top – and then immediately turn around and slide back down again.
Beyond our private showing in Tarragona, there are scheduled competitions between clubs that you can buy tickets for – or you might just get lucky and see one forming as you wander through a town square.
Why was the H10 Imperial Tarraco Hotel a great home away from home?
(Friday, June 14, 2024)
When you work in the cruise business, hotels tend to take a back seat. They shouldn’t, especially during conferences when they are home for almost a week. In Tarragona, at MedCruise in June 2024, I’m giving a huge shout-out to our host hotel, the H10 Imperial Tarraco (the ancient name for Tarragona). It’s been an incredible home away from home. Why? Almost every room has a balcony with a view to the Mediterranean Sea (even better, my view combined the ancient ampitheater, a beach and the Med.
The room was so very comfortable, with all the attendant mod-cons – mini bar (that didn’t mind if you shoved its stuff aside for your own treats, procured from the Spar across the street). The bathroom – and mine was a junior suite – was superb (leaving me thinking about how to knock down some walls at home to recreate it in spirit), with separate tub, shower and dual sinks.
But it’s not just the room, or the amenities (pool on ground level, bar/splash pool on the sixth floor, overlooking everything). The location is superb, with the old city a few blocks to one side, the new city (Rambla Nova) to the other, and lots of gorgeous gardens. I discovered, in the few moments when we weren’t being hosted by MedCruise, some marvelous restaurants nearby.
Could there be improvements? Absolutely. The H10 Tarraco is solidly 4-star, which means services can be limited (though there’s on-site catering for breakfast and dinner, at the ground floor bar). There’s room service for limited hours (and to be honest, it’s not very good but nicely delivered). And from a conference perspective, I thought it extremely odd that the room where panels were held wasn’t swept after each session for dirty glasses and fresh water.
Still: next time I’m heading out on a cruise from Barcelona, I might actually opt to spend a few days here in Tarragona – and then catch the train (not far from us) to Barcelona for my ship. Just for a change of pace.
Panel recap: Decoding charm – Strategies to Integrate Medium-sized Ports into the Cruise Itinerary
(Thursday, June 13, 2024)
The most consistent message we heard from panelists at Thursday’s “Decoding Charm,” port-focused panel, was this: Know your market, understand the needs of your client cruise lines, invest in appropriate infrastructure and commit to self-promotion.
Interesting takeaways from panelists (including other destination executives we’ve met on this trip) when talking to other-than-marquee ports about encouraging cruise line visits:
*”Customize your approaches,” says Giovanna Dipasquale, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Head of Itinerary Management. “Understand what infrastructure is necessary.” Ambassador, markets to an older, more sedentary travel demographic, and so requiring its ships to anchor, or not providing seamless on-off service between ship and port, is a critical starter. “A pier doesn’t make a cruise port,” she adds. “And a shed doesn’t make a terminal.”
*Another cruise line executive, just chatting casually with CruiseBusiness.com, told us it is critical for ports to custom skew their pitches to cruise lines in a way that shows you understand their psycho and demographic makeup.
*Ports “should communicate better,” says Francesco Rossiello, senior manager of deployment and itinerary planning for Holland America Group. It’s a sentiment echoed by Scott Eddy, who represents the influencer segment of the travel marketplace, who insists that ports make a stronger commitment to social media, which is increasingly powerful in developing interest in destinations. He notes that when political regimes face a coup, social media is considered so influential that is one of the first forms of communication that gets shut down. “Social media can stop a coup – but can’t sell a destination?” And from Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is known as “The Cruise Guy,” is this: The reality is that cruise lines bring the passengers to the ports. The ports have to do a better job getting people to explore off the ship.”
Panel recap: Women power in the waters
(Thursday, June 13, 2024)
This panel started out with a sentiment that may have surprised some participants: “This is not going to be a feminist discussion because none of the panelists [all women, of course] like that approach,” says MedCruise President Figen Ayan. Indeed. Highlights of the conversation revolved around the importance of seeing colleagues and crew as individuals rather than by gender. Still, there were some excellent points of advice for women wanting to grow in the cruise industry – from women who already occupy top rungs, both onboard and onshore, in the business.
*Teach your staff “human value,” says CLIA Europe’s Marie-Caroline Laurent: See the human beings in front of you. You don’t have a ‘female’ captain, just a captain.”
*Aspiring professionals need to promote themselves in an appropriate manner. “When you are looking at -- how can I get a job on a cruise ship regardless of position -- social media has become a pivotal tool,” says Captain Kate McCue, who helms Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond.
*More on the power of utilizing social media tools. Cruise line executives and onboard leadership need to share their own stories – so that women aspiring to grow within the cruise industry understand what’s possible. “If you can see it, you can be it,” McCue tells us. “Opportunities are plentiful. There are more ships, more opportunities. So why not? But there’s a lack of representation that makes us visible, and that’s on all of us.”
*Today, the world is more inclusive, and that’s critical, Ayan tells us. “When you have a diversity of ports, islands, secluded, big, medium and small you have to have a holistic approach, an inclusive approach.”
*And make the best possible use of communication tools. CLIA Europe, Laurent tells us, noting that the organization is creating a new platform on its website that aims to put all interested in the cruise workforce in touch with potential opportunities. It should be live soon.
Exploring the mountains of Montsant, outside of Tarragona
(Thursday, June 13, 2024)
One of my favorite aspects of MedCruise conference is the chance to try-out shore excursion possibilities that, ultimately, travelers who visit the port of Tarragona will get to experience. On this day, we headed deep into mountainous wine country, on a trek to the Cartoixa d’Escaladei. The folks at Costa Durauda, the tourism office for this part of Spain, tell us it means “ladder or stairs to God,” and you’ll believe it from the long, winding and slow drive through the mountains to get there (the closest thing it resembles to me is a trip along California’s Route 1 to Big Sur).
Located near Montsant, the Carthusian Monastery of Santa Maria d'Escaladei, dating back to the 12th century, was the first to be built on the Iberian Peninsula. It ultimately was abandoned by monks in the mid-19th century and a fire decimated it – but it’s the beautiful restoration of buildings and grounds that we’ve come here to experience.
Afterward, we repaired to the village of Escaladei, just a short distance away, for a wine tasting at Scala Dei, a working winery that took over when the monks, who’d previously grown their own grapes, fled the region. (This, the Priorat DOC, is the only Qualified Denomination of Origin in in Catalonia and one of the two in Spain with this designation). We took a tour through the winery, which produces blends of grenache, Carignan and other Rhone-style varietals, and then headed to the Cellar, for a tasting and meal of tapas.
Who’s this tour going to appeal to? While on the experience we chatted with numerous cruise line executives who craft shore excursions and who participated. Here are some tips:
*Because of the remote location and the mountainous and winding roads, only small buses can traverse the terrain. As a result, it’s small group tour option.
*Obviously fans of wine and ruins will love this tour – but it’s also a good outing for adventurous travelers who want to see a remote part of the Catalan they might not otherwise experience.
*It’s definitely not a good option for any traveler with impaired mobility. Comfortable shoes and an ability to walk on uneven terrain, particularly at the monastery, is critical when it comes to enjoying this outing.
*Our experience was listed as a half-day excursion. It’s not. It’s a full day tour.
Bottom line? We loved the mystical beauty of the monastery, the soulful restoration of the ruins, and the elegantly rustic atmosphere surrounding the cellar for our wine tasting. We’d totally go back….
Tarragona Cruise Port officially opens
(Tuesday, June 11, 2024)
On Tuesday night and in conjunction with MedCruise’s 64th MedCruise General Assembly, Tarragona Cruise Port, with the newest cruise terminal in the Mediterranean, officially opened.
In a wonderful surprise for those who knew him as Norwegian Cruise Line’s longtime president and CEO, Andy Stuart joined the team of officials to comment on the new facility. “As far as Tarragona is concerned, it's super exciting to see this investment here,” he told the assembled crowd. Stuart, now a member of the board of Global Port Holdings, which developed and will operate the port facility, noted that its existence means “the future is really, really bright, and I would anticipate seeing a lot of capacity coming to this beautiful city in the short term and mid-term, and [there will be] tremendous growth in the long term.”
Indeed, MedCruise President Figen Ayan noted that Tarragona has grown from 13 cruise calls in 2013 to 57 visits in 2023.
The Tarragona Port Cruise Terminal was designed with the environment and sustainability in mind. Located about 10 minutes from the heart of Tarragona, its services include the usual facilities, such as security screening, restrooms, a café, shop, customer service, and complementary Wi-Fi. Extra attention was paid to incorporating features for those travelers with limited mobility. Shuttle service – which will be needed as the terminal is located at the end of a very long stretch of the industrial port area – is, according to officials, available upon request. Our favorite surprise about the terminal is the serenity of its outdoor spaces, where there’s a covered terrace that leads to beautiful (new) gardens that look out onto the harbor.
The event featured tapas, cocktails and entertainment that include a brass band and a quartet of giant, dancing puppets.
The 64th MedCruise General Assembly kicks off Tuesday night
(Tuesday, June 11, 2024)
Tonight, Figen Ayan, MedCruise’s President, welcomes members, cruise line executives, media and other travel influencers to the 64th MedCruise General Assembly, here in Tarragona.
It was a nice surprise to learn, Ayan tells us, that this marks the 28th anniversary in MedCruise’s history. 16 visionary port members founded Medcruise 20 years ago in Rome, she says, noting something else: This is also a special General Assembly because we’ve had a record number of cruise lines – 26 cruise executives and decision makers from 23 cruise lines -- who will be diving into this unique destination and create unique ties with ports from this region.
She also describes “impressive growth of port managers by 10 percent and another 50 percent increase in associate members in less than two years.”
Stay tuned as CruiseBusiness.com continues to report on the rest of the week’s activities, sessions, and explorations.
Exploring beyond town limits
(Tuesday, June 11)
One of the activities that’s integral to this (and other) conferences is promoting the host city, in this case Tarragona, of course, to cruise line executives, most of whom play oversight roles in creating itineraries and shore excursions.
Our in-depth tour of our host city is later this week. In the meantime, attendees have been out exploring destinations outside of town. For the summer 2024 season, for instance, MSC Fantasia is a regular; you’ll see Silversea, Noble Caledonia, Marella and Costa making occasional in-transit visits, according to the Port of Tarragona. And if the tours and port match with cruise line psycho- and demo-graphics, you might see even more cruise lines and ship calls slated for Tarragona in the future.
This afternoon’s excursion took us to the neighboring city of Reus, about 20 minutes south of Tarragona. It’s a delightful, historic small town (100,000 inhabitants). Our guide told us that its appeal was, for many European travelers, the shopping. For me, it’s the kind of delightful, relatively peaceful city with two big squares (Placa Prim and Placa Mercadal that are lined with cafes that just tease you to stop, sip a vermouth, the region’s best-known spirit) or a coffee. But the place you really need to go – in fact in this town that claims to be Antonio Gaudi’s birthplace (not proven, but a delightful anecdote) – is Casa Navàs.
It's an art nouveau building, constructed between 1902 – 1908, located on the city’s prime plaza, but that’s not entirely the reason it’s worth a trek from Tarragona. The incredible stained glass walls and ceilings are also magical, as is a serene courtyard, two floors above the city streets, with murals representing history. Still, the reason Casa Navàs was so fascinating for so many us on the tour was that the couple that build the house has left it with all original furnishings. It’s like stepping back in time. And, incidentally, they were so ahead of the times – remember we’re talking about the first decade of the 20th century, they had installed electric lights, a “whirlpool” bath with rainfall shower – and a telephone. Its story is really about what it was like, if you were wealthy, to live in a house in the art nouveau era.
Across the placa – and also worth a look, particularly if you’ve seen Gaudi’s architectural creations in Barcelona – is the Gaudi Centre, which offers interpretative and interactive insights into his life’s work.
Reus’ proximity to Barcelona, which likes 45 nautical miles to the north, is both a blessing and a curse, a cruise line executive told me. The curse? Barcelona is the marquee port, the place everyone wants to visit. Recent restrictions on cruise traffic in that city have complicated calls as do increasing costs for lines to use it as a center for provisioning. And there’s a new cruise terminal in Tarragona; we’re seeing that tonight.
Inside the Casa Navas, the stained glass windows are on every floor and almost every room
What we’re watching out for at MedCruise GA
(Tuesday, June 11)
MedCruise General Assembly this week stretches over six days – if you count familiarization trips all throughout this region. The core conference portion, however, is about two and a half days, and what’s really intriguing about the lineup of panels and speakers is there’s a storytelling thread that runs through them. These take place primarily over Wednesday and Thursday, and here’s what catches my eye:
– “Woman Power in the Waters”: Did you know that of some 1.25 million seafarers around the world, just 2 percent (2 percent!) are women? And that, according to our MedCruise program, female captains make up just 3 percent. And yet: in the cruise industry (as opposed to onboard leadership), some 57 percent consist of women. So this conversation, between Celebrity’s Captain Kate McCue, CLIA Europe’s Marie-Caroline Laurent, and MedCruise President Figen Ayan will discuss how to broaden the appeal of the maritime industry to attract a higher percentage of women. Moderated by Anne-Marie Spinosi, Corsica Ports.
– Expedition-style cruise travel in the Mediterranean is a small but potentially growing niche in our industry as more travelers look for indelible and unusual experiences. How can Mediterranean ports map more possibilities? How must they evaluate regulatory and environmental challenges in more off-the-grid destinations that are better suited to an expedition voyage? I look forward to hearing more from Hugues Lamy from Swan Hellenic and Spyros Almpertis at Crystal, moderated by Nicky Guerrero, MH Bland.
– This one I can’t wait to experience! In “Immaterial Mediterranean, The Unseen Magic in UNESCO Cruise Destinations,” we’re not exploring ancient ruins or soaring cathedrals. Instead, as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage of Humanity (designated in 2010), we’ll witness the human towers, an unusual Catalan tradition (stay tuned for photos!), as they’re built, live. These consist of yes, towers comprised of people, often between six and 10 people high. And the point of the tradition is to emphasize universal values, like teamwork, solidarity, self-improvement and integrating people from all different backgrounds for a common goal. I’m guessing a good sense of balance is pretty key, too.
