Cruise Atlantic Europe

Programme 2007 - 2013 Atlantic Area

Date of latest update: 2025-04-26

Description

Description (EN):

The growth of cruise tourism activity in Europe has been capitalized primarily by regions with more tradition in the sector and which present a consolidated product, such as the Baltic and Mediterranean. Despite the strong competition in these markets, with its unique features, the AA has a relatively competitive position in global cruise tourism. The strategic location, at cruise routes crossroads, between northern and southern Europe, and between the Caribbean and Europe, the large number of ports along the coastline, which offer a wide variety of destinations, and the rich cultural and environmental heritage of maritime port cities and surrounding regions, give the AA a growing potential that should be promoted. CruiseAtlanticEurope (CAE) is a transnational cooperation project, an initiative of a group of ports on the Atlantic seaboard - Lisbon, Leixões, La Coruna, Bilbao, Dover, Lorient and Cork - and aims to promote cruise tourism in the AA. Its main objective is to strengthen the position of the Atlantic Coast in European cruise tourism through the creation and promotion of new tourism products, globally recognized by ship-owners and cruise companies, which, through the action of a network of ports, cities and regions, may stimulate Atlantic cultural and identity economic dimensions. To achieve these objectives, the project has established a work plan that consists in organising itineraries at ports of call, based on adding value to natural and cultural resources, which contribute to give a distinct identity in the framework of international cruise tourism markets, the development of a communication and marketing plan in order to establish a strategy to promote cruise tourism in the AA and the production of advertising and promotional materials as well as promotional activities.

Achievements (EN):

With cruise visitors in 2013 set to exceed 1.25 million, all the member ports of Cruise Atlantic Europe have experienced growth as cruise traffic in the region continues to increase. Cruise Atlantic Europe comprises eight ports in five countries of the Atlantic front (Lisbon, Porto (Leixões), A Coruña, Bilbao, Brest, St Malo, Dover and Cork). Helena Fernandes from the Port Authority of Leixões said: “It comes as no surprise that cruise visitors are on the rise as switched on cruise operators have realised that operating in the Atlantic Europe region provides some incredible incentives. Operating cruises to this selection of ports can both save money in terms of fuel costs and lower port charges but also provides an opportunity to increase revenue by promoting profitable shore excursions. It’s a win-win situation and we would encourage all cruise operators to take advantage of the region.” Growth has been accelerated by major investment in new cruise terminals at Bilbao and A Coruña plus new cruise ship berths at Porto (Leixões), Lisbon and St Malo. Now in addition to the strong appeal of the destinations to cruise customers, the new cruise ship facilities make the region more accessible to some of the biggest ships in the industry. Fernandes adds: “Our success proves that Atlantic Europe is becoming more than just an option for cruise operators when ships are re-positioning to the Mediterranean. There are increasing opportunities for short cruises in the region with the added appeal of embarkation from multiple markets.” Further information about Cruise Atlantic Europe and its destinations can be found at: www.cruiseatlanticeurope.com

Expected Results (EN):

Among others, the results are: CAE itineraries, reformulated from a marketing point of view directed to the end customer, in order to demonstrate their commercial potential to operators and the diversity of supply in ports of call; marketing products and promotions targeted to cruise operators, such as videos and other visual media that enable a fresh look at each port, city and region included in the CAE itineraries; regular communication with the cruise industry and specialized media in order to ensure it's updated with news and information about the wide range of products offered and guaranteeing wide media coverage. CAE project is an important contribution to strengthening the AA's position in the international cruise tourism market. The impact of the project goes beyond the sea-port towns involved and respective regions, reaching neighbouring regions, contributing to the endogenous development of an AA broad territory and attracting new tourism flows.

Thematic information

Cultural heritage and arts New products and services Tourism

Partners (7)

Lead Partner: APDL - Administração dos Portos do Douro e Leixões, S.A.

Address: Avenida da Liberdade, 4450-396 Leça da Palmeira, Portugal

Legal status: n/a

APL - Administração do Porto de Lisboa, S.A.

Name: APL - Administração do Porto de Lisboa, S.A.

Address: Rua da Junqueira, 94, 1349-026 Lisboa, Portugal

Legal status: n/a

Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao

Name: Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao

Address: Campo Volantin, 37, 48007 Bilbao, Spain

Legal status: n/a

Port of Cork Company

Name: Port of Cork Company

Address: Port of Cork Company Custom HouseCork, Ireland

Legal status: n/a

Lorient Croisières Bretagne Sud

Name: Lorient Croisières Bretagne Sud

Address: Quai de Coromandel, 56 100 Lorient, France

Legal status: n/a

Autoridad Portuaria de A Coruña

Name: Autoridad Portuaria de A Coruña

Address: Avenida de la Marina, 3, 15001 A Coruña, Spain

Legal status: n/a

Dover Cruise Port

Name: Dover Cruise Port

Address: Harbour House, Marine Parade, CT17 9BU Dover, United Kingdom

Legal status: n/a

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

APL - Administração do Porto de Lisboa, S.A.

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

APDL - Administração dos Portos do Douro e Leixões, S.A.

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

Port of Cork Company

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

Lorient Croisières Bretagne Sud

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

Autoridad Portuaria de A Coruña

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Partners and Projects info

Dover Cruise Port

Cruise Atlantic Europe

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Cruise Atlantic Europe

Project acronym: CruiseAtlanticEuro

Project start date: 2008-01-31

Project end date: 2011-06-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 739 698.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 480 802.03

Co-financing sources:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2007 - 2013 Atlantic Area

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2015-12-01

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

70 / 70 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

655 / 655 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme

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Cruise Atlantic Europe

Description

Thematic information

Partners (7)

Partners map

Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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