Figures up for Koper passenger terminal
In October alone, the port of Koper welcomed 13 cruise liners with a total of more than 12,000 passengers on board, which makes it the busiest month of the year.
By the end of the season, port operator Luka Koper estimates it will have served 69 cruise ships with more than 78,000 passengers on board, which compares to 49 ships with 58,000 passengers last year.
Five more cruise liners are expected to dock in at Koper in November and another two in December. The last ship to sail in this season is the Viking Sea on 12 December.
Luka Koper says that another important development compared to last year is a growing number of premium and luxury cruise companies, as well as a two-month extension in the season of arrivals.
Announcements by cruise companies indicate the 2017 season will be comparable to this year's. Cruise liners have booked in a total of 60 arrivals with an estimated 75,000 passengers.
The new season is scheduled to be opened by the Viking Sea on 18 March, and wrapped up by the Marina on 23 November.
Most cruise ships come to Koper on their way from or to Venice, which has a restriction on ship size, so none of the announced ships exceed 96,000 gross tonnes.
The biggest cruise ship expected on the Slovenian coast next year will be the MSC Musica with a capacity of 2,550 passengers and a crew of almost a thousand.