The very first large Dubrovnik cruise ship with passengers on bord, since the start of the pandemic, arrrived today at Dubrovnik port

MSC Orchestra, major cruise ship of the season, arrived this morning to Dubrovnik.

It is the first big Dubrovnik cruise ship to bring passengers into the city after a long and costly silent period caused by the pandemic.

It is not news to Dubrovnik as MSC ships are some of the most commonly seen cruise ships in the city's port. With the city’s tourism sector feeding so many local Dubrovnik families, the long awaited arrival of cruise guests is seen as a blessing. 

After the initial arrival, there are 35 more visits to Dubrovnik planned by MSC in the 2021 season by the company’s ships MSC Orchestra and MSC Splendida. According to the official website, MSC Orchestra has a maximum capacity of 3013 passengers, while MSC Splendida can hold an impressive 4363 passengers. Even if the maximum capacity is reduced due to COVID-related measures, it is clear these numbers look very promising for a destination hit by a pandemic drop in revenue more severely than the rest of the Croatian coast. 

General Manager of Dubrovnik’s Port Authority, Mr. Blaz Pezo, stated that there are several other cruise companies that will be confirming their Dubrovnik arrivals very soon. 

Many in the tourism industry are crossing their fingers in hope of seeing the sector bounce back during the summer. 

The cruise ship industry, understandably, was one of the worst hit industries in tourism and news that the first ship will arrive in the city has been met with caution from one side and optimism from the other.

Cruise ship companies have prescribed special protocols for their guests upon arrival at the destination, and the ships limited capacity to about 50 percent, the very thought of spending a longer period of time in a city took positive reactions.

The City of Dubrovnik and Port Authority have taken all necessary safety measures to make sure that both guests and citizens are safe.

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