The summer of cruises in 2019 was launched on 6 May by the same vessel as last year, the M/S Saga Sapphire of a British shipping company, bringing almost 600 passengers and a crew of 420 to the Kantasatama Harbour in the centre of Kotka. The visitors were greeted by a sunny and calm weather and also happy parade girls accompanied by march music. The cruise guests were offered a variety of events, such as bus tours of Kotka and Hamina, miniature cruises locally and a private concert at museum centre Vellamo.
The next cruise vessel due to arrive in Kotka will be the German ship M/V Artania. The largest ship visiting Kotka this summer will be the MSC Meraviglia, which will come to the Mussalo Harbour on 25 July, the opening day of the Kotka Maritime Festival. All in all, there will be five cruise ships arriving in Kotka this summer, bringing with them some 7,500 cruise guests and approx. 3,000 crew members.
Cruise ships visiting Kotka in the summer of 2019:
6 May M/S Saga Sapphire
2 July M/V Artania
17 July M/S Hebridean Sky
25 July MSC Meraviglia
28 July M/S Deutschland
