TRIESTE – The cruise season at the Croatian port of Rijeka has started earlier than in previous years, inaugurated by the arrival of Spirit of Discovery.
Yesterday the Croatian port welcomed the first large cruise ship of the year. Operated by Saga Cruises, she berthed alongside the breakwater and will remain in port until tomorrow, when she is due to depart. A total of 36 calls by large cruise ships are scheduled for 2026, corresponding to 31 separate arrivals. Of these, six vessels will be making their first call at Rijeka, confirming growing interest in the Kvarner port in the cruise segment.
Spirit of Discovery is an upper-premium ship built in 2019 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg. At 236 metres in length, she can accommodate up to 987 passengers and is served by a crew of around 540. Most of the cruise passengers arriving in Rijeka are from the United Kingdom. The cruise, entitled “Captain Franko’s Homecoming Cruise”, has a distinctive feature: the itinerary was designed by the ship’s master, Franko Papić, who comes from Bakar and chose to celebrate his birthday with this very voyage.
