This year is expected to set a record for the number of cruise passengers visiting Malta, despite a sharp drop in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.

According to national data, total cruise passenger traffic in January, February and March amounted to 20,653, a 46 per cent drop over the 38,138 passengers that visited last year.

However, when asked to explain the sudden decline, Valletta Cruise Port’s CEO Stephen Xuereb said it did not reflect the remainder of 2015, which was expected to be a record year.

“We were aware of this decrease in passengers. Cruise liner company Costa last year absorbed the company Ibero Cruceros and consequently the two vessels Grand Holiday and Grand Celebration, which were meant to call at Grand Harbour 13 times between January and March, bringing 18,000 passengers, in line with last year’s figures.

“However Costa sold off the two liners towards the end of last year, which explains the drop in passengers.”

Based on records held by Transport Malta, the National Statistics Office said there were nine cruise liner calls during the first quarter – 14 fewer than last year.

At 99.7 per cent, transit passengers accounted for the vast majority of total traffic, reaching 20,582. Three-quarters were from the EU, with the major markets being Italy, Germany and France.

The total number of passengers from other countries stood at 4,584, of whom 12.2 per cent came from the USA.

Meanwhile, MSC Fantasia sailed yesterday from the Grand Harbour to Palma de Mallorca with 4,200 passengers on its first of 30 back-to-back trips starting from Malta and touring the western Mediterranean.

The cruise liner is back after a three-year absence and is including the island in its West Mediterranean cruises for 2015.

The Fantasia cruises will bring some 120,000 passengers to Malta between April and November, and they are expected to inject over €9 million into the Maltese economy, according to travel agent Hamilton Travel.