All Aboard! is a pioneering educational initiative created by Tenerife Ports, under the leadership of Luz Marina Espiau, in partnership with MSC Cruises and CLIA. Recognized as the first international programme of its kind in the cruise industry, it introduces primary school students to the maritime world through immersive role-play, bringing more than 400 onboard professions into the classroom.
The project was conceived to address a simple challenge: despite living in a major cruise destination, many local children had little connection to the port and limited awareness of the opportunities generated by the maritime sector. All Aboard! bridges that gap by transforming the port into a source of inspiration, learning and future career aspirations.
Through interactive activities, students discover the diversity of professions that make cruise operations possible while developing values that are essential in today’s global society: teamwork, cultural respect, language learning, environmental awareness and intercultural understanding. By exploring the nationalities, languages and cultures represented onboard cruise ships, they gain a deeper appreciation of international collaboration and global citizenship.
A key element of the programme is a creative competition in which each class produces a collaborative artwork made entirely from recycled materials. The finalist projects are publicly exhibited at the Cruise Terminal, opening the port to the community and creating a unique cultural and educational showcase.
The first edition engaged more than 250 students from 19 classrooms. The winning class earned a visit aboard MSC Virtuosa, where students met crew members and experienced life at sea firsthand. The second edition has expanded to more than 300 students, demonstrating the initiative’s scalability and potential for replication in ports worldwide.
Supported by six public and private partners, All Aboard! contributes directly to UN Sustainable Development Goals 4, 8, 11, 12 and 17. In February 2026, it received a Special Recognition Award at the Excellence Cruise Awards in Madrid. All Aboard! demonstrates how ports can do more than connect destinations. They can connect communities, inspire young minds and help shape the workforce of tomorrow.