News / Another record cruise season
A RECORD number of cruise liners are scheduled to visit Lerwick harbour this summer, the year the port hosts the Tall Ships race for the second time.
Lerwick Port Authority said on Tuesday that 54 cruise ships have booked a berth at the UK’s northernmost destination, outstripping the previous record by six vessels.
The port expects last year’s record of 30,843 cruise passengers to be beaten, along with the gross tonnage record which collapses under the weight of 1.4 million gross tonnes, mostly accounted for by just 23 ships.
Another record will be set in the busiest month of June when two of the 16 visitors will be the biggest yet to enter the port – Crown Princess at 113,651 gross tonnes and the even bigger Costa Pacifica at 114,500 gross tonnes.
The port has been gearing itself up for an increase in cruise visitors, with a new welcome ashore pavilion opened at the tail end of last year’s season.
LPA deputy chief executive Victor Sandison said that cruise passengers played an increasingly important part in the local economy, spending in excess of £1 million over the summer.
“A recent study for Cruise Scotland highlighted the tremendous potential to further develop the country’s cruise market,” he said.
“Shetland’s many attractions and Lerwick’s modern facilities make us a prime destination, with a major contribution to make, as will be demonstrated again this year.”
The port works hard marketing itself around the world and will exhibit once again on the Cruise Scotland booth at Cruise Shipping Miami in March and Seatrade Europe, in Hamburg, in September.
This year’s season starts on 4 May with Quest and ends on 9 September with Discovery.
There will be six maiden calls, including Oceania Cruises’ new build Marina, P&O Cruises’ Arcadia and Kristina Cruises’ new flagship, Kristina Katarina.
Crystal Serenity will be in Lerwick during the spectacular Parade of Sail day when vessels participating in The Tall Ships Races 2011 depart for Stavanger at the end of a four-day visit on 24 July.
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