Friday 29 March 2024
 8°C   SSE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Record cruise season ahead

A RECORD 29,000 passengers are expected to sail into Lerwick this summer on board 50 cruise liners, including the largest to ever visit Shetland.

Lerwick Port Authority yesterday (Wednesday) announced that 2010 would be its busiest year for cruise season ever, with more ships and more tonnage sailing into the port than ever before.

The season begins on 10 May with the arrival of National Geographic Explorer on the first of three visits.

Visitors peak in July when 19 ships call in to the port, and the season closes on a high note with the biggest ever visitor Grand Princess, weighing 108,806 gross tonnes, topping last year’s 102,587 gross tonnes Costa Magica.

This year will also see the port break through the million tonne barrier for the first time, with 1,218,272 gross tonnes beating last year’s record of 984,603 gross tonnes.

The 50 ships to have booked to visit the port so far beats the record of 48 set in 2003 and matched in 2005, and the previous record number of passengers was 26,000 in 2006.

Grand Princess will be one of eight vessels on maiden calls this year, the others being AIDAaura, Ocean Countess, MSC Poesia, Seabourn Sojourn, Gann, Costa Luminosa and Norwegian Sun.

Both the Norwegian Sun and Grand Princess will be on transatlantic repositioning cruises in the late autumn, crossing the Atlantic to spend the winter in the Caribbean.

The port’s deputy chief executive, Victor Sandison, said: “We have more than 5,000 vessels annually, but we do see the cruise business as a growing market. It is very important to us and we hope we can grow it further.”

Next month the port authority’s Gary Cooper will travel to Miami in search of new business at the industry’s leading international conference and exhibition from 15 to 18 March.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.