Marine / Cruise ships back in town as Viking Venus visits Lerwick
THE FIRST cruise ship of what could be a record breaking season has arrived in Lerwick.
The 229-metre Viking Venus, with a capacity of 930 passengers, docked at Mair’s Pier this morning (Thursday). She is set to return to Lerwick on Monday after visiting Bergen.
Nearly 150 liners are expected in Lerwick through to October.
Lerwick Port Authority cruise and marketing manager Melanie Henderson said: “Having a meet-and-greet team back on duty to welcome passengers, and the sheer number of bookings, show how far we have come since the Covid pandemic.
“The team has a huge input on passenger satisfaction and encouraging repeat business from cruise lines.
“It means that the islands’ tourism network can look forward to its busiest cruise season yet, coinciding with another visit by the fleet of The Tall Ships Races, making for a great season. With strong bookings right through to 2026, the sector will continue to make a significant contribution to Shetland’s economy.”
It comes after the Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl drew plenty of attention after docking at Victoria Pier for a few days.
She has now headed back to Norway, but the sail training ship will return for the folk festival later this month to host a couple of concerts.
However, people should get a chance to see the Christian Radich tall ship this weekend when she arrives on Saturday (15 April).
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