Marine / Cruise season to get underway
LERWICK Harbour will formally begin its 2026 cruise season later today (Friday) with the arrival of the Spitsbergen.
This marks the first cruise ship of the season after weather conditions prevented earlier calls from Balmoral and Viking Neptune.
Lerwick Port Authority said that while the season has had a slower start than planned, infrastructure and services are in place to support what is expected to be another busy year for cruise activity.
There are 147 arrivals planned, representing around 6.2 million gross tonnes of shipping and an estimated 130,000 passengers.
The season will extend from April through to November.
Lerwick’s dredging campaign to widen and deepen the North Ness channel and approaches to Mair’s Pier will allow for improved berthing and access for mid-sized vessels, which is said to be an important segment of market for the port.
The 101 metre Spitsbergen is expected to have 335 passengers on board.
Highlights ahead for the 2026 season will include inaugural calls from “ultra-luxury” operators Seadream Yacht Club and Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection.
The largest vessel to call will be MSC Virtuosa, arriving on 20 July at 181,000 gross tonnes.
Alongside vessel activity, operational planning has been strengthened to support passenger experience ashore.
An expanded meet-and-greet team will provide visitors with information on arrival, while additional coach capacity has been introduced to meet demand for tours.
Lerwick Port Authority’s cruise and marketing manager Melanie Henderson said: “The investment in dredging unlocks potential for more mid-sized vessels to berth at Mair’s Pier.
“Shetland’s reputation as a must-visit destination continues to grow, with an increasing number of local providers offering unique experiences for our cruise visitors.
“This growth is not only beneficial for our tourism sector but also for the wider local economy, supporting businesses across Shetland.”
Forward bookings for the port are strong, with demand stretching all the way to 2030.
Henderson said it is “great to see ongoing confidence from both cruise lines and local stakeholders”.
“Our continued focus on infrastructure investment and strong collaboration ensures that Lerwick remains a key player in Scotland’s cruise industry.”
Lerwick Port Authority partnered on a recent ‘Cruise Forward’ conference. Themes covered during the day included future cruise tourism trends and how to strengthen Shetland’s visitor offer.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:
- Removal of third-party ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
