Unexpected cruise ship arrivals at Portland boost economy
Queen Mary 2 has been among the ships making last minute stops
Unscheduled cruise calls at Portland Port over the summer so far have boosted the local economy by £750,000.
Five liners – including the iconic Queen Mary 2 – have visited the port at late notice after being unable to stop at their destinations elsewhere.
The Ambassador Line’s Ambience, Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess and SAGA’s Spirit of Adventure have also made last minute calls.
Latest to visit was the German line Plantours Kreuzfahrten’s MS Hamburg with 360 passengers.
It was the first time the cruise line and one its ships had called at Portland.
More than 8,500 passengers have arrived on these additional ships from mid-May to July.
Ian McQuade, general manager commercial and chair of Cruise Britain, said:
“It is always a pleasure to welcome cruise ships on unscheduled visits.
“The unscheduled calls total five to date this year, out of 10 enquiries. They reflect the area’s increasing popularity for cruise calls and represent a further valuable boost of circa £750,000 for the local hospitality and tourism industry.
“Our location, new deepwater berths which allow the largest cruise ships to moor alongside and our reputation for pulling out the stops to accommodate visiting vessels make the port an attractive proposition for cruise lines on both scheduled and unscheduled visits.
“Our thanks go to our dedicated and responsive team, including our contracted shuttle bus operators and welcome team, who have been able to help us accommodate the unscheduled ships and their passengers at very short notice.”
Cruise lines divert to Portland after being unable to enter their destination ports for a variety of reasons, including weather conditions or industrial action.
The Queen Mary 2, from the prestigious Cunard Line, was on a short break cruise of French and Belgian ports when she was diverted to Portland due to strikes in Le Havre, France.
Portland Port’s cruise calls bring in circa £10m per year to the local economy, based on statistics from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) trade body for spend per head of passenger, including in places like shops, bars, cafes and attractions.
The port expects to have welcomed 50 ships carrying more than 110,000 passengers by the end of 2024.