PORT OF PLYMOUTH SET TO WELCOME MORE CRUISE SHIPS
Following the cruise industry’s recent regeneration, Associated British Ports (ABP) has launched its latest cruise brochure to help entice more cruises to ABP’s cruise ports of Ayr & Troon, Barrow, Cardiff, Hull, Plymouth, Southampton and Swansea. Benefiting from a unique geographical spread across the UK, close proximity to international airports and award-winning cruise facilities, ABP’s cruise ports are attractive destinations for the growing number of “Round Britain” and international cruise itineraries.
From 2000 to 2004, the number of cruise passengers who passed through UK ports grew by an astounding 14 per cent per year, with the figure looking set to rise in the future. As the 14,000-plus cruise passengers, who are expected to visit the Port of Plymouth in 2006, will bring an estimated £1.4 million to the local economy, the prospect of further growth is excellent news for the city and its environs.
It is not hard to see why cruise passengers would be attracted to Plymouth – the city centre is a 10-minute walk from the port and offers a huge number of tourist attractions for young and old alike. Visitors can tour the Royal Naval dockyards at Devonport, stand on the steps from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World, or simply soak up the bohemian atmosphere in the city’s colourful Barbican Quarter. There are also a number of places of interest around Plymouth, such as Dartmoor, Britain’s largest national park; Buckland Abbey, a 700-year old Cistercian monastery and once the home of Sir Francis Drake, and the prestigious and popular Eden Project in Cornwall, a must for aspiring botanists and horticulturalists.
Plymouth is also a convenient and appealing port for cruise operators, having recently won an award for the ‘Most Improved Destination’ at the Seatrade Cruising Shipping Convention, held in Miami, Florida. The award was based on a survey conducted by leading cruise publication, Dream World Cruise Destination, which is considered to be a barometer for the international cruise industry. The port itself features a 200-metre long berth and an anchorage ground for vessels of up to 300 metres in length, large enough to accommodate most ocean-going cruise liners. Situated only six kilometres from Plymouth City Airport, the port’s modern passenger terminal is equipped with a range of modern facilities, including an automated baggage-handling facility and bureau de change.
Colin Greenwell, Port Manager for ABP’s South West Ports, said:
“Combining a host of exciting tourist attractions with modern cruise facilities, ABP’s Port of Plymouth looks forward to welcoming more than 14,000 cruise passengers to the city this year. Our success at the 2006 Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention has raised the profile of the port as a cruise destination and maritime gateway to the alluring south-west of the UK.”
He added:
“Following a recent report published by the UK Cruise Passenger Shipping Association, which estimates that 1.25 million UK cruise passengers will be taking ocean cruises this year, I am confident that Plymouth can develop its cruise business even further.”
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