PORT OF HULL’S CRUISE BUSINESS RIDING ON THE CREST OF A WAVE
The UK cruise industry is currently enjoying something of a boom and Associated British Ports (ABP) has recently launched its latest cruise brochure to help entice more cruises to ABP’s cruise Ports of Hull, Ayr & Troon, Barrow, Cardiff, Plymouth, Southampton and Swansea. Benefiting from a unique geographical spread across the UK, award-winning cruise facilities and close proximity to international airports, 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 14 per cent per year, with the figure looking set to rise in the future. As the 5,000-plus cruise passengers, who are expected to call at the Port of Hull in 2006, will bring an estimated £0.5 million to the local economy, the prospect of further growth is excellent news for the city and its environs.
Hull boasts a mixture of modern and traditional tourist attractions for visiting cruise passengers, including The Deep, billed as the ‘world’s only submarium,’ the Museum Quarter and a number of live-music venues such as the New Adelphi Club, lively theatres and quaint pubs.
Hull’s proximity to historic York, exciting and retail-friendly Leeds, the scenic Yorkshire Moors and Dales, as well as to some of the most picturesque coastline in the UK, are also big ‘draws’ for cruise passengers.
The future redevelopment of the city centre, the cornerstone of which is the £200m St Stephen’s development on Ferensway, will further add to the city’s appeal upon its completion in 2007. The new shopping and leisure complex will be home to the acclaimed Hull Truck Theatre and will feature a curved esplanade as wide as London’s Oxford Street. There will also be a 128-room luxury hotel.
The Port of Hull is a convenient and agreeable port for cruise operators, benefiting from its superb location as a transit-hub for domestic, Continental European and Baltic states cruises, enclosed docks and a modern passenger-handling facility. From late April to June 2006, the port is scheduled to handle six cruise calls by Travelscope Holiday’s m.v. Funchal. During this period, the vessel will embark on a series of sold-out cruises between Hull and St Petersburg, via Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and Germany. In addition, the port will, once again, be welcoming m.v. Deutschland, the flagship of German cruise operator Peter Deilmann, in September this year.
Matthew Kennerley, ABP Port Director for the Port of Hull, said:
“This year, the Port of Hull welcomes both m.v. Funchal and Deutschland, which, between them, will bring more than 5,000 visitors to Hull, giving a boost to the local economy and highlighting the attractions of Hull and the surrounding areas. The cruise market is one we want to develop, for I firmly believe that we have much to offer.”
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