The port of Lisbon states that December 2012 will be the “best ever”. The largest number of calls and cruise passengers to date will arrive during this winter month at 24 and 40,000 respectively.
The Costa Favolosa, one of 14 cruise ships that form the fleet of the operator Costa Cruises, calls Lisbon for the first time next December 2nd, during a transatlantic voyage starting in Savona, passing through Marseilles, Gibraltar, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Recife, Maceio, Salvador da Bahia, Ilheus, Rio de Janeiro and ending in Santos.
On June 2 the Norwegian pilots’ strike ended following agreement being reached on wage increases. The strike resulted in seven extra calls and 20,000 passengers for Gothenburg, all having been diverted from Oslo.
Five calls were transit bringing 12,000 passengers. Costa Cruises came for the first time and Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas turned around for the first time although having visited on a transit call previously.
Vigo had a record year in 2011 when the sea became the main gateway for tourism in the city. There were 118 calls bringing more than 250,000 passengers and 100,000 crew to the city.
This year the Spanish port is expecting 262,000 passengers which is a 5.5% increase on 2011.
Calls to Trondheim this year show a 40% increase on 2011 numbering 59 which is a record for the Norwegian port.
“This is the highest number of calls in Trondheim since the early eighties when the cruise vessels were of a different dimension than today’s heavyweights,” says Kirsti Ostensjo, marketing manager cruise Trondheim Havn.
Passenger numbers look likely to break records also. Sailing at maximum capacity, the 59 calls will bring almost 80,000 passengers. The current passenger record was 58,076 in 2010.
Submitted by CE-Press on 22 February 2012 - 10:13am
Costa Cruises has cancelled two of the 31 calls booked to Oslo this year due to Costa Magica being repositioned to the Mediterranean to fulfill Costa Concordia’s schedule.
The switch has resulted in Bergen losing eight calls, Geiranger seven, Stavanger five and North Cape two calls.
Nevertheless, Oslo is expecting 177 calls from 53 cruiseships carrying 318,000 passengers this season. Of the total number of calls, 13 are in the low season and for these Oslo Port Authority gives discount.
Harwich figures show significant increase this year
Submitted by CE-Press on 21 February 2012 - 8:18pm
Harwich is expecting 35 calls and over 96,000 passengers this year, compared with 28 calls and 85,806 passengers in 2011.
Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas and Discovery Cruises’ Discovery will both be homeporting again this year. In addition, Thomson Cruises is making seven homeport calls with Thomson Spirit, having had a two-year break from the UK market.
Also returning to the UK port is MSC Cruises with MSC Lirica on two calls having not called since 2008.
Submitted by CE-Press on 12 December 2011 - 11:01am
Dover is expecting 156 calls in 2012 bringing more than 250,000 to the port. This represents a 14.7% increase on 2011.
Of the 136 calls in Dover this year, 84 were full turnarounds, 14 partial, one embarkation only and 37 transit calls. Turnaround passengers will reach 138,656 and transit 84,095.
Le Havre has Christmas cruises and an extended season in its sights
Submitted by CE-Press on 23 November 2011 - 12:56pm
Le Havre has six calls booked this Christmas compared to one last year and the port is keen to not only attract more of these calls but extend the cruise season.
Valerie Dubuc, cruise director Cruise Le Havre, says: “One of our goals is to extend our cruise season throughout the year. I think there is a great potential for Christmas cruises.
The port is preparing an entertainment programme at the Cruise Terminal which includes mulled wine and hot chocolate. This December P&O Cruises’ Arcadia will call four times, Oriana once and Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 once.
Submitted by CE-Press on 17 October 2011 - 11:47am
Oslo is expecting six calls this October and Christmas calls in December are quite possible due to the port having no problems with ice. Next year there will be only four months without cruise calls.
By the year end, Oslo will have welcomed an estimated 310,000 passengers on 174 calls. The nationality split is different this year compared to former years. About 100,000 passengers are from Germany with AIDA Cruises making 39 calls, of which 29 have been overnight stays.
