Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has chosen Antwerp to host its ‘Europa's Best’ culinary event for the third time.
The port is expecting 29 calls this year with ships spending a total of 44 days in port due to overnights from ships such as Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa and Azamara Club Cruises’ Azamara Journey with Explorer from Semester at Sea staying for six days.
MSC Cruises and Cruise & Maritime Voyages are calling the Belgian port for the first time this year with MSC Lirica and Marco Polo (pictured) respectively.
Antwerp began the season on March 28 with the arrival of AIDA Cruises’ AIDAluna. The Belgian port is expecting 40,000 passengers this year on 29 calls compared to 35,000 on 30 calls in 2011.
There will be six ships calling for the first time this year, including MSC Cruises’ MSC Lirica, Windstar Cruises' Wind Surf, Star Clippers’ Star Flyer and Phoenix Reisen’s Amadea and Albatros. There will also be repeaters, such as AIDA Cruises, which has chosen to call the Belgian port for more than three years, according to Kattina Glasinovich, cruise manager Antwerp Cruise Port.
Submitted by CE-Press on 22 February 2012 - 12:09pm
Two of seven calls to Ullapool this year will be maiden visits: Phoenix Reisen’s Artania and KD Bereederburg’s Astor. Arion will be the first call of the season on May 11 and Hebridean Princess the last on October 5. In all about 2,200 passengers will visit the Scottish port.
Ullapool has been working to improve its share of the cruise market over the past four years. In 2010 it invested £100,000 in a dedicated cruise tender landing pontoon and in 2011 a reception marquee and luxury restrooms were added.
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.
Seven ships calling Liverpool for the first time this year
Submitted by CE-Press on 11 January 2012 - 12:30pm
Seven ships are visiting the River Mersey, UK, for the first time in 2012.
Three of these belong to Saga, Saga Pearl, Saga Sapphire and Quest for Adventure. The remaining four are Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAcara, P&O Cruises’ Adonia and Phoenix Reisen’s Albatros.
The City of Vlissingen, Zeeland, has confirmed it is building a dedicated cruise quay in the outer harbour of Vlissingen for completion at the end of 2013.
Skjolden-Sognefjord is expecting 20 calls carrying 27,500 passengers in 2012 compared to 11 calls this year, according to Iren Vatne of Cruise Destination Skjolden-Sognefjord.
Of the eight ships calling in Turku this year, three are visiting for the first time: Phoenix Reisen’s Artania, P&O Cruises’ Adonia and Clipper Odyssey.
