A number of member ports benefited from Christmas calls in December as passengers visited Christmas markets. Hamburg had three cruiseships call with some 3,000 passengers in the run up to Christmas. Saga Pearl II called for the first time with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Black Watch and Balmoral making up the trio.
IJmuiden also welcome Saga Pearl II on a maiden call and narrowly missed a maiden call from Black Watch. The latter call had to be cancelled due to poor weather.
Amsterdam had five Christmas calls including an overnight stay from Cunard Line’s Queen Victoria. Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ Marco Polo was the first to call on December 4 returning on the seventh with Balmoral and P&O Cruises’ Artemis also coming alongside.
An overnight stay from Black Watch in Antwerp brought 800 passsengers while Le Havre celebrated the end of its 2010 season with a call from Queen Victoria. Further south, Royal Caribbean International’s Independence of the Seas and P&O Cruises’ Arcadia called Vigo in December. For the latter a charity market was set up in the terminal.
Lisbon had 12 calls during the festive season inclduing three cruiseships calling on Christmas Eve - Independence of the Seas, Artemis and Balmoral. These were greeted by musicians playing Christmas songs.
