The Port of Cork Company held a cruise seminar on October 26 2011 to highlight the need for a united approach among ‘Cork Cruise’ stakeholders and the port.
As the cruise business in Cork continues to grow, a wider and united approach with both the city and county regional councils, tour operators, travel agents, local tourism organisations and attractions, is needed to help promote the region and the activities which can be marketed to the cruise lines and passengers.
Guest speaker at the seminar Jens Skrede, managing director Cruise Europe (CE), explained the rationale behind CE and how all members can learn from each other’s experiences. He also talked about the benefits of being a member of the Association and the opportunities of networking among member ports.
Skrede said: “Cruise Europe offers its members excellent networking opportunities, similar to Cork Cruise in the Cork region, but on an international scale. The united approach which Cork is calling for can also be benchmarked by other Cruise Europe members. Many of our members are experiencing growth in their cruise business and the time is opportune to learn from other ports, such as Cork.”
Speaking at the cruise seminar, Captain Michael McCarthy, Port of Cork, said: “The port’s primary role is to facilitate the safe and efficient berthing to all vessels. However, increasingly we find ourselves acting as a tourism body, promoting the region to the cruise companies, attending trade exhibitions, meeting attractions and tourist providers and insuring new shore excursions are being offered.”
He continued: “It’s imperative that there is a united approach so that when a ship calls we are able to promote all that is happening in the city, the county and the wider South of Ireland region.” This approach, he said, needs to be communicated firstly to the cruise lines as our main clients, tour operators and to the cruise passengers before booking their cruise and also during disembarkation.
“In Cork we have a unique product offering in terms of the cruise berth and its location in the centre of the historic town of Cobh with its centuries of tradition of trans-Atlantic liner schedules. While the Port of Cork is committed to continual investment in the Cruise sector, we recognise that the region is the biggest benefactor from this business with at least €20 Million being generated both directly and in-directly, hence the need for a united approach.”
As part of an initiative to welcome cruise ship passengers and crew to the region, the Port of Cork offers a welcome through its Cork Cruise members which “guarantees to impress”. Local tourism ambassadors are sent on board every cruise vessel when it arrives to offer passengers local information, a friendly smile and an Irish welcome.
Local entertainment is also offered, free of charge to the cruise company, which is very often performed in the ship’s theatre as passengers return from their shore excursions. Finally a local brass or pipe band plays on the quayside for the departure of the ship, so passengers can wave farewell as they depart Cork.
The Port of Cork feels that Cruise Europe members could benefit from benchmarking their reception/welcome with other CE member ports. Cork Cruise finds that providing passengers with a memorable experience is of enormous benefit to the region, in the hope that passengers will return on a repeat call or indeed as independent visitors in the future.
Attending the seminar were executives from Cork City Council and Cork County Council, Failte Ireland tourism body, tour operators, representatives from visitor attractions from the region, tourism organisations and local hotels.
(Photograph shows from L to R: Aiden Pender, strategic development Failte Ireland, Margaret Cronin, managing director Specialised Travel Services, Capt Michael McCarthy and Jens Skrede)
