As Europe's cruise season winds down, Cruise Europe member destinations are actively gearing up for 2010 and beyond. To keep up to date on news and new initiatives that could have an impact on the way you do business in Europe, watch your e-mail inbox for Cruise Europe's E-Letter, compiled and edited by journalists Sue Parker and Ralph Grizzle.
Please feel free to contact Sue, susanparkersp [at] googlemail [dot] com, or Ralph, avidcruiser [at] gmail [dot] com, with your comments, concerns, story ideas and suggestions. Click on the headlines below to link to the latest news at www.cruiseeurope.com.
Latest Cruise Stories
Tallinn has been overrun by the Goths, the Pope’s Knights, the Danes, the Germans, the Russians, and now – the cruise ships.
It is near midnight, or at least that it is what my watch tells me. The sun and sky suggest otherwise. The bright orange orb hovers over the watery horizon, casting a reddish-yellow glow on a cloudless sky.
News
More than E20m has been invested to improve the port of Rostock’s infrastructure for cruiseships over the past five years and there is more to come.
Falmouth is witness to the trend for larger ships and intent on catering to their needs. This year saw 33 calls and 21,211 passengers visiting while for 2010 there are fewer calls at 21 but a similar number of passengers at 21,324.
Ships of any size can visit the Port of Cork as demonstrated by the arrival of Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 on October 21.
Passengers to Guernsey are now able to disembark at a cruise pontoon 600 metres from St Peter Port town centre. Completed in 2008 it is only five minutes’ tender ride away.
The Icelandic fishing village of Djupivogur joined Cruise Europe in September. Numbering 450 inhabitants it is making a concerted effort to encourage cruise calls.
Eidfjord is looking forward to a bumper year in 2010. Calls will be up 40% from 33 in 2009 to 47 next year and passengers up 79% from 32,000 to 58,000.
Seydisfjordur has had a record year with 15 calls and 9,000 passengers compared to eight calls and 2,500 passengers in 2008. Next year the port expects 15 calls and 7,500 passengers.
Invergordon is looking at a 20% increase in passenger numbers and gross tonnage for next year following on from 46 calls bringing 48,787 passengers in 2009.
More than 40 cruise ships so far are expected to visit the Shetland port in 2010.
Southampton Port Chiefs are in a celebratory mood after winning the “runner up” category for the Turnaround Port award at the Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards, held recently in Hamburg, Germany.
In recognition of the need for more interactive liaison with the consumer, cruise lines and their partners and its desire to keep abreast and ahead of the industry, Cruise Europe is today relaunching with a completely new website and corporate identity.
A total of 12 visits have been reserved for the new Melkki cruise ship dock this summer. Besthalli L19, which contains sanitary facilities for the passengers, was moved to the dock from the old container depot area.
