Thread: Portland Harbour has Record Cruise Season

2010 has been a year of firsts for Portland Harbour Authority. Their summer season ended recently with two major cruise ships berthing simultaneously. On the 28 Sept, Fred Olsens’ Cruise Liner, the Boudicca and Peter Deilmann’s MS Deutschland made day visits, bringing 1,359 cruise passengers to Dorset’s popular tourist amenities.

This follows first time calls by U.S. operators Crystal Cruises and Oceania Cruises, German travel group Phoenix Reisen, and new U.K. cruise line Cruise and Maritime Voyages. The season has also seen the call of the largest cruise ship to ever visit Portland Port, Holland America Line's Westerdam.

Ian McQuade, Commercial Manager of Portland Harbour Authority, said: ‘2010 has been a terrific year welcoming cruise visitors to Portland. Our UNESCO World Heritage location, naturally protected quaysides and fast access to the English Channel are attracting world-class cruise operators. We offer their visitors so much to see and do across the south west – a wealth of cultural gems, the history, nature and charm of Dorset life, all accessed from a sheltered base.’

The Port has done much to showcase what the region has to offer. They have forged a close network with tourism initiatives such as Destination South West and the Atlantic Alliance – the nautical collaboration of 17 European Ports across western Europe; produced a slick web-friendly video of the surrounding area and are gaining a growing membership on Facebook.

Their 2010 cruise visitor numbers have helped create a mini-economic boom for Dorset businesses, incorporating the skills of local Weymouth College tourism students to help promote the resort to thousands of visiting passengers. Over the summer months European and US passengers spent an average of 57 Euros per head in and around Weymouth, according to the Weymouth Harbour Traders’ Association.

Visiting cruise passengers are welcomed by a historical town crier as well as Portland’s Mayor and Mayoress. They then can enjoy excursions to places of regional interest such as Corfe Castle, Athelhampton House, Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens and the Cerne Abbas Giant. At the end of their visit the ships are given a rousing farewell of music from the Weymouth Concert Brass and a three-gun salute by the Victorian Artillery Volunteers.


Ian McQuade continued, ‘Dorset is now firmly on the cruise operators' map. There’s been a dramatic increase in the number of premier cruise ships choosing Portland over the past year. It’s great to see the investment we’ve made promoting the region recognised by these market-leading cruise companies. We’re looking forward to welcoming more visitors in 2011 to enjoy the charms of the Jurassic coast and surrounding Dorset attractions.’

FMI: Weymouth People | Portland Port In Year Of Cruise Firsts

There was another ship in when we were there also . But they stayed in the harbour and tendered in.

I think it was the Silver Whisper