Portland UK Port’s Unscheduled Cruise Calls Drive Local Economic Growth

This summer, Portland Port in Dorset, England, welcomed several unscheduled cruise ship visits, significantly benefiting the local economy, according to a press release.

Five cruise ships made last-minute stops at Portland when they couldn’t dock at their original destinations. These included Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience, Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess, and Saga’s Spirit of Adventure.

Most recently, Plantours Kreuzfahrten’s MS Hamburg made its unplanned maiden visit to Portland, bringing 360 guests on board.

From mid-May to July, these unexpected visits brought over 8,500 passengers to the area.

Industry data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) indicates these visits contributed approximately £750,000 to the local economy.

Ian McQuade, general manager of commercial activities at Portland Port and chair of Cruise Britain, said: “It is always a pleasure to welcome cruise ships on unscheduled visits.

“This year, we’ve had five unscheduled calls out of 10 inquiries, highlighting the area’s growing popularity for cruise ship stops and providing a significant economic boost of around £750,000 for our local hospitality and tourism sectors.

“Our location, new deepwater berths which allow the largest cruise ships to dock, and our reputation for accommodating visiting vessels make the port an attractive option for both scheduled and unscheduled cruise visits.

“We extend our gratitude to our dedicated and responsive team, including our contracted shuttle bus operators and welcome team, who have enabled us to accommodate these unscheduled visits and their passengers on very short notice.”

The Queen Mary 2, initially set to visit French and Belgian ports, was redirected to Portland due to strikes in Le Havre, France.

Ian added: “Feedback indicates that the crew and passengers of the Queen Mary 2 were very pleased with their visit, which coincided with the popular Wessex Folk Festival on Weymouth harborside.

“Although this ship has visited during Covid times, this was its first transit visit and the first by a Cunard ship, marking another milestone in the development of the port’s cruise business and its support for local businesses and the supply chain.”