12
March 2013: More passengers than ever before
are visiting Great Britain through the country’s 52 cruise ports.
Figures released today by CruiseBritain show that in 2012 more than
100 ships visited the UK. And these ships brought a record
723,000 passengers on day calls, a rise of 11 per cent.
2012
also saw 962,000 passengers begin their cruise at a UK port, a 10 per
cent increase on 2011, with 84 per cent of passengers being British.
47
different cruise lines tied up in a UK port in 2012 with passengers
taking day trips to a variety of destinations across the country.
Britain’s island geography makes Round Britain cruises an unusual
and unique itinerary option and allows visitors to explore coasts,
castles, cities and countryside in one easy visit. Plus, Britain’s
geographical proximity to complementary countries offers additional
choice for a wide range of lines and ships. From expedition cruises
to boutique ships, British-focussed to German, North American, French
and Spanish-focussed lines, Britain is growing in appeal.
‘The
growth in both cruise ship visits and passenger numbers is a
continued testament to Britain’s value as a cruise destination’
commented Kate O’Hara, Chair CruiseBritain. ‘Since 2004, we
have seen the number of visiting passengers more than double and the
number of different cruise ships calling has gone from 76 to 105, a
rise of 38 per cent. The uniqueness of Round Britain cruises
together with our diverse regional history, heritage, culture and
scenery ensure our continued success. Britain’s destinations
deliver an excellent passenger experience and we all work towards
delivering a smooth operation for the cruise lines,’ added O’Hara.
CruiseBritain
and member ports and service providers can be found at stands 730 and
731 at this week’s Cruise Shipping Miami.
