THE Isle of Man will welcome 14 cruise liners this year with a further nine calls already booked for 2013.
The visits will provide a welcome boost to the economy, say tourism chiefs.
Of the current total, 13 vessels will be making an inaugural visit including the magnificent 68,870-ton Crystal Serenity, the largest cruise vessel ever to grace Douglas Bay.
A further distinctive caller is one of the world’s largest sail-cruisers. With five huge masts and the sails controlled by computer from the bridge of the vessel, the Wind Surf will present a distinctive sight during the two calls it is scheduled to make in 2013. This vessel accommodates 327 passengers along with 163 crew members.
The Azamara Quest, which is due to call at Douglas on July 13, 2013, currently has a unique Isle of Man connection as the Master of the vessel, Captain Carl Smith is from Peel. It is anticipated he will be on board for the Isle of Man call which could then be promoted to the cruise line’s customers as Captain Carl’s Homecoming Cruise.
Silversea Cruises has scheduled two of its vessels to incorporate the Isle of Man within itineraries this year. They are the Silver Cloud, which has been a fairly frequent caller to our shores in the past, and the Silver Explorer which is the company’s recently-acquired ‘expedition’ vessel and will be visiting the island for the first time.
Other distinctive inaugural callers in 2012 include the Seven Seas Voyager. This Berlitz Guide rated luxury/premium class vessel is also scheduled to visit Douglas again the following year. The list continues with the Thomson Spirit due to call on September 5, a vessel with a 1,250-passenger capability.
Last year, nine cruise liners were scheduled to visit the island. One didn’t make it because of bad weather.
Geoff Corkish MHK, political member for the Department of Economic Development with responsibility for tourism, said: ‘As the Isle of Man continues to feature as a popular port of call, our restaurants, cafes and local businesses will have the opportunity to offer a truly Manx warm welcome.’
Colin Kniveton, chief executive officer of the department, said: ‘Forward bookings of scheduled cruise calls in 2012 and 2013 have revealed a promising and healthy upward trend as the Isle of Man continues to prove itself to be an attractive hub for cruise visitors. It is certainly a confidence boost for the island’s economy that so many cruise operators are considering the Isle of Man and we will continue to attract new visitors to help raise our profile as a successful cruise destination.’