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Port of Tyne expects record calling year

The number of cruise ships scheduled to arrive and depart from Port of Tyne is anticipated to reach record numbers during 2016, as major new cruise lines including Disney are set to call for the first time.

42 cruise ships will be calling at the the port’s International Passenger Terminal this year, in an almost even balance of turnaround cruises, starting or finishing from the Port and transit cruises, visiting the region’s iconic attractions for shore excursions.

In another first for the Port, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines flag ship Balmoral will be calling Port of Tyne its home with 12 cruise calls. Cruise & Maritime Voyages will be offering 10 sailings from the Port.

Returning to the Port is Saga Cruises with the first call of Saga Pearl II and another British operator making a welcome return is Swan Hellenic with Minerva.

New for 2016 is German operated FTI Cruises making an inaugural call with their ship Berlin and the exciting first calls of Disney Magic, AIDA Vita and Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam and the yet to be launched Koningsdam.

Other cruise lines heading to the Tyne include Oceania Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Regent Seven Seas and Crystal Cruises.

Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Port of Tyne is the closest UK Port to the Baltics, the Fjords and Russia and offers easy access to the Canary Islands, The Azores, Portugal, Morocco and Spain.

“The Tyne is not only an excellent choice to start or finish a cruise but it can rival many European ports in terms of easy access to world-class tourist attractions all within one hour from Port. We hope many people will take advantage of this and spend a day or two in the region before they set off on their cruise.”

Nolan Gray, Port of Tyne Business Development Director, said: “With 17 years of cruise expertise, diverse destinations to choose from and an award-winning passenger terminal it’s easy to see why cruise operators like Disney Cruise Line are including the Port of Tyne in their first ever UK itineraries and why bookings direct from the Port are on the up.

“The International Passenger Terminal is well equipped to handle a wide variety of cruise calls and the recent decision by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines to move their flagship Balmoral to the Port of Tyne as its home port for 2016/17 provides further flexibility for travellers wanting to start their cruise holiday from their local port.”