Increase in cruise calls as sector grows at ABP South Wales
ABP South Wales is half-way through a busy cruise season at the ports of Cardiff, Swansea, and Newport.
ABP says six vessels and over 5000 passengers will be using the port facilities and services provided by ABP South Wales between May and October 2017.
Matthew Kennerley, Director, ABP South Wales, said: “This increase in cruise calls is the result of considerable marketing activity between ABP, Cruise Wales and the respective local Councils to promote the various attractions for day visitors on cruise lines in the immediate hinterland of the South Wales ports.
“There is also significant potential to increase the number of cruise holidays that embark in South Wales in order to provide greater accessibility and ease for passengers from Wales, the South-West and the Midlands. We will continue to work with our partners to promote our three cruise ports and the wider South Wales region.”
Four of the vessels will be visiting the ports for day calls where
passengers will disembark for the day to explore South Wales. The other two vessels are visiting the ports to give local passengers the chance to start cruises to locations that include, Spain, Portugal, France, and the Isles of Scilly.
This is the first time that passengers have been given the opportunity to start their cruises at Cardiff and Newport due to the launch of new cruise lines by Cruise and Maritime (CMV).
CMV have already announced 6 further cruise calls for 2018 that will allow passengers to embark on cruises from Cardiff for destinations that include Iceland, France, and the Isles of Scilly
ABP South Wales offers bespoke quayside facilities to visiting cruise vessels and their three cruise ports, of Swansea, Cardiff, and Newport, are ideally located with quick links to the M4 motorway.
The full list of cruise ships calling at ABP South Wales in 2017 is as follows:
• Marco Polo, Cardiff, Wednesday 24th May
• Marco Polo, Cardiff, Saturday 3rd June
• Magellan, Newport, Sunday 4th June
• Silver Wind, Cardiff, Friday 9th June
• Aegan Odyssey, Cardiff, Friday 4th August (Will be visible from Cardiff Bay Barrage at approx. 7:15am and 5:00pm)
• Hanseatic, Swansea, Sunday 1st October (will be visible from Swansea beach at approx. 6:00am and 4:45pm)