By
Alice Chambers |
Portsmouth International Port is to hostmaiden calls from new cruise lines and ships, as well as an inaugural season for Virgin Voyages, during its 2022 cruise season.
Set to begin on 19 February, the current schedule includes maiden visits for cruise lines such as AIDA Cruises, Poseidon Expeditions, Oceania Cruises, Seabourn and Mystic Cruises. It will be updated as the year progresses.
The port will also host an inaugural spring cruise season for Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady and maiden calls from Viking Cruises’ Viking Mars and Swan Hellenic’s SH Vega. Regular visitors Noble Caledonia, Phoenix Reisen, Fred. Olsen Cruise Line, Nicko Cruises, Voyages to Antiquity, Lindblad Expeditions and Sea Cloud Cruises, will also continue to call at the port.
“We can't wait to get started with the 2022 cruise season, as we begin to return to normality following the challenges the pandemic has brought to the entire travel industry,” said Andrew Williamson, passenger operations manager at Portsmouth International Port. “The team at the port has been working very hard behind the scenes to show the cruise industry what we and the city have to offer, and they like what they have seen, leading to a bumper number of maiden calls. With such an exciting range of luxury, boutique and expedition vessels visiting Portsmouth this year, we think this is the start of something special here at the port.”
The port will begin a project to extend its terminal to accommodate the anticipated increase in cruise passengers in February 2022, having been awarded £11.25 million ($15.35 million) in funding from the UK’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The expanded terminal is scheduled to be complete by spring 2023.
“Portsmouth International Port is a vital economic driver for the city, which also makes a valuable contribution towards essential council services,” said Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, leader of the Portsmouth City Council. “As a city we've invested in the port, extending the cruise berth and supporting them with their development plans. The terminal extension will mean that not only do we have some of the best facilities around for cruise passengers, but that our existing ferry customers also have the room to grow.
“Combined with ambitious plans for shore power and to be the UK's first zero-emission port by 2050, Portsmouth International Port continually strives for ambitious, sustainable development in the coming years.”