Helsingor/Elsinore reopens for cruiseships in May 2011 following a rebulding of the port. The new ISPS-approved King’s Quay can accommodate vessels of up to 150m in length and with a draught of 6.5m.
Tenders from vessels on the 20m-deep sheltered anchorage 0.3nm from the breakwater will be accommodated at the new 15m-long, 4.5m wide floating pier at the quay which takes two tenders simultaneously. Bus parking is available just 10m away.
This year the Danish port is awaiting five calls, two from Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2 on anchorage, two from Silversea Cruises’ Prince Albert II and one from Swan Hellenic’s Minerva on the King's Quay. This compares with one call in 2010 (2,600 passengers) and two in 2009 (800 passengers).
Benny Carlsen, port manager Elsinore, says that he hopes that bricklaying at the King’s Quay will be finished by August 11 when QM2 makes her second call. He comments that due to the building works “we can probably not handle more cruise ships in 2011 but 2012 is fully open and we hope to surpass our arrival figures for 2011.”
The quay is 150m from Elsinore (Shakespeare’s spelling of Helsingor) town centre and close to the Unesco World Heritage site of Kronborg Castle, the setting of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The converted buildings of the former shipyard form the Culture Yard and in 2013 a maritime museum is due to open in the old drydock. Copenhagen is 45km to the south (50 minutes by train).
