Invergordon’s season drew to a close with the arrival of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ 28,388gt Boudicca (ex Royal Viking Sky) in early October bringing call numbers to the Scottish port to a record 53.
This is a 15% increase on last year’s 46 with the number of passengers increasing by 29% from 48,788 to 63,008 this year. Tonnage is up by 25% to 2.34m gt. Crew visiting the port numbered 20,000.
Cruiseships contribute in excess of £7m (E8m) to the Highland economy each year, says Capt Iain Dunderdale, cruise development manager for Cruise Highlands, the Cromarty Firth Port Authority joint venture cruise marketing arm.
The largest cruiseship to call Invergordon this year was 113,561gt Crown Princess which visited four times carrying up to 3,220 passengers each time. Meanwhile 44 year old Mona Lisa made her final call at the port on August 4, being withdrawn from international service on October 1.
Bookings for 2011 number 50 calls with an expected 14% increase in tonnage and 20% rise in passenger numbers.
