New member and newcomer to cruise: Parnu

Parnu in south-western Estonia is the newest member to join Cruise Europe and has no restrictions to the size of ship that can lie at anchor .

The 247m-long quay in the city centre is presently able to cater to ships of up to 180m in length and 45m beam alongside due primarily to the present depth of about 6m. The turning basin caters to ships of about 240m and the canal length is 6.1km with a width of 60m.

There are plans afoot to dredge alongside the quay as well as to build a terminal and refurbish the quay and the surrounding area, according to Sander Kilk, board member Port of Parnu.

There is a second quay of 72m in length. Further afield is the anchorage which is 5nm from the city. Tenders come alongside the main pier which is minutes from the city centre. The port has its own tug on hand and is open 24/7.

The port at the mouth of the Parnu river had one cruiseship call in 1996 but since then the focus has been on cargo shipping. This has now been moved away from the city centre giving rise to the opportunity to attract cruise tourism.

As well as the excellent map showing various walking tours which can be taken independently, tours on offer include a culture tour of the city and its museums, an adventure tour in Soomaa National Park, a health tour in nearby spas and, not least, a trip to the capital Tallinn which is just 90 minutes by bus.