Monday, December 9, 2019 - 15:42 by ce-press
In 2021, turnarounds from Le Havre will increase as a new product dedicated to the French market, Croisieres Maritimes et Voyages (C&MV), begins operations.
Jules Verne (ex Astor) will be re-named at a special overnight Gala Event in Le Havre on April 29 2021, following a 123-night world cruise leaving Marseille in January. Thereafter there will be eight departures from Le Havre between May 1 and September 11.
“CMV will operate full turnarounds (550 passengers) when other cruiselines operate partial turns/interporting,” explained Valerie Conan, director, cruise department, Le Havre Etretat Tourism. Adding: “The port has undertaken heavy works over the past years such as quays refection and the addition of scanners for hand and heavy luggage, which make the operations perfectly adapted to turnarounds.”
In terms of the destination offering, Conan explained that the Voie Verte (green way) for the safety of passenger flows “makes the link between the port and the city safer and more attractive”. In addition the revamping of the Grand Quai, right opposite the Cruise Terminal on the city side, has “dramatically changed the perception on the city for cruise passengers starting or ending a cruise in Le Havre”.
In order to promote turnarounds from Le Havre, Le Havre Tourism (Cruise Department, operator of the cruise terminals and coordinator of the Cruise Club) has been organising the Salon de la Croisiere (cruise show) for three years. The 4th edition will take place on June 5 & 6 next year. Le Havre Tourism also publishes a leaflet which promotes cruises departing from Le Havre. A page will be dedicated to CMV in the next edition.
In 2019 there were 131 calls (350 000 passengers) including 28 turnarounds (16,000).
Next year130 calls are planned and 365,000 passengers expected, of which 26 will be partial turnarounds: Princess Cruises (13), MSC Cruises (eight), Costa Cruises (four) and Cunard Line (one transatlantic crossing to New York).
