Tuesday, April 30, 2019 - 08:30 by ce-press
The fact that FTI’s Berlin (pictured) is returning to the seaside resort of Scheveningen close to The Hague this year after its first call last year is a fantastic start for the Dutch port’s entry into the cruise business. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Nature is also due to call this year.
Situated midway between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the 160m quay restricts the size of ships that can visit. Casper van der Feltz, Director Seaport The Hague-Scheveningen, explained: “We are getting the smaller, more luxury expensive ships to come to The Hague instead of the big harbours around us. Our harbour It is a real hidden gem. The harbour and tourism office work close together so we can organise, for example cycles for rent.
“We can also do tailormade programmes with the cruiselines, for example private dining in a museum after closing time. Our port has direct, deepwater access to the North Sea, which allows for a swift entrance to and exit from the port. The quay is 10 minutes from the historic city centre, next to about 11km of beach and 50 km from Amsterdam.
“It offers various tourist attractions, such as Panorama Mesdag, a 360-degree painting near the beach, the Mauritshuis where Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring resides and the Kings palace. Hence passengers can easily visit nearby tourist attractions near the boulevard and in the centre. The Hague is a also a Royal city at the sea, which ensures a warm welcome for cruiseships, one of the reasons why FTI chooses to return to Scheveningen”.
