Cruise liner brings tourist boost to Falmouth
Nearly 3,000 cruise ship tourists sailed into Falmouth Harbour on board the Caribbean Princess.
The 112,000-tonne American ship carried 2,930 passengers into the popular Cornish resort for a day trip – and almost 2,000 of them made their way into the town with the rest taking coach tours to destinations in other parts of Cornwall.
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The Caribbean Princess with nearly 3,000 passengers sailed into Falmouth this week. Bigger ships could bring more high-spending tourists to Cornwall
The Port of Falmouth Development Initiative, which is behind a bid make the harbour deep enough for larger vessels, believes this week's arrival underlines the need for dredging.
Representatives from A&P Falmouth, Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, Cornwall Council, Pendennis Shipyard, Falmouth Petroleum Ltd and Cornwall Development Company all back the project.
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Mike Reynolds, port operations director at A&P Falmouth said: "It is impossible to underestimate the importance of cruise calls to the local economy."
This year, so far 34 cruises and around 24,000 passengers have stopped in Falmouth – 6,000 up on last year. Visitors from cruise ships spend more than £1.3 million a year in Cornwall.
Mr Reynolds said: "Five years ago Falmouth handled 60,000 cruise callers per annum, but as cruise liners and other vessels get bigger then the older, smaller ships that use Falmouth now are being pensioned off and Falmouth is down to 24,000 passengers this year."
He said vessels like the 340-metre-long Freedom of the Seas, with 4,000 passengers, could put nearly £500,000 into the Cornish economy in one day.
Following objections from environmentalists on the impact of dredging on Falmouth's important maerl beds – which act as habitat for sea-life – a dredging trial begins on September 17.
Comments
by D-Head
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 9:52PM
“If all these cruise ships are already bringing tourists to Falmouth, including the 112,000 tonne Caribbean Princess, one has to question why it is necessary to destroy an important marine habitat to bring in these same ships. It seems to me there's some other motive which has yet to be announced. We are all familiar with the public purse (in this case Cornish ratepayers) lining private pockets. But if big ships (and they don't come much bigger than 112,000 tonnes) are already managing, the question must be asked: Why spend our money killing off the maerl beds when the evidence suggests it is completely unnecessary?
We keep hearing that Cornwall Council needs to save money but here we have the self same people happy to throw a small fortune at the private sector for what? And wasn't this the same Cornwall Council that claimed how green it was going to be a couple of years ago? If this is evidence of Cornwall Council being 'green' then god help us.”
by youngcornwall
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 3:19PM
“Cruise liners are another string to the Cornish tourist industries bow which does not want to be missed, as bigger and better cruise liners become available Cornwall must move with the times and make the most out of what it is best at, and that is tourism. Yes you will get those who will say no no for all kinds of reasons, the same would object to whatever new was going to come to Cornwall.”
by Trecurnow
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 2:24PM
“"This year, so far 34 cruises and around 24,000 passengers have stopped in Falmouth – 6,000 up on last year. Visitors from cruise ships spend more than £1.3 million a year in Cornwall."
How many arrived by car, coach or train? 2.4million?
No need to dredge the harbour to get an extra couple of train loads of visitors in then thereby saving the hard hit council tax payers the £23 - £28million pounds Cornwall Council are offering in funding to the largest property developer in the British Isles.”
by barrtribe
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 12:40PM
“hmm shudda read the post, speeeeling mis takes are baaaaddd. :)”
by barrtribe
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 12:39PM
“I read the article a few months back re the sea life.
The sea life will recover no matter what.
The plant that is talked about. Is it more important than the people. Is it a matter of life or death if some of it is removered.
Lack of trade into our cornish towns is become the death of them.
So how about a bit of common sense.
I agree will nick.
If we are going to encourage mor tourist then we need to look at what is being supplied.
On the other hand you have to be back on board on most cruise ships way before 21.00hrs :)”
by nickthompson
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 10:25AM
“" 2,000 of them made their way into the town with the rest taking coach tours to destinations in other parts of Cornwall"
I hope they were able to buy fish and chips after 9 pm, had they been in Crowlass they would have had no chance.”