Plymouth’s growing cruise business has seen bookings double, bringing in an extra £1.5million spend to the city this year.
That’s the figure gathered from the thousands of passengers and crew from the flotilla of ships visiting Britain’s Ocean City.
Industry data claims that on average each cruise visitor spends around £90, however, Plymouth and the surrounding economy also benefit further financially from additional income including port and pilotage fees and the spin-off spend associated with excursions.
Destination Plymouth Chief Executive Amanda Lumley says:
“This is a fantastic boost to the local economy and it is growing by the year. We’re delighted to see so many passengers and crew enjoying our city and spending on everything from visiting the attractions and taking tours, to the gift shops and other retail outlets, cafes and restaurants.”
Post-pandemic the city welcomed seven cruise ship visits in 2022 and this year bookings doubled to 14, equating to a potential 10,500 passengers and more than 5,000 crew. The ships range from smaller vessels with a capacity of fewer than 300 passengers to those carrying upwards of 1,500. Plymouth’s Cruise partnership of AB Ports, Cattewater Harbour, the City Centre and Waterfront Business Improvement districts and the City council along with a brilliant team of volunteer cruise Ambassadors all work together to attract and create a world class welcome experience to the city for all the visiting cruise guests.
Glen Gardner, Cruise New Business Development Manager, Destination Plymouth says:
“There are cruise ships from German, British, American and French cruise operators with brands representing the premium, luxury, and expedition markets.“
Ten of these cruise ships are first time visitors to Plymouth and, during such inaugural visits, it’s a long maritime tradition to exchange plaques between the Master of the vessel and the Port's Harbour Master or local representative, so a plentiful supply of plaques is needed for this year.”
Next year looks just as busy with ten vessels already confirmed and a further four pending.
One of the businesses to benefit from the visits is Plymouth Gin which provides samples to tourists during the welcome celebrations. The company’s Brand Home Manager Harriet Dailey says:
“The growth in the number of cruise visits Plymouth is receiving has had a positive effect on our business and the city as a whole.
“There is always a really nice buzz in the air on the days a ship is in. We have such a lovely city with great things to offer and I think arriving at The Barbican, with the mixture of shops and restaurants, is a fantastic first impression. We often give out samples of our products to welcome the guests as they arrive and do benefit from them visiting for tours and to buy souvenirs.”
Plymouth’s unique appeal as a cruise destination is confirmed by Silversea Cruises’ Manager Destination Experiences Susanna Carpaccio who says:
“The city is really well received with its distillery, museums, local shops and tours in the countryside and maritime history. The majority of passengers – 70% – are Americans interested in the Mayflower connection. Plymouth is a beautiful location.”