Location, tradition, facilities, service – all of these are listed
by cruise lines as major factors in choosing to call at
Southampton.
the Port of southampton is the undisputed cruise capital of
the UK and northern europe, handling just over 400 cruise calls
in 2012, carrying about 1.5 million passengers. this year (2013),
the port is expecting around 430 cruise calls, and passenger
numbers are forecast to increase again. Passenger numbers in
2012 were three times the number just eight years previously.
“Cruise is strong and it offers great value for money,” said ABP
Port Director, Doug Morrison. “More and more sectors of
society are now cruising, from traditional cruise passengers
through to families, and cruising ex-UK is very attractive
compared to the hassle of airports.”
When P&o Cruises marked its 175th anniversary by bringing
all seven ships in its fleet into southampton, this was a very vivid
illustration of southampton’s strength in the cruise market.
After steady investment and expansion over recent years,
southampton now has four dedicated cruise facilities – the
ocean, Mayflower, Queen elizabeth II and City cruise terminals.
the ocean terminal is the latest, is and the port’s first
purpose-built facility for southampton’s booming cruise
CRUIse
IS FOR CRUISING
Southampton – the cruise capital of the UK and Northern Europe – handles more than 400 cruise ships and
some 1.5 million passengers a year, carried away on magical voyages by the industry’s world leaders such as
Cunard, P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, MSC, Fred. Olsen and Saga. But the magic is woven
even before a ship sails, by the professionalism of a port with four dedicated cruise terminals, a plethora of
excellent support services and an army of dedicated manpower that readily explain Southampton’s
pre-eminence in the world of cruising.
Jewel in the crown
of global cruise circuit
Port of southampton 2013/2014
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