A DORSET port is set to enjoy a record breaking cruise season this year.
Portland Port will have visits from 44 cruise ships, bringing more than 60,000 passengers to Dorset and the surrounding area.
This year will also see the largest number of first-time cruise ships calling at Portland Port with 11 in total.
The first of these will be the Costa Mediterranea on April 9, which marks the first day of the port’s cruise season.
This will be followed by a visit from Spanish cruise liner Pullmantur’s Zenith on April 29 and Princess Cruises’, Crown Princess on April 30.
On July 20, Saga’s latest ship, the Spirit of Discovery, which has not even been launched yet, will be berthing at Portland Port for what will be the first time the port has been included in the inaugural itinerary of a cruise ship.
As well as the first-time ships, the port will welcome back the Phoenix Reisen, AIDA, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Holland America and family favourite, Disney Magic.
Ian McQuade, general manager for commercial at Portland Port, said: “2019 is going to be an exciting year all round for the port’s cruise business, and the visit by Spirit of Discovery on her inaugural cruise, is the icing on the cake”.
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