Maritime traditions were been upheld at the Port of Poole as Poole Harbour Commissioners and the cruise ship Astoria exchanged plaques to commemorate the ships inaugural call to the port.
During her maiden voyage from Poole, the Astoria dropped anchor in Poole Bay for her guests to enjoy the spectacular Bournemouth Air Festival before continuing her onward journey to Honfluer and Rouen.
At 160m (525ft) the Astoria, operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages is the largest cruise ship to have visited Poole’s new cruise berth, South Quay since it opened in May this year. At 200m long and 40m wide, the new £10m deep water quay is said to be one of the largest port developments seen on the South Coast in recent years and can accommodate vessels up to 220m in length.
Jim Stewart, CEO for Poole Harbour Commissioners said “We are delighted to welcome the Astoria and her crew to Poole. Cruise & Maritime Voyages have seen a great response to the sailings from Poole and for this reason we’ll see them back at the port throughout 2019 and hopefully for many years to come.”
It has been confirmed that Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Variety Cruises and Grand Circle Line will all continue to offer sailing routes from Poole in 2019.
Poole Harbour Commissioner have also confirmed that Saga Cruises and Ponant will also be adding Poole to their itineraries. And with discussions well underway, they hope to announce other cruise companies imminently.
A spokesman for Ponant commented “Ponant have chosen Poole due to the unspoilt location and the opportunity to call where the larger cruise ships are not. There’s a huge opportunity for the guests to discover the area and beautiful landscapes surrounding the port, Poole has a lot to offer.”
Since the completion of the new cruise facilities the Port of Poole has become a member of Cruise Britain, a joint initiative between British cruise ports and service providers to raise the profile of Britain as a world-class cruise destination. As part of this alliance, later this month they will be attending Seatrade Cruise Med, the cruise industry’s leading trade event for the Mediterranean region and its adjoining seas where they will continue to fly the flag for Poole.
Jim went on to say “We’re working hard to ensure that Poole becomes a key port for cruise companies. With calls to Poole doubling for 2019, the South Quay development has enabled us to take advantage of the ever popular and rapidly expanding cruise market.”