Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
1 September 2009
17:1328374now is it me,but there seems to be less cruise ships calling at the port of dover.is this a decline of actully ships coming here or a figment of my imadgeination.or are the cruise terminal pepole making up numbers to safe gaurd there jobs.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
1 September 2009
17:3828375According to DHB:
128 in 2007 apparently.
140ish in 2008
141 expected in 2009
170 planned for 2010
So it is busier by the sounds of it
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
1 September 2009
19:0228384i thought it was increasing year on year also.
the ships are getting larger, of course, so really we should be inundated with overseas visitors.
i think that only southampton handles more cruise ships in the uk.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
1 September 2009
19:1628386i would like to no where the harbour board get those figuers from.luky enough i got the avantage point of overlooking the cruise terminal and it seemed to be less cruise ships than last.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
9 September 2009
08:1228656Hi Brian..no I think there are more cruise liners this year. I thinkso anyway. Hard to be razor sharp accurate. Over the past few weeks we have been packed out with the most magificent ships. Just yesterday we had a totally fantastic example in the shape of the MSC Orchestra. Thats the one for me if I ever get round to having a cruise.. I'll try and fetch up a picture of it in a few minutes.
Another striking one today, not quite as big as yesterday, but nevertheless very impressive looking..the Celebrity Century.
But back to the MSC Orchestra..these ships really put Dover on the map. As for the town though ..have we been able to capitalise on all the visitors!? Somebody needs to start up an action group to nobble all the coaches that wait for every ship and whisk the passengers away from us here. ( just kidding!
)
Arriving in the early morning light just outside my rear window. Its hard living here but somebody has to do it!!
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
9 September 2009
08:1628657So far this year, Jersey have had only one cruise liner stop over but the tourist board are actively trying to break into the market. Funnily enough it was a German ship and they toured the Underground Hospitals,War Tunnels and fortresses before descending on the towns bars ,cafes and restaurants. Perhaps to witness their forefathers handywork
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
9 September 2009
08:3728659im sure its debateable paulb,but with fred olsen pulling out of dover calls,it makes wonder which cruise line will be the next one to do the same.i can see the cruise terminal being redundent in the next 2 or 3 years.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
9 September 2009
11:0928668The cruise ship calls are all listed on the Port of Dover website so they are hardly a mystery. Several due in during the next few days, including three big Costas with the Costa Luminosa arriving tomorrow.
http://www.doverport.co.uk/?page=Cruises
The cruise business has been holding up well despite the recession as the predominant age group are retired and largely unaffected. Saying that, losing Fred Olsen to Southampton will be a big blow next year. Dover has done well in the past winning custom at the expense of Southampton, the premier cruise port.
Southampton had its biggest day ever the weekend before last with nine cruise ships calling with over 45,000 passengers estimated to generate £10.8 million for the city.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
9 September 2009
11:1928669thanks ed,it seems a busy 3 months if they all turn up on the dates and times published.just wondering how many will turn up next year?.with the loss of fred olson lines it makes dire reading to say the least.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
9 September 2009
11:5128672Where does it actually say that Fred Olsen are ditching Dover? Their 2010 preview brochure shows Balmoral and Braemar operating their summer cruise programme from Dover.
http://www.fredolsencruises.com/news/fred-olsen-launches-2010-preview-brochure-of-cruises-for-summer-and-autumn-2010Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
9 September 2009
18:3828685thanks ed.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
10 September 2009
07:4628692The current spate of fab visitations goes on with yet another hugh and grandly magnificent cruise liner in today..its just arrived as I write. I dont think its been here before as the name is not one that rings a bell...picture in a minute. So Dover still appears to be on the up. WE havent had that many of the Costa liners in this year but here's one to make up for the loss...what a cracker!
Ah!!...forgot to put the name..The Costa Luminosa.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
10 September 2009
13:3328704Its not all doom and gloom then
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
10 September 2009
18:5628727kieth, it could be,but lets wait and see.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
10 September 2009
19:4128735the amount of foreign visitors in town suggests that the cruise business is still booming.
not just the passengers but the crew members too.
i saw a batch of young people, in market square with their cameras on the go, all had "savers" carrier bags.
must have been crew members that had put their heads together and worked out where the bargains were in each port of call.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
10 September 2009
22:2928750Chris tells me that they get a lot of Filipino crew from the Fred Olsen ships regularly visiting the Hospice shop all the way up London Road. They tend to purchase clothes, watches and luggage.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
11 September 2009
13:0428790See Brian looking good
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
11 September 2009
17:5228803kieth,dont you belive it,live where i do you can see the decline.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
12 September 2009
11:4228844The current spate of fab ships continues today..they are all seemingly on a conveyor belt at the moment hurtling towards Dover. Another beauty today the Costa Magica...not quite as long as the Costa Luminosa showing above, ermm not quite as big, but very tall, a tower block of a ship! Super! There is also a minnow in in the shape of the Albatross.
Its hard to see how it could get much better than this. With the recession reputed to be ending it really should be picking up even more next year...so I think Brian is out on a limb with this one.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
12 September 2009
16:5828848paulb,not quite yet.far dos there has been more ariving in numbers this last week or so.in fact there has been more regler calls in the last week than all summer,not forgetting its getting towards the end of the summer season,there is allways a rush at this time of year.then it quitens down from october.the proof of the pudding will be next years figures what the harbour tells us and the actulle turn ups might be worth counting,ie,if dhb say 180 cruise ships are calling not counting every thing twice we could only end up with 60.
