2023 will see Portsmouth Port UK (England) host more maiden calls/welcome back cruise companies, as it continues to strengthen its place as the first choice for expedition and luxury cruise brands.
The initial release of the port's 2023 schedule will see many passengers begin their voyages in the city, or alternatively stop in the Port to experience the range of world-class attractions.
It all started on January 5th with an epic 78-day voyage on Fred Olsen’s ship MS Balmoral. The once-in-a-lifetime journey (themed as "Exploration of South America and the Antarctic") gives passengers a rare chance to capture the icy landscapes of the Antarctic Peninsula in February. Scenic cruising highlights feature the Patagonian Fjords in Chile, a Panama Canal transit, and South America's Cape Horn. Overnight in-port stays are scheduled for Callao-Lima (Peru), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
The schedule features multiple calls from Saga Cruises UK, as the British company starts using Portsmouth as a seasonal homeport. Saga's Spirit of Adventure is scheduled to make numerous visits to the city after her naming ceremony in 2021, along with the sistership Spirit of Discovery.
Passengers will be able to explore exciting global destinations, including the Caribbean, South America, and New England. There are also voyages to the Mediterranean and Ireland for guests looking to stay closer to home.
The schedule features maiden visits for a range of lines and ships, such as TUI’s Mein Schiff 3, which at 293 metres will break the record for the largest ship at the port. The ship will call at the port on May 26th, July 8th, and August 1st.
Another maiden call is expected from Viking OCEAN's latest ship Viking Neptune - the first to be equipped with a hydrogen fuel system for onboard power. The innovation fits with the cruise port’s ambition to become carbon-neutral by 2030, as well as emission-free by 2050.
The port is building a carbon-neutral extension to its terminal building, after receiving GBP 11.25 million in funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It will be ready for a grand opening in the summer of 2023.
Due to an increase in cruise ships visiting the port, the transformation is necessary in order to create capacity to manage an anticipated additional ~250,000 passengers per year, in addition to the current 2 million. It will create 2500+ jobs nationally, including 550 in the port city.
Each cruise ship call is expected to generate up to GBP 1.5 million through port charges/passenger & crew spend on local goods/services like hotels and attractions, as well as supplies to the ship.