The opening cruise call of the 2026 season at Lerwick (Scotland) has been cancelled after adverse weather conditions forced the withdrawal of the scheduled visit by the cruise ship Viking Neptune.
The vessel had been due to arrive in the Shetland port on Monday morning, March 23rd, to mark the start of the year’s cruise programme. Port officials confirmed that the call would no longer take place, delaying the beginning of the season.
The 229-metre cruise ship, built in 2022 and capable of carrying around 930 passengers, had been expected to arrive from Bergen. The ship is now anticipated to return to Lerwick later in April as part of its scheduled itinerary.
Despite the cancellation, Lerwick Harbour is preparing for a busy cruise season, with close to 150 vessel calls planned throughout the year. Several of these will be maiden visits, including a scheduled call by the cruise ship Sky Princess, one of the largest vessels expected to visit the port during the season.
The programme is expected to continue until mid-November, when the expedition vessel Le Commandant Charcot is scheduled to make its first visit to the port.
In parallel with preparations for the cruise season, Shetland Islands Council has initiated a study aimed at assessing the economic contribution of cruise tourism to the local economy. Officials indicated that the research would examine both the economic and social effects of cruise activity on local communities and services, while also identifying constraints, infrastructure requirements and future opportunities for the sector.
Council representatives noted that the findings of the socio-economic assessment were expected to assist in identifying areas where investment may be required, including potential infrastructure improvements, and could support future funding applications and business development initiatives.
The study has been commissioned to consultancy firm McGregor Solutions, with the final report expected later in the year. The contract value for the work has been set at just under GBP 25,000.