1 March 2017
The Port of Tyne in North East England is riding on the crest of a wave after being named highly commended in the World of Cruising Wave Awards 2017 for Best UK Departure Port.
The Port is set to welcome a record 54 cruise calls this year and has made significant steps to improve its position as one of the best UK departure ports for cruise ships – welcoming record numbers of passengers in 2016.
Nolan Gray, Port of Tyne Business Development Director, said: “As a result of sustained marketing, new cruise calls and with more destinations that you can reach direct from the Port, cruise passenger numbers grew by 86% in 2016 to a record 89,564 on 44 cruise calls.”
Although Port of Tyne just missed out to the Port of Southampton at the Wave Awards – the judges said their final decision was so difficult that they thought the Port of Tyne worthy of an Award of High Commendation.
“We make cruising direct from the Port of Tyne an easy, hassle-free experience, passengers can expect to enjoy their holiday from the moment they arrive at the International Passenger Terminal in North Shields.
“And with more choice of destinations than ever before, people are saving time and money by choosing to cruise from the Tyne. And passengers arriving in Port can discover North East England’s world-class visitor attractions all within an hour transit time from the terminal,” added Nolan Gray.
Destinations you can reach direct from the Port of Tyne include cruises to Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Spain, Portugal and further afield offering more choice and saving hundreds of miles for passengers embarking from Scotland, the North West, Yorkshire, the North East and the East Midlands.
Port of Tyne expects to set a new record in 2017 with 40% more calls, comprising 19 transit cruises bringing tourists in to the North East and over 30 turnarounds sailing away to destinations that include Andalusia, Barcelona, German waterways, St. Petersburg, the Baltics and around Britain and Ireland.
Returning in 2017 are British operators Thomson Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Cruise & Maritime Voyages, German operated AIDA cruises, Holland and America Line and the return of Disney Magic.
New operators visiting the Port of Tyne include Norwegian Cruise Lines with Norwegian Jade and TUI cruises Mein Schiff.
The Tyne is not only an excellent choice to start or finish a cruise it can rival many European ports in terms of easy access to world-class tourist attractions all within one hour from Port.
Recently voted as the Best UK City by The Guardian, Newcastle upon Tyne, the capital of North East England, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the United Kingdom.
The North East region is home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Hadrian’s Roman Wall and the City of Durham, as well as Alnwick Castle, known as the ‘Windsor of the North’, but most recognised for its role as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
To further support the cruise marketing campaign the Port has produced a new film aimed at cruise operators, to showcase Port of Tyne’s facilities as well North East England’s great location and world-class tourist attractions – take a look at the cruise video available from the Port’s website. So with something for everyone from families, group travellers and culture vultures and suburb connectivity it’s time to discover why the Port of Tyne and North East is the perfect choice for any cruise line.
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Notes to Editors:
- Visit Port of Tyne on stand 1821 at the Cruise Britain Pavilion and don’t forget to enter our prize draw to win a hamper packed full of tempting treats from North East England
- Follow this link to download a digital version of this press pack with high resolution photos and the Port of Tyne’s cruise video
- Port of Tyne is one of the UK’s major deep-sea ports providing facilities for cruise vessels over 300m in length and up to 10m in draft at Northumbrian Quay, the Port’s purpose-built cruise berth and vessels in excess of 215m at Whitehill Point
- The Wave Awards are owned, organised and produced by Real Response Media – the owners of World of Cruising, Cruise Trade News and Cruise Ports & Destinations
- In 2016 Newcastle upon Tyne was voted the UK’s friendliest city
- Newcastle was voted third best city in Europe (second in the UK behind London) for Nightlife in TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice Awards 2010
- In 2008 North East England was named as a must-see destination by Lonely Planet
For further information please contact:
Lisa Donohoe, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 191 455 2671 Cell: +44 (0)79123 90777 E: lisa.donohoe@portoftyne.co.uk