Port infrastructure plans include a new cruise pier that is currently under review with the municipality undertaking tests for grey water facilities and shore power.
Alta cruise calls on the up
Alta Port has 26 cruise calls booked for 2019 bringing 32,000 visitors. This is an increase from 25 cruise calls and 34,000 passengers last year.
A record breaking 35 cruise ship are booked for 2020, 18 of which will visit in the winter season, due to the popularity of Northern Lights tours.
During the Alta stop participants visited the Polar Park Arctic Wildlife Centre in Bonesveien viewing bears, lynx, moose, red deer, reindeer, wolf, muskox and the illusive wolverine. An up close view of feeding the bears and howling with the wolves experience are available to visitors. From there the fam travelled to Gratangen for a dogsledding experience and shaman ceremony.
Narvik inside the Arctic Circle
The next tour stop was Narvik, located inside the Arctic Circle. A new pier, able to accommodate cruise ships of all sizes, is due to be inaugurated on October 15. Facilities for shore power will be available in the future and there will be a possibility for LNG supply.
AIDA already calls in Narvik with eight visits a year across the winter and summer seasons.
Silversea called Narvik in the summer once this year but there are plans for more calls in the future.
The port only accepts once cruise call per day due to infrastructure limitations, except for the exception of smaller expedition vessels where two are permitted a day.
The new berth can accommodate up to 20 buses for passengers and is about 300mtr from the city centre.
A new cable car was recently built and opened in February.
Other attractions include the War Museum tracking Northern Norway’s war history and Oftbanen railway from Narvik to Riksgransen on the Swedish border, which are all bookable as shore experiences for cruise passengers.
Next stop is Bodo.
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