UK's Portland Port welcomes Zenith and Crown Princess inaugural calls

Another new visitor today saw 3,080-passenger Crown Princess make an inaugural call. It is also the first Princess Cruises ship to visit Portland. Sea Princess and Pacific Princess will also make inaugural calls later in the season, whilst Crown Princess returns on September 24.

Portland Port is expecting another record-breaking cruise season, a pattern repeated often in the last 10 years with numbers increasing from four calls in 2008 to the 44 that are expected this year.

Multilingual welcome team

Visiting nationalities to Portland Port regularly include Germans with increasing numbers of Swiss, Italians and Spaniards this year. To greet international guests Portland Port has stationed a multilingual Welcome Team on the quayside, offering maps and local knowledge.

Ian McQuade, general manager commercial for the port said, ‘We recognise the importance of giving a warm welcome in the appropriate language to our cruise visitors and our multi-lingual Welcome Team really help us deliver on this’.

Weymouth shuttle bus and Portland Castle shorex

The port ran a complimentary shuttle bus service into Weymouth with optional shore excursions to Portland Castle, and access to local transport around the island.

Prior to the vessel’s departure passengers were treated to entertainment from Weymouth Concert Brass Band followed by a customary three shot salute by Nothe Fort Artillery Volunteers on disembarkation.