By
Rebecca Gibson |
Aberdeen Harbour welcomed Noble Caledonia’s Island Sky on 21 May 2013, marking the start of a record cruise season with 12 visits expected this summer, ending with Sea Cloud II in July.
Island Sky will make three visits to Aberdeen over the course of the 2013 summer season as she tours the Scottish Islands and Scandinavia. Hurtigruten’s Fram and Oceanwide Expeditions’ Plancius will also return, while Oceanwide Expeditions’ Ortelius, an ice-strengthened cruise vessel used for polar expeditions is due to make its inaugural call in June.
Many of the cruises will be roundtrips from Granite City, while Aberdeen will become a common cruise embarkation point.
“The number of cruise calls and the fact it will be a record year for Aberdeen in 2013 is very promising,” said Colin Parker, chief executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board.
Aberdeen Harbour reported a record year in 2012, with a 13 per cent increase in annual turnover to £27.4 million and retained profits of £7.5 million, up from £2.1 million in 2011.