Service will be run by Blue Funnel and take cruise guests to the tourist sites in Gunwharf Quays
By
Rebecca Gibson |
The UK’s Portsmouth International Port has teamed up with Blue Funnel to introduce a new free boat service to take visiting cruise passengers from the port straight to Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth’s shopping district.
Run by Blue Funnel, the new boat tour will take cruise passengers past famous historic ships in Royal Navy Dockyard and past the Emirates Spinnaker Tower, before they disembark at Gunwharf Quays to enjoy outlet shopping, dining and entertainment. Passengers can also take a short walk past Gunwharf’s refurbished naval buildings to the Historic Dockyard and Old Portsmouth, as well as museums and other landmarks.
“We know that our historic maritime city makes for a fantastic port of call visit, with incredible attractions and easy access for cruise ships from the English Channel,” said Mike Sellers, port director at Portsmouth International Port. “We want our guests to experience our world famous landmarks and sights as soon as they arrive, and believe our bespoke boat service offers cruise operators yet another attractive reason for including the Great Waterfront City in their holiday schedules. This is a complimentary service and we’d be happy to discuss with cruise operators how this can work for their schedules.”
Blue Funnel will start the service on 29 September, when Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Star makes her inaugural visit berths at Portsmouth International Port. All tourist calls in 2018 will benefit from the boat trip.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Portsmouth International Port to deliver a unique experience to our cruise visitors,” said Colin Wilding, general manager at Gunwharf Quays.