1 9 7 Hardangerfjord, Norway For years, Hardangerfjord, the ‘Queen of Norwegian Fjords’, has welcomed more than 100 cruise ships at the ports of Eidfjord, Ulvik and Rosendal in Norway. Many suppliers to the cruise industry, some of them family companies and young entrepreneurs, suddenly lost their business in 2020 due to the pandemic. Now, finally, they are looking forward to a brighter future. This year Hardangerfjord is expecting close to 150 ships to call with a total of around 250,000 passengers. The small villages along the fjord, which have less than 1,000 inhabitants, plan to create new attractions and activities to entertain these passengers. Port of Turku, Finland Port of Turku, 170 kilometres east of Helsinki in Finland, was typically a quiet port pre-pandemic but is gearing up to welcome cruise passengers in the foreseeable future with a range of excursions organised for both onshore and offshore exploration. “Except for the regular daily liner traffic, Turku has been a quiet cruise port before the pandemic, but now we hope cruise ships will find their ways to small destinations like us,” says Annika Schulman, executive assistant at Port of Turku. “We are slightly off the beaten path but have so much to cruise passengers and can do so in safe surroundings.” Port of Turku gives each cruise ship the best possible service by arranging an authentic welcome ceremony on the pier. Safe travel, enjoyable sightseeing such as the archipelago from ship’s own zodiacs or tender boats, and travelling in bubbles are possible in Turku, which contribute towards the growing interest of the city. Tura Turizm, Turkey The variety of offerings available at ports in Turkey make them ideal destinations on Eastern Mediterranean cruise itineraries. However, Turkey has seen a decline in cruise calls since 2016 due to domestic turmoil and its unstable political situation, meaning that the pause in cruise operations at many ports began just before the pandemic. In 2022, cruise operators will be able to schedule calls at Turkey’s 17 established ports, as well as the new Galataport Istanbul in Turkey’s capital city, which is designed with a unique hatch system connected to an underground terminal, creating a temporary customs area while a ship is in port. Through the use of its hatch system, Galataport converts Istanbul’s historic port into a unique promenade and leaves the coastline free after a ship departs from the port. In total, four million guests are expected to visit the country during almost 1,000 cruise calls across all Turkish ports, beginning in April 2022. Due to Turkey’s varied ports, cruise lines are able to cater to the needs and interests of a wide range of guests. Photo: Unsplash_Patrick@patuphotos
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