Largest cruise ship of season set to visit island tomorrow

The Virtuosa is the largest cruise ship due to visit the island this summer. It will arrive outside St Peter Port at about 7am from Southampton and spend 12 hours in local waters before sailing back to the UK. As in previous years, some parking will be suspended when there are visiting ships.

Due to the size of the Virtuosa, the Albert Pier will be closed to parking on Saturday, but disabled parking spaces will still be accessible.

Some additional public parking is being made available at Castle Emplacement.

The cruise ship season started at Easter and is the first one since the pandemic started two years ago. The visits are important for the local economy.

Guernsey Retail Group chairman Jonathan Creasey said shops were delighted to see cruise ships return.

‘Like many other industries, the last couple of years have been really challenging for the retail sector and this will come as a welcome relief for many who have been struggling,’ he said.

‘We remain hopeful that this is the start of a return to a pre-pandemic way of life, while remaining responsible and vigilant about keeping our staff and customers safe.’

Ahead of the return of cruise ships this year, the States worked alongside its partners in the tourism industry to ensure all appropriate health and safety measures are in place.

Cruise ships will be requesting proof of a negative test result 24-48 hours before boarding for those who are fully vaccinated. Non-vaccinated guests will be required to test at the terminal.

To reduce the risk to the island community, cruise ship guests are strongly recommended to do a lateral flow test before coming ashore and to come ashore only if they feel well.

Guernsey Tourism Partnership founding member and Island Coachways managing director Hannah Beacom said that for many businesses that rely on the visitor market, the return of the cruise liners was a lifeline.

‘To be able to welcome holidaymakers safely back to the islands, restriction-free, feels like a real step in the right direction for those who need the tourist sector to survive,’ she said.

‘It’s so important that we take what we have learnt from the past few years and build on it to strengthen our offering for the future. Covid has resulted in significant changes to almost all aspects of our lives, including how we socialise, work and holiday.’

More than 90 cruise liner visits are scheduled between now and October.