Balmoral arrived at the Port for its second ‘turnaround’ cruise season in May 2017, the first of Fred. Olsen’s 13 sailings direct from the Port during 2017.
She had arrived at Dover on 24 May 2017 at the end of a nine-nights Scenic Norway & Celebrations cruise and arrived at the Port of Tyne the following day, departing later in the day on a Five-Night Fjords cruise.
The Port of Tyne is one of the home ports for Balmoral, where she will dock at the Port’s purpose-built cruise berth – Northumbrian Quay in North Shields.
During Fred. Olsen’s first departure from the Tyne for 2017 – on one of the cruise line’s range of ‘signature’ five-night ‘Norwegian Fjords’ sailings – Balmoral’s 1,350 guests, in 710 rooms and suites, are expected to consume around 416 litres of ice cream, 264kg of cheese, 1,918kg of potatoes, 338 litres of milk, 471kg of beef and 7,095 portions of butter. In total, around 12 trucks will be arriving at the Port of Tyne to provide the supplies necessary for this initial cruise sailing.
In a recent Economic Impact Assessment of the Port of Tyne’s contribution from its cruise and ferry business, it was estimated that around £51 million is added to the regional Gross Value Added (GVA) due to a combination of visitor spend and supply chain logistics.
Nolan Gray, Port of Tyne Business Development Director, said: “The Port’s cruise business continues to grow with over 50 calls this year and this success is testament to how well our region is connected in terms of transport links – not just for passengers travelling from Scotland, the North West, East Midlands and further afield and to a comprehensive supply chain that cruise ships require for stores and provisions.
“It is great to see Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines return with Balmoral and we hope that the continued success of our cruise operations continues to positively impact the economy.”
During the 2017 cruise season from the Port of Tyne, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines will be offering cruises to destinations that include the Norwegian fjords, the Baltics, Spitsbergen, Spain, Russia, the German waterways and around the British Isles.
Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Services for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are very excited to be basing Balmoral at the Port of Tyne for her second cruise season from Newcastle, during May to September 2017, as it means that we are able to offer guests in the North East an even greater number of cruise departures than ever before, with a choice of 13 in total.
“Fred. Olsen has over 100 years of heritage in running passenger services from the Port of Tyne, and has been operating regular cruise calls from Newcastle since 2006. Since then, Fred. Olsen has seen bookings departing from the Port of Tyne soar, with our Norwegian fjords cruises selling out in record time.
“The Port of Tyne is ideally placed for our ever-popular Norway, Scandinavian and Baltic itineraries, and we can save up to three days’ cruising time sailing from Newcastle to Norway than from Southern ports.”
Photo by Ken Short
