• 5 min de lectura
• 5 min de lectura
Plymouth port leaders and destination representatives outlined infrastructure capabilities and partnership strategies during Cruise Britain's summer gathering at the city's Tinside Lido.
June 25, 2026
Plymouth used the Cruise Britain summer event to send a clear message to the industry: the city is ready for more cruise calls and is building the partnerships to support them.
Cattewater Harbour Master and CEO Richard Allan described Plymouth as "in the top three most beautiful ports" he has worked in globally. For cruise passengers arriving through Plymouth Sound, he argued, the experience starts long before they step ashore.
From anchorage, there is typically an eight-minute tender ride to the Barbican Landing Stage, a purpose-built tender pontoon with disabled access, available at all states of tide and able to accommodate up to four tenders at once. Coach parking for up to 20 vehicles is nearby and passengers step straight into the Barbican with direct access to the Mayflower Steps and wider waterfront.
An alongside berth of up to 100m offers further flexibility, while the adjacent Mayflower Pontoon provides a walk-ashore berth with disabled access that is particularly well suited to Zodiac operations and expedition deployments.
Dan Whysall, commercial manager, ABP Plymouth outlined recent investments at Millbay Docks, including a state-of-the-art Adelte seaport passenger boarding bridge with enclosed walkways, used by both Brittany Ferries and cruise calls, a strengthened West Wharf and a modernised terminal with enhanced amenities and improved check-in and processing. The facility can accommodate vessels up to around 215m LOA, with West Wharf positioned as an ideal solution for expedition vessels and turnaround calls very much "on the table."
Amanda Lumley, chief executive of Destination Plymouth, effectively conveyed the destination's messaging by positioning Plymouth as Britain's Ocean City – a South West peninsula gateway serving 260,000 residents and reaching over one million people in the wider catchment area. Located on Plymouth Sound – one of the world's largest natural harbours – the city is home to HMNB Devonport, Western Europe's largest naval base, and a dense cluster of maritime, defence, marine science and autonomy industries. Its Mayflower heritage, National Marine Park designation, access to Dartmoor and the South West Coast Path, rebuilt modernist city centre and growing food, events and cultural scene underpin a visitor economy of over five million annual visitors.
The programme also looked beyond today's deployments to the fast-evolving ultra-luxury segment. In 'A Masterclass on the World of Ultra Luxury Voyages,' Sacha Rougier, VP itinerary planning and destination experiences, Orient Express, discussed what "slow luxury" means in practice: Orient Express Corinthian, launching in July, carries around 100 passengers with close to a 2:1 crew-to-guest ratio, crafted interiors by leading designers and partnerships with multi-Michelin-starred chefs, sailing at around 12 knots with longer stays and meticulously choreographed, one-off events ashore.
From the shore excursion side, Glen Gardner, cruise manager UK & Ireland, Akorn and Adam Montgomery, head of cruise, London Moorings & Port of Tilbury, described their experiences with the luxury cruise segment – individual vehicles rather than coaches, continuous tender availability, on-pier concierge teams and a level of personalisation that can see itineraries re-written just hours before departure, underlining the need for early engagement and flexible port partners if destinations want a share of the ultra luxury segment.
The programme at Tinside Lido also showcased Plymouth's marine science and conservation community as a strategic partner for cruise. During the 'Marine Conservation in a Working World' panel, the Ocean Conservation Trust's CEO Ian McFadzen argued that cruise passengers are "a really important cohort of people who could be real ocean ambassadors," calling for hands-on citizen science and visible sponsorship of projects such as seagrass restoration off Plymouth and Drake's Island.
Willie Wilson, CEO of the Marine Biological Association, pointed to significant "data gaps" on global ocean maps and suggested cruise ships could serve as platforms for real-time monitoring, feeding into an "ocean impact score" that could be shared with passengers on board.
Cruise Britain Chair Ian McQuade used his update to place the Plymouth discussions in a wider association context. He reported that membership has enjoyed "an excellent couple of years" and that Cruise Britain's events "continue to go from strength to strength," backed up by positive feedback from a recent member review. A joint perception survey with fellow European port associations, designed to address negative media around cruise impacts, found that passengers and destinations largely welcome cruise visits and see them as a net positive, even while acknowledging potential risks. McQuade said this work is now being extended to show how economic benefits spread far beyond the port itself, using excursion data to build simple "heat maps" of passenger travel patterns across wider regions. He also underlined Cruise Britain's growing collaboration with Cruise Europe, Cruise Baltic, MedCruise, Cruise Norway and Cruise Ireland, alongside close engagement with CLIA, the UK Chamber of Shipping and UK government departments on the cruise growth plan, border processes, sustainability and skills.
McQuade also offered a welcome to Cruise Britain's newest members: Excursions Ireland, HDS Securities and Newhaven Port.
Other sessions included 'Top Tips for British Cruise & Life,' featuring Mike Deegan of the Maritime Skills Alliance and former head of fleet operations at Noble Caledonia, in conversation with Isla Haddow, UK cruise manager at Denholm Port Services, and 'Tinside Lido: Restoration of an Art Deco Icon.' 'Getting to know you' sessions also introduced service providers and ports including Portico Port Services, Forth Ports in Scotland and Newhaven on the East Sussex coast.
Fuente: sea-trade cruise
