The Outer Hebrides expects to welcome tens of thousands of cruise ship guests as more than 100 vessels are scheduled to call at Stornoway, the capital of Lewis, the largest island of the Outer Hebrides archipelago off Scotlandโs northwest coast. The Stornoway Port Authority says the season will be a boon to local economies.
2023 Cruise Season Kicks Off April 20
Stornoway, the regionโs main port on the isle of Lewis and the gateway to the remote Outer Hebrides, is gearing up for a busy cruise season that kicks off on Thursday, April 20 with the arrival of the Hurtigruten Expeditions’ MS Spitsbergen. The 180-guest ship will call at the port as part of her 11-day itinerary along the Scotland coast, and will ultimately make several Stornoway visits throughout the season.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the ships and everyone aboard over the next few months. The port is a gateway to the Outer Hebrides, offering cruise passengers the opportunity toย enjoy the unique hospitality, culture, history, mystique and many famed landmarks our islands have to offer,” said Alex MacLeod, Stornoway Port Authority CEO.
“The season will bring a significant boost for many businesses in the islands as they continue to work to recover from the challenges they have faced in recent years.”
The largest ship that will call in 2023 is MSC Cruisesโ 3,959-guest MSC Preziosa, which will make her maiden call to Stornoway on September 18.
Other notable ships for the season include Norwegian Cruise Lineโs 2,340-guest Norwegian Dawn, Silversea Cruisesโ 200-guest Silver Endeavour and 388-guest Silver Shadow, Cunardโs 2,081-guest Queen Victoria, Seabournโs 604-guest Seabourn Ovation, MSC Cruisesโ 3,605-guest MSC Poesia and Oceania Cruisesโ 1,250-guest Riviera.
The season will close following the September 28 visit of Hebridean Island Cruises’ 48-guest Hebridean Princess.
The port authority believes that the number of cruise ship calls will increase in 2024, after the opening of its $74 million Deep Water Terminal.
The facility, which is nearing completion, will be able to accommodate ships up to 1,181 feet (360 meters) in length. That capability will enable most, but not all, of the industryโs largest ships to dock. Royal Caribbeanโs Oasis-class ships, for instance, including Oasis of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, are slightly too long, at 1,186 feet and 1,188 feet, respectively.
Other Scotland Ports See Cruise Arrival Spikes
MacLeod noted that the number of calls scheduled this year at Stornoway highlights the growing popularity of the Outer Hebrides among cruise operators. The same could be said for several other Scotland ports that are expecting double-digit increases in port calls this year.
Also a west coast port, the Greenock Ocean Terminal in Clydeport expects 91 cruise ships to call in 2023, a 25% hike compared to 2022. Located in the Firth of Clyde, the port will welcome 150,000 cruisers and about 38,000 crew members, which combined will total a record number of cruise arrivals.
On Scotlandโs east coast, the ports of Edinburgh and Dundee are expecting a robust cruise season with a 50% spike in port calls in 2023. The season opened on April 11, when Viking Ocean Cruisesโ 930-guestย Viking Venusย arrived at the Newhaven anchorage near Port Leith, the port for Edinburgh.
At the Port of Aberdeen, new docking facilities at the portโs South Harbour development will enable larger ships to call starting this year. The North Sea port will see 25 cruise ship visits to the $500 million South Harbor. The season opens in late April with the arrival of AIDACruisesโ 1,266-guestย AIDAaura.
With the popularity of Scottish ports growing, eager cruisers will be glad to have more options for amazing itineraries not just this year, but in the years to come.