FOUR CRUISES FOR MILFORD’S FIRST YEAR

Up to 1,700 cruise passengers will be passing through Milford Haven this season as the port continues to develop its reputation as a gateway to Pembrokeshire for visitors from around the world.

Four luxury ships will be putting into the port between May and August in what is effectively only Milford Haven’s first full year of operation of a cruise port.

Ted Sangster, Milford Haven Port Authority general manager, said their commitment to developing the port as a cruise destination was beginning to pay off.

“We made a strategic decision a little while ago to capitalise on the benefits that we as a port can bring to cruise operators,” he said.

“We have in the Haven very high quality berthing facilities and services in a beautiful disembarkation location which puts visitors into the heart of Pembrokeshire - one of Britain’s most beautiful counties.

“These are assets we want to capitalise on to create further economic opportunities for this region, and we are delighted that our efforts over the past year or so to attract cruise operators here are now beginning to pay off.”

The vessels which will call at Milford Haven are the Polar Star, which is bringing 100 passengers through Pembroke Port in May for a day tour of Pembroke Castle and the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Discovery also visits in May, with some 500 passengers on a round-the-UK cruise, anchoring off Milford Dock and tendering passengers ashore for onward visits to Skomer and other of the Pembrokeshire islands, undertake walks on the coastal path and for some to explore the town and visit nearby historic sites .

In June, Black Prince, on charter to the National Trust of Scotland, will call at Pembroke Port with some 500 people and on a cruise around gardens of Britain to visit the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Aberglasney Gardens and the National Trust garden at Colby, near Saundersfoot.

And in August, Astor, with 600 passengers, will be anchoring in the Haven and tendering its passengers into Milford Dock to join coaches taking on a variety of trips including St Davids, Solva and other destinations. There will also be opportunities for passengers and crew to walk round the docks, visit the museum and also the town.