MILFORD HAVEN WELCOMES FIRST CRUISE OF THE SEASON

A leading German cruise ship carrying six hundred passengers and crew is due to arrive in Milford Haven next week – the first of four vessels which will be visiting Pembrokeshire this season.

The arrival of Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa on July 3 will come at a busy time for the Haven, which will have just seen the end of the Seafair Haven, complete with the visit of the replica Irish famine ship Dunbrody, and Pembrokeshire Fish Week.

Europa, with its 300 passengers and a similar number of crew, was the highest-scoring vessel in this year’s Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships, regarded as a bible in the cruise industry, and has already booked a return call for 2007.

Milford Haven Port Authority has had an ongoing drive for several years to attract cruise ships to the Haven to help put Pembrokeshire on the map and bring more visitors in to benefit the local economy.

In total, four cruise ships are due into the Haven this summer, bringing over 2,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members from the USA and Canada as well as Germany. The Authority works with partners including Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Tourism Association to encourage them to come ashore and spend money in the local economy.

Passengers from Europa are expected to come ashore on one morning tour and two afternoon tours, as well as individuals and crew who will disembark to explore on their own.

Port Authority chief executive Ted Sangster said the visitors would be very welcome in Milford Haven and on their trips further afield into Pembrokeshire.

“It’s always a pleasure to welcome new visitors,” he said. “The Port Authority has worked with its partners in recent years to market the Haven as a port of call for European cruises, and it’s gratifying to see the results each year.”