Giant cruise ship to dock in Swansea

A GIANT cruise ship will be docking in Swansea next month.

The 193-metre long MS Amadea, built in Japan, is arriving in the Port of Swansea on Thursday July 21, allowing 600 German passengers to spend the day in the city.

Swansea Council has worked with Cruise Wales and Associated British Ports to attract and arrange the visit.

Once in Swansea, opportunities will be made available for the German holidaymakers to visit the city centre, as well as attractions including the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea Museum and the Dylan Thomas Centre.

A tour of Gower has also been arranged as part of the on-board excursions offered to passengers.

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration, said: “This is a major boost for the local tourism industry, which is now worth more than £400 million a year to Swansea Bay’s economy.

“The cruise ship market is potentially very lucrative because of the hundreds of international holidaymakers who’ll be spending their money in Swansea’s businesses while they’re here, but this visit hasn’t come about by chance. It’s the result of a huge amount of work our tourism team has been carrying out behind the scenes with partners including Cruise Wales and Associated British Ports.

“We’re determined to make the most of this opportunity, which is why meetings with our partners are on-going as we look to generate a fantastic first impression of Swansea that will encourage return visits in future.

“More cruise ships have also been confirmed for Swansea next year as we make even more progress on raising our international profile as a top quality visitor destination.”

Elizabeth Nash, ABP South Wales Commercial Manager, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming the MS Amadea to Swansea. The Port of Swansea offers good facilities bespoke to each and every cruise and is ideally located for passengers to easily explore everything the area has to offer. ABP have been working closely with Swansea Council and Cruise Wales to prepare for the visit, and we are positive that passengers will enjoy a warm welcome to the city thanks to this partnership.”

The Saga Pearl and MS Hanseatic cruise ships will be visiting Swansea in 2017.

The 449-passenger Saga Pearl, which was refitted in Swansea dry dock in recent years, boasts seven passenger decks and weights close to 19,000 tons. The five-star MS Hanseatic, built in Finland, is 123 metres long.