Thousands of cruise ship passengers will pass through the port again next year as Falmouth gears up to enjoy another good cruise season.

2013 will see a possible 50 cruiseship calls with a diverse range of vessels from the 290 metre long mega cruiseships Caribbean Princess and Emerald Princess down to the 50 metre long SC Panorama.

As in previous years the cruise season really kick-starts in May with the Princess Cruises ships arriving from the US on their trans-Atlantic re-positioning cruises to Europe.

Sadly, until such times as the capital dredging scheme goes ahead all of the major cruise ship companies with the exception of Princess Cruises are bye passing Falmouth again in 2013 due to the logistical problems of tendering thousands of passengers ashore. An interesting little vessel also due in May is the Serenissima, the ex Andrea and former Norwegian Hurtigruten ferry Harald Jarl.

Converted to the tune of $20 million in Sweden she began her new life of worldwide cruising. Noble Caledonia chartered her for cruises around Britain, the Baltic and Mediterranean and as far away as Antarctica.

Many regular callers are scheduled to make visits next year among them the Discovery, Braemar, Artania, Delphin, Marina, Prinsendam, Deutschland, AIDAcara, Amadea and Saga Sapphire.

The five star luxury ships Silver Whisper, Silver Cloud and Seabourn Pride make various calls throughout the season.

Thousands of German passengers will visit the town when the German operated ships Artania, Deutschland, Amadea, AIDAcara, MS Hamburg and Columbus 2 call.

Hapag Lloyd's Columbus 2 makes her inaugural call under her new name. But cruise buffs will recall she came here as the Insignia. The company's c.Columbus now renamed MS Hamburg is another vessel known in these waters. She is one of the few passenger vessels designed to transit the Great Lakes.

A major coup for the port is the arrival of The World in July for an overnight call. Such is the popularity of Falmouth and indeed Cornwall amongst the residents that they voted to return to the port for the third time.

The 43,000 ton luxury cruise ship is described within the industry as the world's first floating community at sea. Everywhere this remarkable ship goes she attracts and generates media attention. The “residents” on this ship who pay up to £4.6m for an apartment are not rich, as we would class them - they are seriously rich men and women.