Cruising from Falmouth is back (From Falmouth Packet)

Cruising from Falmouth is back

10:48am Tuesday 26th January 2010 in Falmouth/Penryn

People in the south west will soon be able to cruise out of Falmouth again from December.

Cruise and Maritime Voyages will be offering five cruises from the port during 2010 and 2011 on the cruise ship Ocean Countess, the former Cunard Countess.

A&P Port Operations director Mike Reynolds, the man who has championed Falmouth’s cruise business and the capital dredging scheme for more than a decade said: “We are looking forward to working with the operators of the Ocean Countess. We expect it to be as successful as the Van Gogh on which we embarked over 50,000 passengers in 6 years.”

The inaugural cruise leaves Falmouth on December 21 when Ocean Countess sails on her “Christmas in the Canaries” cruise with calls at Vigo, Lisbon, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gomera, Funchal and Oporto.

Roger Hawke managing partner from Newell’s Travel, who was a major catalyst in bringing the Van Gogh to Falmouth said: “I am delighted that another cruise line (Cruise & Maritime Voyages) has recognised the enormous potential and advantages of using Falmouth as a departure point. Following the huge popularity of the Van Gogh cruises, I am sure they will have a real success story on their hands.

Naturally Newell's Travel will be working very closely with Cruise & Maritime Voyages to ensure that Falmouth enjoys the benefits to the local economy for many years to come".

The Van Gogh used Falmouth as a base port for six years allowing passengers in Cornwall and Devon to enjoy cruising from their front doorstep.

In January and February 2011 Ocean Countess will embark on two 29 nights Caribbean cruises making calls at the Azores, Antigua, St Maarten, St Barts, Tortola, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenadines, Barbados and Madeira.

These are followed in March by two further cruises the first on March 5 is 13 nights “Canary Islands and Madeira cruise” calling at Vigo, Lisbon, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Gomera, Funchal and Oporto.