Dover Cruise Port Celebrate End Of Record Breaking Season

Dover Cruise Port is celebrating another successful year with a record 167 cruise calls successfully handled and over 300,000 passengers welcomed to the world famous port.

Highlights this year included first time visits from 'Disney Magic' which sailed from Dover on its five Northern European Capital cruises, HAL's Maasdam, AIDA Blu, and the MV Empress from Pullmantur. Fred Olsen and Saga retained a strong presence, continuing to utilise Dover as one of their preferred turnaround ports.

Dover Cruise Port continues to provide first-class levels of service within a safe, modern environment. A smooth and efficient embarkation and disembarkation procedure means the customer holiday experience begins as soon as they enter the Cruise Port. The Cruise Port encourage feedback from passengers and a recent summer survey revealed that 99% of customers were more than satisfied with the cruise terminal facilities and secure, quayside car parking which has been awarded the national Park Mark security status.

It is not only passengers who are happy with Dover, Cruise Masters consistently score their satisfaction with the operation at over 90%; this includes care and control of passengers, terminal facilities, pilotage and port control services, baggage handling, security and assistance from port staff.

Looking forward to 2011, the UK cruise market is enjoying unprecedented growth with Dover nurturing a growing reputation as the port of choice for luxury cruise operators offering affordable five-star holidays.

Niche operators such as Crystal, Seabourn and Oceania are catering for a renaissance in premium cruising around Northern Europe from Dover, while the world-class Holland America Line is offering five-star trips to New York cementing its commitment to homeport, Dover.

The port will be welcoming once again the extremely popular lines Aida, Ibercruceros, Pullmantur, Fred Olsen, Saga and Princess as well as greeting the Oceania Marina debuting in February 2011 and HAL's MS Ryndam, on its first visit to the UK.

Kate O'Hara, Head of Commercial & Marketing at Dover Cruise Port said: "2010 proved to be a vintage year for Dover but this is no time to take our eye off the ball we are committed to maintaining an exceptional customer experience as well as contributing to the popular growth in European cruising that is winning new converts each season. First-class facilities at the Cruise Terminals and improved transport links are also encouraging new audiences to try a cruise holiday from Dover and we look forward to welcoming them to our iconic port."