5.5.2010

Only slightly fewer cruise ships will be visiting the Baltic Sea than last year. Altogether 256 international cruise ships are expected to call on Helsinki, carrying with them approximately 350,000 cruise passengers. Last summer 263 cruise ships visited Helsinki. The slightly lower number of cruise ships will not have as big an impact on the numbers of cruise passengers due to the larger size of the cruise ships.

The cruise season begins on 6 May, with cruise ships calling on Helsinki almost every day until the end of the season on 27 September. The Disney Magic cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line will visit Helsinki for the first time ever on 20 June, and Mickey Mouse himself is expected to pay a visit to the Market Square.

Three GLBT cruises will also arrive in Helsinki this summer: Celebrity’s Eclipse Pied Piper Travel on 21 June, Norwegian Sun NCL / Aquafest on 18 July, and Eurodam Atlantis Events on 3 August. The first of these cruise ships will bring around 2800 cruise passengers to Helsinki and the two other cruise ships around 2000 each.

Cruise passengers will be offered Tourist Information services right at the Hernesaari cruise terminal, and Helsinki Helpers will greet them as they disembark from their coaches in the city centre. In addition, the Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau has published a ”Welcome to Helsinki” brochure especially for cruise passengers.

Baltic Sea third most popular cruise destination in the world

The Cruise Baltic project, which concludes this October, currently includes 27 cities in 10 countries around the Baltic Sea. The project has received numerous awards and successfully created a strong image for the Baltic Sea as a cruise destination. The popularity of the region has increased throughout the project, and the Baltic Sea is now the third most popular cruise destination in the world after the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Helsinki will continue to be active in the international joint marketing activities of Cruise Baltic and in developing environmental practices and services at cruise harbours by joining the Cruise Baltic Association, which takes over in November. The responsible parties within the City of Helsinki are the Tourist & Convention Bureau for marketing activities and tourism services and the Port of Helsinki for harbour services and environmental issues.

source: Helsinki City Economic Development Division - Tourist & Convention Bureau