Stornoway Port has completed its busiest week of the cruise season, welcoming four vessels to the Deep Water Terminal over four consecutive days and bringing an over 10,000 passengers, together with around 4,000 crew members, to the Outer Hebrides.

The week began with the arrival of Phoenix Reisen’s Artania on Monday, followed by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Balmoral on Tuesday, marking the sixth of nine scheduled Fred. Olsen calls to Stornoway this season. Cunard’s Queen Anne returned to Stornoway on Wednesday for her second visit of the season, before Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess made her maiden call on Thursday.

At 330 metres in length, Majestic Princess is one of the largest and heaviest vessels to have berthed at the Deep Water Terminal. The ship, under the command of Captain Guiseppe Castellano, brought around 3,700 passengers to the islands on its first visit.

The calls underline the capability created by Stornoway Port’s investment in the £59 million Deep Water Terminal, which allows larger vessels to berth alongside. Cruise activity makes an important contribution to the local economy, with passengers and crew supporting shops, cafés, restaurants, tour operators, transport providers and visitor attractions across Lewis.

The number of calls across a single week also required close coordination between the Port, cruise operators, harbour teams, local businesses and the wider tourism sector.

Alex Macleod, Chief Executive of Stornoway Port, said: “Welcoming more than 10,000 passengers and over 4,000 crew across four consecutive days made this an exceptionally busy week for Stornoway Port and demonstrated the capability we now have at the Deep Water Terminal.

“It was an honour to welcome Majestic Princess on her maiden call. At 330 metres long and more than 144,000 gross tonnes, she is one of the largest vessels we have accommodated and another example of the opportunities the terminal has created for Stornoway.

“The benefit of these calls extends well beyond the Port. Thousands of visitors have been spending time in the town and travelling across the region this week, supporting businesses and the wider tourism economy.

“Our investment in the Deep Water Terminal was about creating infrastructure which could bring new opportunities to the islands, and a week of activity on this scale demonstrates what that investment can deliver.”