Cruise ship tourists enjoy Weymouth, much to traders delight

The American cruise ship Regal Princess docked at Portland Port at 7am on Wednesday for a long day, departing at 7pm.

The cruise ship, which carries 3,560 passengers, is a regular visitor to Dorset with many of those aboard choosing to disembark and enjoy the town, despite the rain.

Mary Edgar and her mother Lydia McKenzie from California are on a family trip with 25 members of their family. They had meant to take a trip to Stonehenge, but couldn't due to a booking error, so instead decided to visit the town.

Lydia said: "Best mistake my husband has ever made. I enjoyed shopping and having tea, better than Stonehenge."

Mary said: "We wondered what we were going to do but then we saw Weymouth. The quintessential little seaside town that we were looking for."

Mary Edgar and her mother Lydia McKenzie from California (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Wayne Waddell from Canada said: "Marvellous, beautiful, I would come back."

Wayne Waddell (right) and his group enjoyed fish and chips in the town (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Glenn and Kim McLendon from just outside Nashville in Tennessee said: "It is a great little town. We rented some electric bikes and went up to the Isle of Portland."

Glenn and Kim McLendon from Tennessee rented bikes and cycled all the way to Portland (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Debbie Vancouver, from Oregon, visited with Barbara Zimmerman from Alaska. Debbie said: "It is quaint, it is friendly it is compact. We have hit up three thrift shops and had a blast."

Barbara said: "I like being by the seaside. It is a delightful town, thank you for sharing it with us."

Barbara Zimmerman and Debbie Vancouver (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

For traders in Weymouth like Ian Lambert, the owner of Artisan Island on St Mary Street which opened around 10 weeks ago, the difference a cruise ship can make is very noticeable. He said: "This is the best Monday we have had since we have been here and I think the cruise ship made a big difference in that regard.

"With the cruise ship coming on Wednesday, it will likely be a nice day as well."

In 2023 between the end of August and September, the port welcomed 18 cruise ships, which it says brought in £3.6m to the economy in a 'Super September' boom.

Ian Lambert, the owner of Artisan Island (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Newly promoted manager of the Fantastic Sausage Factory, also on St Mary Street, Harvey Watson, enjoys seeing cruise ship tourists in the town. He said: "It is very positive. The cruises are very good for business, especially in this town.

"I can't speak for all the shops, but it definitely makes a difference here, and it makes the town busier."

Harvey Watson, manager of the Fantastic Sausage Factory (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

The Marlboro Fish and Chips restaurant, on St Thomas Street, has a sign outside directly appealing to people off the cruise ships passing by. Manager Jason Hoskins said: "It can depend on the nationality but Americans like today we can have quite a few come in. They love the traditional fish and chips and are all really friendly.

"Today I would say over half our earnings have been from the cruise ship. If we see there is a big one coming we staff for them."

The Marlboro staff Summer Shuttleworth and Manager Jason Hoskins (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

This year, the port is set to welcome 110,000 passengers after its ‘record-breaking’ season in 2023. 

However, this hasn't been without some controversy. The shuttle bus service operated by Portland Port has come under heavy fire in the last year from residents due to the use of Spring Road, Rodwell Avenue, Newton's Road and the mini-roundabout for ferrying passengers to cruise ships.

In a bid to allay these concerns, Portland Port issued a statement earlier this year announcing it had offered a ‘financial contribution’ to Dorset Council to make ‘highways improvements’ at the Spring Road drop-off point, including to the mini roundabout.

Passengers are still being dropped at Newton's Road so far this year (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

The port welcomed its first cruise ship of the 2024 season when the AIDAsol arrived with more than 2,000 passengers on board, yesterday, Monday, February 19.

The next ship arriving at Portland will be the Rotterdam of the Holland America Line. It will arrive on Wednesday, April 24. It is expected to bring 2,662 passengers to Dorset and will be in port from 9am to 5pm.