The 2017 cruise season begins on Wednesday 3 May with the arrival of Astor to the Katajanokka Quay next to the Allas Sea Pool in the centre of Helsinki. The upcoming cruise season is expected to even busier than last summer. On the basis of advance bookings, Helsinki expects to welcome 270 international cruise ships. They will carry with them an estimated 440,000 visitors, who will get to enjoy the cultural activities and services on offer this summer in the Finnish capital.
The busiest day this summer will be Wednesday 31 May, when no less than five cruise ships arrive in Helsinki: Norwegian Getaway at the Melkki Quay, the German cruise ship AIDAmar and the Italian cruise ship MSC Magnifica in Hernesaari, and the luxury cruise ships Le Soleal and Ocean Dream in the South Harbour. Altogether these five cruise ships will bring over 11,000 cruise visitors to Helsinki in a single day.
Santa Claus in Hernesaari
Cruise ships will arrive at four different harbours in Helsinki: Katajanokka, the South Harbour, Hernesaari and the West Harbour (Melkki Quay). Hernesaari and the West
Harbour will serve over 80 percent of cruise visitors, and Santa Claus will be on hand to welcome them this summer in Hernesaari.
A new digital sign system is introducing in Hernesaari. The system is designed to further improve the visitor experience and to make it easier for cruise visitors to find their way around. The project is being carried out together with Samsung and the Cruise Baltic network.
Altogether six cruise ships will be visiting Helsinki for the first time this summer:
– 4 May: Viking Sky
– 20 May: MSC Magnifica
– 22 May: Norwegian Getaway
– 25 June: Seven Seas Explorer
– 28 July: Columbus
– 31 July: Mein Schiff 6
The last visit of the 2017 cruise season will be made by AIDAvita on 20 October.
Growing number of cruise visitors from Asia
Last year the biggest incoming markets for cruise passengers were Germany, the USA and Great Britain. This year the biggest growth is expected to come in the number of visitors from Asia. Already last year the number of cruise visitors from China increased by 24 percent.
Cruise Baltic expects the number of cruise visitors to the Baltic Sea region to increase by 13 percent and the number of cruise ship visits by 15 percent this year.