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VisitShetland, Market Cross, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0LU, UK
Welcome to Shetland
By Cruise Ship
Shetland is a popular cruise ship destination, with visits throughout the islands all year. Popular ports of visit include Lerwick, Fair Isle and Scalloway.
Map showing Shetland, at the centre of the North Atlantic cruising routes.
One of the busiest hubs, Lerwick Harbour welcomes up to 25,000 cruise passengers to Shetland a year. It has long been a port-of-call for cruise ships which have arrived in record numbers over the last decade. With nearly 50 ships in a single season, Lerwick is one of Scotland's top cruise ship destinations.
It is ideally located as a midway port on cruises between Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Norway and the Scottish mainland and Europe.
Cruise ships up to 205 metres in length can berth alongside at the Port. Larger ships anchor in Bressay Sound, with passengers just five minutes by launch from a floating pontoon in a sheltered dock close to the town centre. The small 1.7 metre tidal range facilitates transfer.
Harbour view
In 2006 the Lerwick Port Authority installed a much larger pontoon system for tenders from the largest cruise ships that are at anchor in the sheltered harbour. This improved the speed of transfer and provides a safe dedicated area for assembly of cruise passengers. On days not used by cruise ships tenders, the new pontoon is available to expand berthing for yachts that already enjoy modern pontoon berthing equipped with integral water and electricity points across the street from the town centre.
In addition, Lerwick Port Authority supports an initiative launched in 2004 by VisitShetland whose representatives go on board each cruise ship to provide a 'meet and greet' welcome and information to passengers. This successful project was extended in 2005 and 2006 and will continue in 2007 to include a welcome in the Town Centre by local guides in costume, together with musicians playing tradition music on the quayside on arrival of tenders ferrying passengers ashore and coaches transporting passengers from ships berthed at the Port's Holmsgarth facility which is approximately 1Km from the Town Centre.
Around 460 yachts a year call at Lerwick with many of the crews exploring Shetland's 900 miles of coastline, while long-established events bring yachts from numerous clubs, including Norway and Holland.
Useful Information:
Lerwick Port Authority provides a list of all the scheduled cruise ships visits for the year here: LPA Cruise Ship List (PDF document)
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Feature
2009 Photo Competition
VisitShetland is pleased to announce the launch of their 5th annual photocompetition. This year's theme is 'Shetland's Wild Side'.
Advertising Feature
2009 Wildlife Holidays In Shetland
Shetland offers the best wildlife-watching in Scotland - FACT.
Over a million breeding seabirds, the highest density of Otters in Europe, regular sightings of Killer Whales and superb displays of rare sub-arctic flora. Our award-winning holidays offer everything from fully guided wildlife weeks and long weekends, dedicated birdwatching holidays plus photographic, walking and insight holidays.
Visit our extensive website www.shetlandwildlife.co.uk or call Shetland Wildlife on 01950 422483 for a choice of over 30 holidays!
Feature
Blue Sky Holidays
Don't miss the opportunity to join an art holiday experience with Blue Sky Studios this summer! There will be different locations for inspiration and the chance to use charcoal, inks, pencil and watercolour.Feature
Upcoming Event: Shetland Nature Festival
Shetland's 2nd Nature Festival is set to start this Friday until 12th July. Don't miss this opportunity to join a variety of specialised wildlife tours with local rangers, photography sessions and expert talks.
Feature
Geopark Shetland Celebrates Shetland Nature Festival
Building on the success of the launch of the Volcano Trail and Geopark Shetland website, Geopark Shetland is holding a number of exciting events to celebrate this years’ Shetland Nature Festival.
Feature
Shetland Museum and Archives seeks information on Emigrants for Hamefarin Exhibition
In 2010, Shetland will host a Hamefarin (homecoming), welcoming Shetlanders from all around the world back to their home islands. As part of the celebrations Shetland Museum and Archives is developing a special exhibition and are appealing for images and objects relating to Shetland emigrants. (Above photo: Laurence and Ester Ward on Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, August 1954)
Feature
Shetland in the Viking World: Exciting conference in Shetland this summer
Shetland Amenity Trust is to hold an exciting Viking conference, which will explore Shetland’s place in the Viking world, from the 16th - 19th July 2009.