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By Promote ShetlandOctober 4th 2022

Shetland’s rugged coastlines, impressive archaeology and stunning landscapes proved a winning combination for thousands of cruise ship passengers who visited the islands in 2022.

Lerwick Harbour welcomed back scores of vessels with many of the smaller ships also visiting ports around Shetland, as the sector enjoyed its first full season since 2019.

And it looks like the islands’ increasing popularity among cruise lines is set to continue with strong advance bookings for 2023, giving many more visitors the opportunity to experience Shetland’s unique attractions.

The islands’ most popular cruise port is Lerwick, where passengers can disembark and explore the capital town itself or book onshore excursions.

Lerwick is a bustling and charming town, with plenty to explore from historic old lanes, an array of independent shops, cafes and bars, and impressive venues including the Mareel Arts Centre, that overlooks the harbour.

Many visitors to the town head straight to the Lodberries at Lerwick’s south end – made famous in the Shetland crime drama series as the home of detective Jimmy Perez.

Anyone interested in the character, originally created by author Ann Cleeves, should visit our Perez page to find out more about the locations that feature in the novels and the show. We’ve even created a series of Perez-inspired tours including one around historic Lerwick.

Of course, there is much more to Shetland, and many cruise passengers venture further afield to visit world-class heritage sites, breath-taking coastal scenery and traditional crafts and textiles producers.

Whether it’s exploring 5,000 years of archaeology at Jarlshof, head to Mousa and its Iron Age broch, or watching puffins at Sumburgh Head, the South Mainland is a popular destination. Other excursions head to Northmavine, to take in the dramatic cliffs at Eshaness, or west to enjoy the stunning vistas, castle and museum in the ancient capital of Scalloway and the Central Mainland.

With so much to entice visitors, it is no wonder that Shetland is an increasingly popular cruise destination.

It’s been great to see the shore excursions taking coachloads of visitors to our attractions once more and to experience the extra buzz the passengers bring to the town centre.

Steve Mathieson

Business boost

Cruise ship passengers are an important source of income for many small Shetland businesses in the Arts and Crafts sector.

There is often a desire for tourists to "take a little bit of Shetland" home with them, and luckily the islands are blessed with an array of talented makers inspired by the beautiful surroundings. From traditional knitwear and textiles to contemporary jewellery and artwork there is plenty to choose from.

And Osla Fraser, Shetland Tourism Association's development officer, says it has been great to see visitors "back in such strong numbers across the board".

She said: "The season has been extremely busy for everyone and it's good to hear that there are already strong advance bookings for 2023.

"Cruise passengers have a really significant impact on the local Arts and Crafts sector, as well as the shore excursion operators and transport providers. It's lightsome to see Lerwick buzzing on cruise call days but it's also really important to highlight the positive impact cruise visitors have on so many small and micro businesses all over Shetland."

Find the perfect Shetland craft for you.

Melanie Henderson, Lerwick Port Authority Cruise & Marketing Manager, said it was reassuring to see demand “bounce back with vigour”, with 94 ships visiting in 2022.

“A key to the success was the tremendous response by the islands’ tourism and transport businesses, despite the post-pandemic challenges and staff shortages. As the restrictions were lifted, guests explored independently, rather than in bubbles, returning benefits for local retailers and adding to the vibrancy in the town centre.

“Cruise lines have made considerable efforts to restore activity in what has been an extremely difficult time for the industry.”

Visit Scotland’s Shetland Development Manager Steve Mathieson shares Melanie’s positive outlook.

He said: “Shetland has bounced back, post-covid, as one of Scotland’s most popular destinations and this was reflected in the very strong cruise ship booking figures for Lerwick for the 2022 season.

“It’s been great to see the shore excursions taking coachloads of visitors to our attractions once more and to experience the extra buzz the passengers bring to the town centre.

“Advance bookings for next year are looking extremely healthy already and we look forward to providing ships and passengers with our traditional warm Shetland welcome in 2023.”

Vasco De Gama was the last cruise ship to visit Lerwick in 2022. | Liam Slater

The final cruise arrival of 2022 was Nicko Cruises’ 55,877 gross tonne Vasco De Gama carrying 466 passengers. She berthed at Mair’s Pier, en route from Stavanger, Norway, to Kirkwall.

As she departed there was increasing confidence that 2023 will see even more cruise visits to Shetland. An added attraction in 2023 comes in the shape of the international Tall Ships Races, with the magnificent maritime event hosted at Lerwick between 26th-29th July with cruise passengers able to enjoy free access to the event.

Discover everything you need to make the most of your cruise visit to Shetland.

CruiseShetland

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