Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Three spectacular cruise ships are due to bring thousands of passengers to Plymouth in May - including one of the largest to visit Britain’s Ocean City. During the next few weeks about 2,850 passengers are expected to land in Plymouth, with the first ship, Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Adventure, scheduled to arrive on Bank Holiday Monday, May 5. The following day, Norwegian Pearl is due to call. It is the biggest cruise vessel visiting the city this year and will be the second largest seen off Plymouth, after the visit of Rotterdam in 2023. Later in May, Amera stops off in Plymouth. It has been seen here before, visiting in 2023. Glen Gardner, cruise business development manager for Destination Plymouth, said: “Over the course of these three cruise ship visits, there are lots of great opportunities for Plymouth’s attractions, places of interest, and local businesses to make the most of the additional tourist footfall with up to nearly 3,000 cruise passengers, plus the many hundreds of crew members coming ashore to visit and spend their money in the local economy.” The 58,200 gross tonnage Spirit of Adventure, built in 2020, is making its first visit to Plymouth. At 236 metres, it is the length of 22 buses, and is expected to arrive at anchorage in Plymouth Sound at about 8am on Monday, departing at 5pm. (Image: Submitted) Sister ship to Spirit of Discovery - which visited successfully in 2023 and scheduled to visit Plymouth again on June 30 - passengers onboard will receive Plymouth’s award-winning, cruise industry famous, Plymouth welcome from the city’s team of volunteer cruise ambassadors, led by Annemarie and Douglas Kerr, with the Plymouth town crier, and the Plymouth Maritime Corps of Drums. Many passengers will enjoy an organised shore excursion through Saga Cruises, ranging from historic walking tours of the Barbican and The Hoe, to a guided tour of the Plymouth Gin Distillery, and from boat trips using local operators, to a Panoramic Drive through Dartmoor National Park. Mr Gardner said: “Many more guests, plus crew members, will be coming ashore to Plymouth independently to explore the city, and all there is to see and do. During the last visit by a Saga Cruises vessel, in 2023, the feedback was exceptional with one passenger commenting: ‘Having been on over 50 cruises around the world we can honestly say the welcome provided in Plymouth was one of the best we have seen’.” On Tuesday, Plymouth will be treated to the sight of the largest cruise ship to visit this year when Norwegian Pearl glides in. This will be the first time a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel has visited Plymouth. At 93,530 gross tons, and with a passenger capacity of up to 2,800 people, the huge Norwegian Pearl is scheduled to arrive early in the morning of Tuesday, May 6, and is sure to catch the eye of many people due to the colourful artwork on the ship’s hull - along with its vast size. Norwegian Pearl is calling at Plymouth as part of a trans-Atlantic repositioning cruise between New York, and Southampton with port calls scheduled at Halifax in Canada, Reykjavik in Iceland, then south to Belfast, Dublin, Plymouth, Le Havre, and finishing in Southampton on May 8. Mr Gardner said: “This is a historic visit of the second largest cruise ship to ever visit Plymouth, which brings lots of opportunities for Plymouth and the local businesses to really engage with the cruise teams, passengers and crew to maximise income across the board. “Lots of hard work by the Plymouth Cruise Partnership has gone into securing this historic visit from one of the world’s largest cruise companies, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which owns and operates 34 cruise ships across three brands. Sister cruise lines Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have had their ships visit Plymouth before, but Norwegian Cruise Line, who operates larger vessels, has never previously visited.” (Image: Submitted) Plymouth will then welcome the German cruise ship Amera back again on May 16. The Phoenix Reisen Cruises vessel is scheduled to bring an expected 700 passengers to Plymouth. The 38,000-ton ship originally entered service as the Royal Viking Sun in 1988. She later sailed as the Seabourn Sun before becoming the Prinsendam in 2002. In 2019 ownership of the 204m-long ship was transferred to Phoenix Risen where it subsequently underwent a six-week renovation in Hamburg and was renamed Amera. A Plymouth team is involved in making the city’s cruise visits happen, which includes Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, ABP (Associated British Port) Mill Bay, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, Plymouth City Centre Company; and Plymouth City Council. Jon Walton, chief executive of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, said: “ We are delighted May is such a busy month for cruise ships visiting Britain's Ocean City. The season started early with two visits in March from the Ambition, from Ambassador Lines. “Feedback, as usual, was fantastic with a 100% guest satisfaction rating. We now have three in May, with a first visit to Plymouth of the Norwegian Pearl from Norwegian Cruise Lines. “This vessel can accommodate nearly 2,400 guests and up to 1,100 crew. This is one of the largest to visit Plymouth, along with the Rotterdam in 2022/2023.” He added: “The Cruise Partnership is really delivering for our city and the welcome we give guests, and crew is really starting to gain traction in the cruise industry. It is unique to Plymouth, and huge thanks always to the wonderful cruise volunteers led by Annemarie and Douglas Kerr.”