Cruise Market Opportunities

Get advice and support about the rising costs of doing business on the Find Business Support website. Find HIE support here.

Highland and Islands Enterprise

MyHIE

Get a personalised experience with a MyHIE account

Make your life easier with a MyHIE account. It’ll save you time, help you find and organise content based on your needs and interests.

Create a MyHIE account Log in to MyHIE

Find out more about MyHIE

Being Cruise Ready - the business opportunity

The new multi-purpose deep water terminal in Stornoway is expected to be operational in 2024. With the ability to accommodate cruise ships of up to 360m (1,181ft) in length, it will be able to accommodate the majority of the world's cruising fleet.

The ability to welcome visitors from across the globe with increased access to this growing, high spend market presents exciting opportunities for Lewis, Harris and the surrounding communities.

We need to capitalise on the opportunities presented and provide the highest quality onshore experience possible for our visitors and leave them in no doubt that Lewis and Harris are 'must see, must visit' destinations in Northern Europe with world-class customer service.

Working together, businesses and communities can develop and package services to attract operators bringing in more cruise ships by providing a hard to rival visitor experience for passengers coming onshore.

Download our guide to find out more about the market and the opportunities for Lewis and Harris.

Being Cruise Ready guide

A CATALYST FOR CHANGE

The Outer Hebrides Cruise Tourism Destination plan sets out
the region’s ambitious mission:

“We shall deliver sustainable high levels of cruise visitor satisfaction with the development of a wider variety of bespoke and authentic cruise visitor experiences and activities across the islands, in turn capturing more value, growth and benefits within the communities and businesses of the Outer Hebrides.

We shall ensure this is aligned, complementary to, and not detrimental to, the high value overnight market, and the positive visitor experience of our other core visitor markets.”

Cruise Destination Plan

Excursion opportunities

There is an opportunity for businesses and community organisations across Lewis and Harris to develop additional high-quality excursion opportunities to meet increased demand within the sector.

Our Route to Market guide can assist you to formalise the ideas you have and inform your route to market.

Route to Market Guide

The Big Picture

The cruise ship industry

Published on 30/11/2022

25.8

cruise ship passengers globally in 2018

6.7

market growth in 2017-18

323

cruise services around the world in 2022

Types of cruise ships

Cruise ships tend to fall into three categories, irrespective of their size.

ULTRA-LUXURY CRUISE SHIPS

Top of the range vessels for discerning travellers who want and expect the very best in service, food and staterooms. From all-suite ships to champagne on tap and butler service, the on-board experience offers the ultimate in style and sophistication. Examples include Silversea Cruises, Oceania, Cunard and Hebridean Princess.

LUXURY CRUISE SHIPS

Luxury cruise ships are often family oriented and offer outstanding service with itineraries covering some of the world’s best known and sought after destinations. Examples include the Carnival Group, P&O, Holland America, Fred. Olsen, Cunard and Royal Caribbean.

EXPEDITION AND ADVENTURE SHIPS

In contrast with others, adventure or expedition cruises are very much about the destination, not necessarily the ship itself. The ships are generally smaller than other types and tend to carry passengers with more specialist interests. Many go to inhospitable climes and may involve land-based activities which can be strenuous. Operators include Voyages of Discovery, Noble Caledonia and Swan Hellenic.

Why do people take cruises?

The global cruise industry is booming, with experts predicting strong and sustained future market growth. Cruise comparison website ‘Cruise Critic’ lists ten key reasons why cruising is the number one choice for many of today’s holidaymakers.

A cruise offers great value for money, with food, accommodation, entertainment and transport between destinations all included.

Cruise ships have everything on-board that passengers could possibly want.

Cruise ships are family friendly and fun for all ages.

Passengers can see multiple destinations, but unpack only once in their home from home.

Ships offer a variety of onboard activities, they can be romantic and social!

Because cruise holidays package everything together, they’re very easy
to plan.

Market statistics

Scotland attracts cruise ships and passengers from around the world and is high on the list of 'must see, must experience' destinations.

40.6

was the estimated value of passenger and crew spend to Scotland in 2019

Passengers think that a cruise is a good way to sample a destination they may wa

800,000

visited Scotland in 2019

is the average age and cruises for 7 days

Lewis and Harris - the current picture

Sixty-four cruise ships called at Stornoway Port in 2022, carrying a total of c.22,000 passengers. Restrictions on ship size at the port, pre the completion of the Deep Water Terminal, mean that most of these existing arrivals are smaller ‘expedition’ type cruise ships.

Due to the size limitations on the current piers larger vessels berth outside of the harbour and tender their passengers ashore, reducing the number of willing/ able passengers coming ashore. Despite the restrictions on berthing options larger vessels are showing an increasing interest calling into Stornoway, in 2022 three ships with c.2000 passengers called into Stornoway.

Future developments

A £49 million development at Stornoway Port, scheduled to be operational by 2024, will see the port expand into and establish Stornoway as the only port in the north-west of Scotland where large ships can get alongside.

The new facilities will provide a berth for vessels up to 360m, with a water depth of up to 10.5 metres, revolutionising the port’s capacities and opening the door to the majority of the world’s cruise ship fleet.

The business opportunity

In welcoming a potentially large number of cruise ships, passengers and crew from 2024, we have a superb opportunity to showcase Lewis and Harris attractions to high earning, high spending visitors from across the world.

The rewards are potentially huge, but we need to be prepared. Our challenge will be to collectively and individually deliver a world-class cruise port with the distinctive and exceptional range of shore excursions and services required by today’s highly competitive cruise market.

For cruise passengers, it’s all about learning and experiencing and being part of the local community for the day. Businesses need to think creatively about how they can broaden their offer to give these visitors a real flavour of the local area.

Rupert Woodard, Excursions Ltd

Top tips to creating a world-class visitor experience

Everyone – from the transport provider to the restaurant waiter – is part of the memories a cruise guest will create while visiting the destination.

Think about how you can create offers that will ‘immerse’ cruise visitors in local culture, such as traditional music sessions or food and drink tastings.
Tap into the trend for more active onshore experiences by offering pursuits such as cycle hire, guided walks or wildlife watching.
Consider whether working in partnership with other like-minded businesses could add unique or distinctive elements to your offer and help bring the ‘wow’ factor.
Remember that cruise ship passengers only have a limited amount of time in port, so onshore experiences need to be tailored accordingly.
Passengers have varying requirements and budgets, so your offer needs to be flexible.
Cruise companies and ground handlers are looking for seamless, hassle-free experiences so your offer must be accessible, safe and well organised.
Think about how passengers will reach you, and whether you will need to provide transport from the port.
Consider who your offer is aimed at and how you will reach them. For more advice on getting into sales channels see the ‘Building Your Offer’ section.

Make your business cruise friendly

Retailers, catering outlets and visitor attractions are the customer face of Lewis and Harris and what you do will shape passengers’ perceptions of us as a destination for evermore!
Familiarise yourself with which ships are arriving when. Details are available on the Stornoway Port Authority website.
Consider promoting incentivised offers to passengers, redeemed on production of a ship’s cruise card.
Display a ‘welcome’ message for passengers at the entry to your premises to make them feel valued and special.
Offer cruise passengers a taste of the local area by providing a menu based around local produce or the chance to sample local food and drink.

Welcoming Islands

The arrival experience sets the tone for the remainder of the ship’s visit. Let’s make it memorable for all the right reasons!
Most successful cruise destinations take a ‘welcome team’ approach to hosting cruise ships, with members of local community groups acting as unpaid ambassadors. Could your group take on this ambassadorial role?
Think about providing a ‘showcase’ to provide local information to passengers. Laying on local food, music or dance will also make passengers feel they have arrived at a vibrant and exciting destination.
Stornoway Port Authority will offer complementary shuttlebuses from the port to the town centre.

Looking after crews

Don’t forget about the crew! The ratio of crew to passengers is very high, normally about 3:1 but it can be higher.
Studies suggest that around 30% of crew will go ashore for rest and recreation and to stock up at any port of call.
They tend not to be interested in ‘touristy’ items but are looking for provisions in supermarkets, food outlets and clothing shops.
Crew members may be unfamiliar with a destination if it’s the first time they have visited. The type of arrival information they are likely to need is very similar to passengers.
If you’re a retailer or catering outlet, think about offering a similar range of incentives to crew members as to passengers.

Building your offer

The first step is to consider which type of passengers you wish to attract:

Those who have booked organised excursions via the cruise companies.
Those who have researched and booked their own onshore excursions and experiences.
Those with no fixed excursion plans, but who may come onshore to explore at their own pace.

For cruise companies and ground handlers, tour sales are a critical revenue source which can mean the difference between a port being viable or not.

When cruise passengers book directly with a provider, the cruise company loses revenue. As a result, the port call becomes less viable and may even be excluded from future itineraries. This does not preclude independent sales, of course, but there is a need to ensure that profitability of the call, visitor experience and value for money are maximised.

Getting your offer into the sales channels

EXCURSION COMPANIES

Excursion companies are key partners in each port and are always looking for unique, high quality visitor experiences which they can sell via the cruise ship companies to passengers.

Excursion companies are happy to speak to local businesses and providers direct. If you are planning a new offer aimed at the cruise market, you may wish to run it by the Outer Hebrides Cruise Forum Manager, who can act as a sounding board.

INDEPENDENTS

Increasingly, passengers are researching experiences and offers online in advance of their trip and booking direct with the relevant shore excursion companies or activity/experience providers. The best way of reaching these independent explorers will be via your website.

WALK-OFFS

Walk-offs may be influenced by special offers and promotions within the port or destination, however placards on the quayside are not normally welcomed by cruise ship companies. If you want to attract ‘walk off’ business, contact the Outer Hebrides Cruise Forum Manager to discuss the best way to promote your offer via the official welcome/information channels.

Further information

Download our guide - Being Cruise Ready the business opportunity - for more information, hints and tips about being ready for the cruise market.

Download guide

Contact

If you would like to discuss the cruise market opportunities for Lewis and Harris, please email enquiries@outerhebridestourism.org

Partners

The Outer Hebrides Cruise Forum is working with the ports and cruise companies to make Lewis and Harris an attractive and unique destination for cruise passengers. If you’d like to keep up to date with opportunities to welcome cruise ship passengers, please email enquiries@outerhebridestourism.org.

Our support

Use our support finder

What are you looking for?

Find property by location

Inverness Campus

Research & reports

HIE's Business Panel Surveys

Our region