> FALMOUTH NEWS, EVENTS 2003

Continuing its successful cruise ship 'turnaround' season with the Van Gogh.

Princess Pavilion (Gyllyngdune Gardens). 'where service counts'

The Royal Princess made her first visit of the year to Falmouth on 12th June during which passengers were offered the opportunity to use a vintage restored courtesy bus provided by the King Harry Ferry Company.The bus was provided with the help of local traders who actively support cruise calls at the Port.

21 students from the Fowey Community College were treated to a splendid day out on board the Royal Princess during her call to Falmouth June 12th. Special thanks and appreciation to Princess Cruises for making it possible.

The cruise ship HM Bark Endeavour will be berthed alongside the National Maritime Museum Cornwall and open to the public from 28-31 March 2003.

Falmouth has it's best ever season and establishes itself as a turnaround port

Falmouth has just seen the 25th and last cruise liner of its most successful season yet. 22069 passengers have visited the Port and been part of what is becoming the County of Cornwall's best ever year for tourism. Falmouth has established itself as a summer home port for the mv Van Gogh, having seen 12 turnaround calls and 6600 passengers start and finish their cruise at the Port. The cruises to the Spain and Portugal and into the Western Mediterranean have been so successful that 2003 will see 16 turnarounds at the Port with new destinations to Norway, Malaga and the Canary Islands.

2003 will also see the cruise season extended to become a cruise year with the first of 35 calls being in March and the last in December.

The mv Van Gogh chartered from Club Cruise by travel operator Travelscope made her first turnaround at Falmouth on 5th July 2002. 1065 passengers were handled through Falmouth's facilities with all those concerned expressing their satisfaction with the operation. There will be 11 more turnarounds this summer bringing the total number of passengers to pass through the Port to 7000.

This marks a new phase in the development of Falmouth and the ports in the Destination Southwest initiative, as it recognises the potential of the region as a strategic base for operators seeking to develop cruises to Western Europe and the Mediterranean ports.

PORT CHARGES REDUCED AT FALMOUTH

From 1st July port conservancy charges for all ships visiting Falmouth for less than 24 hours will be reduced from £0.07 a tonne to £0.01 a tonne. This will include all cruise liners either calling for the day or conducting a turn around operation. This is another demonstration of the port of Falmouth's desire to attract cruise liners to the Southwest so that their passengers can enjoy the many attractions that are on offer.

GOLDEN JUBILEE TOUR STARTS
AT NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM CORNWALL

HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh started their national Golden Jubilee tour at National Maritime Museum Cornwall on May 1st.

On the 27th July, 1999, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh laid the foundation stone at the Museum’s site in Falmouth. The visit on May 1st continues this Royal connection with the attendance of the Royal couple in the Museum’s launch year.

The Royal couple will also be reunited with an old friend - ‘Bluebottle’ - a Dragon class keel boat, given to the then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh as a wedding present by the Island Sailing Club, in 1948. The boat is on permanent loan to National Maritime Museum Cornwall and has been undergoing some very careful renovation in preparation for this reunion. In September, Bluebottle will join the display of boats from the National Small Boat Collection housed within the museum’s stunning building situated on the edge of Falmouth’s waterfront.

Peter Cowling, director of National Maritime Museum Cornwall says: “We are delighted that HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh have chosen to start their national Golden Jubilee tour in Falmouth and in the Museum’s launch year. The Royal couple have not seen ‘Bluebottle’ for many years and it is wonderful that we have been given the opportunity to reunite them after all this time. May 1st will be a truly memorable day for all the people of Falmouth and particularly exciting for the Museum.”

NMMC Opened
National Maritime Museum Cornwall opened on the 4th December 2002.

Visit of the Sedov
The worlds largest traditional sailing tall ship the Sedov is to visited Falmouth on 18th July 2002 and was open to the public for 3 days.