North-east Fife firms get on board cruise drive

The award-winning Cruise Forth project – a voluntary organisation that was set up in 2011 to welcome cruise ships arriving at Rosyth – is now involved in supporting cruise visits to Dundee.

Former Fife Constabulary chief constable Peter Wilson, who leads Cruise Forth, said two seminars to raise local business awareness were held in 2018.

Visitor information desks, facilitated by Cruise Forth, were permitted on board five visiting ships to Dundee during the summer.

Dundee has also recently been added to the Cruise Forth website and local businesses will soon have the opportunity to appear on the new Cruise App, being built by Blue2 of Broughty Ferry.

Debbie Maccallum, chairwoman of Tourism St Andrews, is also a founder of Cruise2standrews, which was established last year to gives cruise passengers advance notice of businesses in St Andrews.

“When a lot of people get off these ships they want to come to St Andrews, whether that’s from Dundee or Rosyth,” said Debbie.

“With up to 70 coaches per day decanting tourists at the Bruce Embankment – including cruise passengers who make up 10 to 15 per cent of these – they all need to understand how they can get around town and how they can get back to their bus, all within two hours.”

Debbie said 20 businesses have this year paid £295 each to be included in the brochure which includes a map showing where the businesses are and walking distance.

Businesses, identified with cruisefriendly stickers on their doors, are encouraged to run exclusive offers for cruise passengers.

“This year a lot of the excursion companies want bulk orders,” she said.

“Passengers can read it on the ship or on the bus so they know in advance what they are going to do when they get to us.”

‘Ask Andrew’ volunteers also meet and greet passengers.

Debbie added: “In our book we draw what 30p looks like to go to the toilet because people get off the bus and the first thing they want to do is go to the loo.

“We continue our discussions with Fife Council about the poor state of local public toilets.”