Tourism industry buoyant as more cruises leave Rosyth

holidays: Cruise ship firm announces more port departures

In a vote of confidence for Rosyth’s burgeoning tourism industry, a major cruise ship company has announced more ships will be sailing from the Fife port than ever before.

Reinforcing its commitment to the Fife port, in 2018-19 Fred Olsen will introduce its 1,350-guest flagship Balmoral.

It will be sailing from Rosyth for the first time ever, on a total of nine cruises.

The cruise line giant’s 804-guest ship Black Watch is due to start her cruise season from Rosyth on August 14 with a seven-night Lochs of Scotland sailing.

In total, Fred Olsen will be offering eight cruises from Rosyth aboard the ship this year, an increase of one turnaround call since 2016.

There will be a variety of sailings from Rosyth, including one to the Norwegian fjords, cities of northern Europe and Portugal and the Canaries.

This year it has also included two river cruises, of German waterways and French rivers, both of which are itineraries that have not been offered from this Scottish port before.

Product and customer services director Clare Ward said: “Black Watch’s forthcoming cruise season from Rosyth builds upon Fred Olsen’s already close relationship with this convenient, regional Scottish port.”

She said Rosyth was quite unlike anywhere else the company visited in the world, boasting “spectacular scenery and three iconic bridges”.

Capital Cruising’s head of cruise at Rosyth, Robert Mason, said: “We are looking forward to the Fred Olsen cruise season starting at the Port of Rosyth in August.

“Rosyth is fast becoming Scotland’s key port to cruise from, with some amazing destinations on offer.

“It’s so easy to arrive at the port, board a cruise liner and quickly be on your vacation.

“Across all our Scottish ports, we are enjoying a very busy cruise season this year and – with the arrival of the Black Watch on August 14 – we will have welcomed over 100,000 passengers in 2017, with more due over the next few months.”

Black Watch has recently benefited from an extensive multi-million-pound refurbishment.

Rosyth is fast becoming Scotland’s key port to cruise from, with some amazing destinations on offer. ROBERT MASON CAPITAL CRUISING

A variety of sailings from Rosyth will be on offer, including one to the Norwegian fjords.