Passengers left high and dry as Government dallied on the detail
Scottish Government officials were unable to confirm whether a cruise ship could dock in Greenock as little as 36 hours before its arrival, The Scotsman has learned.
They told the travel industry late on Monday afternoon they would “hopefully be able to provide clarity” over MSC Virtuosa’s planned call at the Inverclydeyesterdaymorning.
The continued uncertainty came despite requests for guidance since at least last week whether the ship, with nearly 1,000 passengers on board, could visit.
It led to MSC Cruises cancelling the 12-hour stop-off, which was part of a week-long UK cruise with only UK passengers aboard.
Such cruises restarted from English ports last month.
According to an industry source, the Scottish Government had said on Monday that its tourism officials “hopefully will be able to provide clarity on your query about whether the MSC cruise ship which is due in Greenock on Wednesday can still dock, even if no passengers will disembark”.
The cruise ship, which is also calling at Liverpool, Belfast, Portland and Southampton, would have been the first to visit Scotland this year.
The Scottish Conservatives said ministers had created a “completely avoidable situation”.
Transport spokesperson Graham Simpson said: “This is yet another example of how the SNP have completely failed to engage with Scotland’s travel industry.“the industry is
0 MSC Virtuosa is carrying some 970 passengers but those booked to embark at Greenock were left disappointed
rightly questioning why other events where people won’t have to be tested have been given the green light, yet this ship isn’t allowed to dock a few miles down the road.
"This mixed messaging has only created further uncertainty for an industry that is crying out for support from the SNP Government.
“These sort of anomalies in the current restrictions have only heightened the anxiety among passengers and the
industry and created a situation which was completely avoidable.”
The Scottish Passenger Agents Association, which represents travel agents, described the situation as “farcical”.
Council member Alan Glen said: “It’s a hammer blow to the cruise industry in Scotland.
"It’sgoingtocauseenormous disruption to passengers who have booked for months, and a lot of disappointment."it
seems absolutely farcical that UK citizens aren’t being allowed into Scotland.
"To have the ports closed to you – the mind boggles actually as to how you can come up with this decision, when thousands of people are driving across the Border every day for staycations.”
However, marketing body Cruise Scotland said cruise lines were still keen to call at Scottish ports this year and had not written them off for
2021. Chairman Rob Mason said: “Bookings are still strong and cruise lines are ready to sail north.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “For a number of weeks we have beenengagingwithstakeholders to discuss concerns about transmission risks posed by cruise vessels and have been clear that we would confirm our position in June.”