Kit PetersSWANSEA: Choirs, harmonies and a warm Welsh welcome as cruise visitors come ashore
Cruise passengers stepping off in Swansea this week were met with the kind of welcome only Wales can lay on — the sound of a male voice choir drifting across the quayside.
Around 400 visitors came ashore from two liners that called at the Port of Swansea within the space of a week, with both ships making their maiden visits to the city.
Windstar’s Star Legend was first to arrive, on 14 June, giving its mostly North American passengers a full day to explore Swansea Bay. Days later, on 18 June, Ponant’s Le Champlain glided into port — one of only two cruise calls scheduled for the city all year.
Windstar’s Star Legend, which called at Swansea on 14 June. (Image: Swansea Council)As passengers disembarked, they were greeted by the harmonies of the Phoenix (Male Voice) Choir of Wales, alongside Atsain, a traditional Welsh band — a quayside welcome arranged with the help of Associated British Ports.
From there, Visit Swansea Bay’s tourism team handed out maps and local tips to help the visitors make the most of their stay.
Many headed into the city and along the coast, taking in the area’s maritime heritage at its museums and galleries, following the Dylan Thomas trail, and sampling fresh coastal cuisine.
Others chose excursions further afield, including a scenic tour of the Gower National Landscape.
Members of the Welsh band Atsain perform beside Ponant’s Le Champlain. (Image: Swansea Council)Andrew Williams, the council’s cabinet member for development, said the visits were a welcome boost.
“We are delighted to welcome the cruise ships and their passengers to Swansea Bay,” he said.
“Visits like these provide a fantastic boost to our local businesses and showcase our area to a new global audience. The warm welcome they receive lays the groundwork for the future, inspiring many to return for a longer stay.”
He said the recent arrivals had reinforced the growing appeal of Swansea Bay as a cruise destination, with momentum building since the city welcomed the MV Hamburg last year.
Ponant’s Le Champlain arrives at the Port of Swansea on 18 June. (Image: Swansea Council)Ashley Curnow, divisional port manager at Associated British Ports, said both ships had been making their first calls at the port.
“These visits reinforce South Wales’ growing appeal as a cruise destination and Swansea’s position as the gateway to Gower,” he said.
“We look forward to building on this momentum and welcoming further cruise calls into Swansea.”
For the National Waterfront Museum, the visits were a chance to show off the city to a global audience.
Dr Nicole Deufel, head of the museum, said staff were thrilled to play a part in welcoming passengers to Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower.
“As the museum moves to telling the stories of Wales and the sea, this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our destination on a global stage,” she said.
The two visits follow years of slow but steady growth in cruise calls to Welsh ports, with Swansea increasingly being pitched as a gateway to Gower and the wider coast.
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