The largest cruise ship to visit Orkney is set to arrive on Wednesday 2nd May. The MSC Meraviglia has 5000 passengers and Orcadians have been assured that detailed planning has taken place to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Arrangements are as follows:

• 4 bendy buses  will run an all-day shuttle service between Hatston Pier and the Kirkwall Travel Centre.
• Shuttle buses will turn right into West Castle Street when leaving the travel centre and then right again into Great Western Road, before heading for Hatston.
• Passengers will also have tour options to visit Stromness, with dedicated coaches operating between the ship and Stromness.
•  Bridge Street and Albert Street in Kirkwall will be closed to traffic between 10am and 4pm for safety reasons.
• Broad Street will remain open as usual.

Michael Morrison, Business Development Manager with Orkney Marine Services, said:

“It will be a busy day for Orkney, but everyone involved has put in a considerable effort to ensure that the visit goes smoothly.”

“We are more than confident that the arrangements will work well.

“The visit of the Meraviglia will  allow everyone involved to draw on the considerable experience and expertise we have in Orkney of managing visits of this kind – and making sure the many passengers who come ashore enjoy their time in our islands.”

There are fewer visits to Orkney this year by large-capacity cruise ships with more  vessels carrying between 1,000 and 2,000 passengers.

Eleven of the 144 cruise ship visits this year (8%) are by large-capacity vessels.

More Information can be found at Cruise Orkney