No cancellations for cruise liner visits to islands

Having no cruise cancellations has been "good news" for the Isles of Scilly, officials said.

Scillonian Marine Consultants said the arrival of Fred Olsen's Bolette on Tuesday marked the last of 46 cruise liners which visited in 2026, carrying 19,000 passengers to the Cornish islands.

The firm said there was not a single cancellation due to the weather, which it said was partly down to the islands' "unique geography" and two dedicated anchorage spots providing shelter from poor conditions.

The Council of the Isles of Scilly said tourism was "critical" to the archipelago and being able to welcome every cruise liner had supported employment and businesses.

Jemma Pender, corporate services and communications officer for the council, said: "The fact that there have been no cancellations for 2026 is good news particularly in a year where the weather, despite the long periods of warm sunny days, has disrupted travel to and from the islands for the visitor economy."

Tom Jackman, managing director of Scillonian Marine Consultant, said ships had spoken to the islands' port authorities to get real-time weather information rather than relying on forecasts, which could have led to a cancellation.

"Back in May, one of the smaller cruise ships called at Scilly despite forecast conditions showing winds of more than 20 knots and a predicted swell of over four metres," Jackman said.

"While the forecast could have suggested a cancellation, the ship was able to anchor in a position where there was almost no swell and the visit went ahead as planned."

Jackman added having a 100% record for cruise liners was a fantastic achievement.

"Cruises are a hugely important part of our visitor economy and we hope this success encourages more cruise lines to consider our beautiful islands in future," he said.

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