Author: Bob Cartwright
Cruise passenger numbers to Monaco are growing rapidly. In just five years, the number of cruise passengers visiting the Principality has more than trebled, up from 52,323 in 2002 to 157,148 in 2007.
The Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), the body that represents the leading cruise companies in Britain, says it expects 1.5million Britons to take a cruise this year. The PSA also confirmed that 44 more cruise ships will be built by 2012, by which time over 2million British passengers are expected to be cruising.
The massive growth is causing problems in some ports with large numbers of passengers all arriving at the same time, swamping the facilities. Albert Poggio, vice-president of Medcruise, an industry body that represents ports around the Mediterranean, has warned that tough decisions will have to made about managing the growth. "We are in danger of creating such congestion that soon we may have to turn away ships.
Many of the larger cruise liners disembarking passengers for Monaco and Nice use the deep water bay of Villefranche, between the two resorts. Passengers are transferred to land using lighters and then coaches or the train service transfer the passengers east or west to Monaco or Nice. Villefranche railway station can get packed at such times.
Some argue that local businesses do not benefit as passengers do not have sufficient time to roam around because of longer time spent disembarking and re-embarking, particularly with some cruise liners now carrying up to 6,000 passengers. Many passengers also opt for organised tours which provide less time for shopping and visiting local restaurants and attractions.