Welcoming European cruise ships to the Isle of Wight

Every season, the Island welcomes visitors who have sailed in on cruise ships. Diverting from the Channel on European cruises, the ships anchor off Cowes and let their passengers disembark at Trinity Landing so they can explore the town and the Island. With an ever-rising demand for cruises, including luxury holidays in northern Europe, it looks like more and more small and medium sized cruise ships will be stopping for an Island visit. After all, the town is perfect for holiday makers looking for a relaxed but bustling sailing town to explore. And as it’s so easy to hop on a coach tour of the rest of the Island, it’s no wonder an increasing amount of cruise ships are adding Cowes to their agenda.

Enjoying a relaxed and diverse visit

The Island is the must-visit destination for visitors to the south coast of the UK, and of course Cowes is the world’s most famous and arguably most influential sailing destination. As the harbour is so near to the main shipping route of the English Channel, it’s super simple for cruise liners to make a small diversion and give their passengers the chance to experience all that Cowes and the Island have to offer. From Trinity Landing, passengers can spend the whole day enjoying the shopping, dining and sailing delights of Cowes. From browsing the eclectic mix of boutiques, independent retailers and local delights, to trying out the eclectic dining options, there’s plenty to keep them occupied. For art lovers, there are plenty of galleries in Cowes and East Cowes to explore, and locally made souvenirs from independent retailers to buy. Cowes High Street is a great place to take a saunter. Its pedestrianised High Street lends itself to continental style pavement cafes, quirky shops and purveyors of the best and most famous brands of sailing gear.

Visiting Queen Victoria’s holiday home

Cowes is also the gateway for cruise passengers to explore the whole island. Coach excursions include themed trips, including the chance to enjoy a traditional English cream tea at Osborne House. Situated nearby in East Cowes, Osborne House is Queen Victoria’s holiday palace, in which she and her family spent many summers. In fact, Queen Victoria introduced the Island as a tourist destination and it was during the 19th century that it really flourished. Today, there are more visitor attractions per square mile than anywhere else in the UK, making the Isle of Wight a premium cruise stop off point. Added to this, the weather is generally at least a few degrees warmer than anywhere else in the UK, thanks to the Island’s microclimate. More than half of the Island is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with 30 miles of Heritage Coast to explore.

How to arrange a cruise ship stop off in Cowes

We’ve welcomed so many cruise ships to Cowes already, including L’Austral, MS Hamburg, MS Deutschland, MS Columbus 2, MS Hanseatic and our regular favourite visitor, MS Europa. To arrange a cruise ship visit, anchorage arrangements can be made with Cowes Harbour Commission.