Stornoway is on course to have its busiest ever cruise liner season with a record-breaking 70 ship visits booked for 2016.
A number of records will be broken for the harbour: the number of cruise visits; the number of passengers and the largest cruise ship.
Stornoway Port Authority estimates over 25,000 passengers will arrive through the port this season – some 10,000 more compared to 2015.
The highlight of the summer will be the MS Queen Elizabeth on her maiden visit to Stornoway. Passengers on Cunard’s luxury 16-deck cruiseliner will receive a full day’s sightseeing around Lewis and Harris after her morning arrival on Wednesday, 26 June 2016.
A few days earlier, P&O’s Azura is to make her inaugural call. Azura will be the largest cruise ship to have ever visited the port with a tonnage of 115,055, a length of 290 metres and a maximum passenger capacity of 3,096 passengers.
The first visit of the season will be made by the Azores – expected on 15 March. The last ship is the Hebridean Princess in September.
A harbour board spokesperson said: “There will be 18 cruise visits in June and a similar number in July which could result in the island having a record breaking number of summer visitors this year.”