Cruise to Cowes Memorable experiences at Cowes for cruise guests | Page 2

Welcome to Cowes – Isle of Wight Cowes Harbour Commission is progressing an initiative with “Destination Cowes” and the Island’s tourism organisation ”Visit Isle of Wight” to increase the number of cruise ships visiting Cowes, and therefore, I would like to encourage you to consider Cowes as a stopover port for your Northern European itineraries. Every year, the Commission welcomes visiting cruise ships to the Isle of Wight to enjoy the delights of Cowes as well as the Island’s stunning coastlines and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes. The Commission is keen to promote Cowes as a unique destination for small and medium-sized cruise liners; this is in response to the rising demand in the cruise ship market and growth in the Northern European luxury cruise market. Cowes is ideally located on the central south coast of the UK and is an economical port-of-call for European and UK cruise itineraries. The sheltered anchorage offers ample swinging room with a quick tender run to Trinity Landing for disembarkation. Cruise visitors arrive onto The Parade, which is next to Henry VIII’s “Cowes Castle”, home to the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron and in the heart of Cowes. Cruise passengers may discover the historic town of Cowes and home of world yachting with its delightful boutique shopping in winding streets, or take a stroll along Prince’s Green with stunning views over the Solent. Visitors can also enjoy a visit to Queen Victoria’s magnificent Osborne House in East Cowes, the palatial royal residence used as the setting for the film Victoria and Abdul, and follow the new “Victoria’s Island” heritage trail. Throughout the season, Cowes hosts an unrivalled number of yacht races and regattas, with thousands of visitors regularly arriving in the town during the season’s major events. Lendy Cowes Week is the highlight of the British yacht-racing calendar, while the Round the Island Race is one of the largest participatory events in the world with around 1,500 boats competing. If you would like to find out more about Cowes as a port-of-call for your cruise itinerary, you are welcome to contact us at Cowes Harbour Office or please visit our website for more information: cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/cruise Capt. Stuart McIntosh Harbour Master / Chief Executive [email protected] [email protected] | [phone] cowesharbourcommission.co.uk