Lerwick welcomes Virtuosa, its largest ever visiting cruise ship

Lerwick Port Authority said there were 60 nationalities on board Virtuosa, which is making a seven-day voyage.

The vessel is anchored in the deep-water harbour, with passengers being transferred to-and-from the town centre.

Virtuosa arrived from Southampton before heading for the Norwegian fjords.

“The majority of cruise ships visiting Lerwick are small to medium-sized vessels,” Melanie Henderson, the port authority’s cruise and marketing manager, said.

“Virtuosa’s maiden call is another example of Shetland’s popularity as a tourist destination, and the port’s capacity to welcome the larger vessels is also operating.”

The largest previous cruise vessel to call at Lerwick was Virtuosa’s sister ship, Meraviglia, in July 2018, with more than 5,000 passengers and about 1,500 crew.