First call at newly extended Hatston Pier for liner

May 15, 2013 at 3:26 pm

The Caribbean Princess pictured at anchor in Kirkwall bay last year. She is due to tie up at Hatston Pier on Friday, the first liner of this size to do so. (Picture: Craig Taylor) — The *Caribbean Princess* pictured at anchor in Kirkwall Bay last year. She is due to tie up at Hatston Pier on Friday, the first liner of this size to do so.
(Picture: Craig Taylor)

The first of five calls this season from the 113,000 gross tonne liner Caribbean Princess is due to take place this Friday, when she becomes the first ship of this size to call into the extended berth at Hatston Pier.

With over 3200 passengers and 1000 crew, the 290m long liner is scheduled to arrive in Kirkwall at 8am, and will sail again at 6pm.

Around 2000 independent passengers will be taking to the streets of Kirkwall throughout the day, delivered by 10 shuttle buses that will operate all day from Hatston to the Kirkwall Travel Centre. The remaining passengers will be on 25 tour coaches booked for the day to visit the main sites of interest on the Orkney mainland.

Orkney will be visited by 76 liners this season and expects to receive over 60,000 passengers, an increase of over 100 per cent in passenger numbers since 2009.