Locals furious as huge cruise ship 'takes over' tiny Cornish town
Residents of a tiny Cornish town have fumed after a cruise ship carrying half its population landed, flooding its streets with tourists.
Locals in the small town of Fowey weren't impressed as the gigantic vessel stopped, swelling its population by 50%. The 58,000 ton Spirit of Adventure ship carrying 999 passengers was described as "awful", with many residents furious it was allowed to dock there.
Equivalent to the size of 22 London buses, the colossal ship arrived in the tiny Cornish harbour on Friday, staying almost 12 hours after landing at 6am. But while some cited the arrival as good for the local trade, many raged at the boat's visit, also criticising it for pumping out polluting fumes into the local surroundings.
Author Sasha Swire took to X (formerly Twitter), describing it as "awful". "Shouldn't be allowed", wrote Ms Swire. Another user added: "With a very low tide it looked far too big for Fowey."
The ship arrived in the tiny town on Friday (MARK PASSMORE/APEX)A third said: "Madness! And they want to attract more like this in Fowey!" A fourth person posted on the platform, writing: "That's a lot of filth being pumped into the atmosphere in the heart of Fowey then. Impressive scale though".
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Shocking pictures showed the ship tower above the charming seaside town on Friday, staying the whole day. The liner is thought to be the biggest cruise ship to ever call in to Fowey at 60,000 tonnes and 236 metres long, leaving for Weymouth, Dorset, at 5pm that evening.
Harbourmaster Paul Thomas told the BBC the boat's size was "just within" the harbour's limits, and that a pilot was brought over from Germany to test how she would dock in different weather conditions. He said: "What we are trying to do is attract this size of ship, which is just on our limit, but it means we can have those passengers going to visit the town and nearby destinations."
It came amidst an ongoing crisis of second home ownership in the area. Data from Cornwall Live published last year showed Fowey has 1,461 homes in total, with 239 of them (16%) being used as second homes.
Many locals were furious at the 58,000 ton liner descending on the tiny town (MARK PASSMORE/APEX)The influx of second home owners has pushed up prices, leaving many locals unable to find a home. Residents in the town voted in 2020 against the prospect of newbuilds being sold as second homes in a bid to curb the issue.
Huge cruise liners have become increasingly controversial over recent years. Residents in top Italian tourist destination Venice have campaigned for several years to ban the liners over concerns they are damaging the lagoon and destroying the environment.
A spokesperson for Saga, the cruise operator running Spirit of Adventure, said the boat offered "a distinctly British way to cruise". Describing themselves as offering a "boutique" cruise experience, the company said: "On board this ship, the levels of service are second to none, with a guest-to-crew ratio of 2:1, so there is always someone on hand.
"And with all gratuities included in the price, every guest receives the same high levels of service. Along with a huge selection of all-balcony cabins and suites, the ship offers a host of other diversions.
"There’s The Playhouse theatre for live matinee and evening shows, The Britannia Lounge for music and dancing, an indulgent spa, and a selection of bars. The ship’s outside spaces are just as impressive. This includes the Lido outdoor pool, wide open decks including a wraparound promenade, and further bars and alfresco dining areas."
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