Five ships remain in Weymouth Bay following suspension of cruise travel due to Covid

There are currently five remaining cruise ships in Weymouth Bay following the suspension of cruise travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cruise ships appeared in Weymouth in early 2020, choosing the spot to avoid berthing fees in UK ports.

The number of cruise ships has fluctuated since last March. At one point there were eight vessels in the Dorset bay.

Despite hopes for a January industry restart, it is now understood cruise travel will not resume business until the spring.

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In July the Foreign Office put in place a warning to British nationals against the maritime holidays in the wake of numerous cruise-based coronavirus outbreaks around the world.

The advice made it impossible for keen cruisers to secure holiday insurance. The cruises were forced to settle in at ports and even Weymouth Bay.

The striking view of the empty floating hotels turned them into a major tourist attraction. Special boat trips have appeared offering to take tourists around the gleaming giants.

The ships honked in the 2021 New Year by sounding their horns at midnight last week, to much fanfare from Weymouth residents.

CruiseMapper has confirmed PO cruisers Britannia and Aurora, Cunard ships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria as well as the mammoth cruise liner Norwegian Bliss are all still in the bay.

While a number of TUI Marella Cruises were in Weymouth last summer, they have since moved down the coast to Torquay.

Here is the full list and vessel details on these remaining cruises:

1. Britannia, PO Cruises

Year of build: 2015

Length: 330m / 1,082ft

Passenger capacity: 4,406

Number of decks: 18

2. Aurora – PO Cruises

Year of build: 2000

Length: 270m / 885ft

Passenger capacity: 2,258

Number of decks: 13

3. Queen Elizabeth, Cunard

Year of build: 2010

Length: 293m / 961ft

Passenger capacity: 2,503

Number of decks: 12

4. Queen Victoria, Cunard

Year of build: 2007

Length: 293m / 961ft

Passenger capacity: 2,489

Number of decks: 12

5. Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Cruise Line

Year of build: 2018

Length: 326m / 1069ft

Passenger capacity: 4,903

Number of decks: 20

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