The number of Oslo cruise lines was more than halved from 213 in 2011/2012 to approximately 100 today. During the same period, the number of cruise passengers visiting Norway grew sharply.
“Historically, the peak for cruises in Oslo was in 2011, when approximately 312,000 cruise passengers visited the capital. By 2016 this figure was down to approximately 170,000 passengers,Oslo harbour manager, Ingvar Mathisen, confirmed to Skipsrevyen.
Head of cruise ships at ‘Innovasjon Norge’, Tor Johan Pedersen,indicated that Oslo has lost market share elsewhere in Norway. During the period during which cruises in Oslo have fallen, the number of cruise passengers coming to Norway has grown by approximately one million passengers.
“There is no doubt that Oslo has lost market share. At the same time, we see that cruises have grown strongly in Western Norway. Perhaps they have been better at marketing themselves as a cruise destination,” said Pedersen.
Former member of the Oslo Cruise Network, Per Erik Winther, claimed that a lack of commitment, including the development of a spin-off terminal at Vippetangen, is part of the reason. Royal Caribbean International wanted to create Oslo as a port, but dropped plans when the harbour wasn’t built.
Mathisen says there was never a planned or approved terminal at Vippetangen, but that it was investigated as an alternative in the current port plan. At the same time, he confirmed that a cruise ship terminal is being reviewed again in a new port plan.
He also referred to several other measures to improve the port of Oslo,saying that the ambition is to make the port “the best cruise destination in Norway”.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
