More than 110,000 cruise passengers are expected to arrive at Portland Port this season with its shuttle bus service still 'under constant review.'

The port, anticipating its busiest cruise season after a record-breaking 2023, has just welcomed its first ship of the season.

With the rise in passenger numbers, the port has come under fire from locals for the operation of its shuttle bus service, used for ferrying passengers to between cruise ships and Weymouth.

Newton’s Road and Spring Road in the town have seen scenes that one resident referred to as traffic congestion from 'hell.'

Residents have written to the port and Dorset Council, calling the situation ‘unacceptable’ and are considering all options including legal and civil action against both the port and Dorset Council.

A spokesman for Portland Port says measures are being taken to reduce congestion in Weymouth residential streets.

They said: “Portland Port supplies a complimentary shuttle service for cruise passengers to visit Weymouth, which remains under constant review to ensure it operates in the best way possible.

“The port has contracted a professional traffic management company for all calls, which includes the provision of traffic marshals, and has worked with bus operators to stagger the arrival of vehicles and limit the number on the road at any one time.”

The port welcomed its first cruise ship of the 2024 season when the AIDAsol arrived with more than 2,000 passengers on board, yesterday, Monday, February 19.

Arriving at 8.46am from Lexioes in Portugal, the call marked the start of an 11-month long season with 47 vessel visits and 110,000 passengers due between February and December with the exception of March.

Guests from the ship, which is operated by AIDA Cruises for mostly German speaking tourists, travelled into Weymouth and the local area during the eight-hour stop over.

A total of 2,194 passengers plus more than 600 crew arrived on the AIDAsol when she pulled alongside the port’s deep water berth.

Ian McQuade, Portland Port’s commercial general manager and chair of Cruise Britain said: “It was wonderful to see our first cruise ship of 2024 arrive.

“The vast majority of cruise calls this year were booked two years ago in 2022 and we are already well advanced in planning our itinerary for 2025 and 2026.

“As well as raising the profile of the area and contributing to the local economy, cruise ship visits extend the tourist season beyond the summer peak.

“We’re grateful for the warm welcome and support provided by local residents, businesses, tourist attractions and organisations who see the benefit of cruise visits for the area.

“We’re looking forward to another superb year sharing the delights of our area with tourists from all over the world whilst supporting the growth of the local economy.”

AIDAsol visited Portland as the penultimate stop of a 117-day world tour, which ends in Hamburg on February 21.

It was her inaugural visit to Portland, and the first of five calls at the port this year for the ship.

Vessels due at Portland include the Disney Dream in September, the Caribbean Princess in May, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 in June, Oceania Nautica in August and, Holland America’s Rotterdam in October before the final call of the season on December 10 by the AIDAmar.

Portland Port is also to welcome French visitors for the first time, Ponant vessel Le Champlain and CFC’s Renaissance.

CFC is a new French cruise line that started operations last year and is planning to make three calls at Portland in 2024.

There are a total of nine inaugural calls this year, because as well as AIDAsol, Le Champlain and Renaissance, Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess and Caribbean Princess, as well as Norwegian Cruises Lines’ Norwegian Pearl, Regent Seven Seas’ Seven Seas Mariner, Seabourn’s Seabourn Sojurn and Oceania Cruises’ Sirena will be dropping anchor at Portland for the first time.

The Sun Princess is not only making her inaugural visit to Portland, she is also a brand new ship in her inaugural season.

Cruise calls are estimated to contribute £10m to the local economy annually with most calls booked two years in advance.

The £10m is based on industry figures and includes spending by day excursion visitors to shops, bars, cafes and takeaways, along with expenditure on numerous local tourism attractions, tours of the UNESCO world heritage sites of the Jurassic Coast, Stonehenge and Bath, taxis and coaches.