Liner Black Watch has closed the cruise season in Rosyth, marking the end of the most successful year yet.
It already appears that 2017 will be even busier.
During the season, 88 cruise ships visited the river Forth, landing around 100,000 passengers from Japan, Germany and the UK.
33 ships called at Rosyth, boosting the west Fife economy.
The Fred Olsen vessels, which include the Black Watch and Boudicca, are frequently seen under the Forth bridges, and the cruise line already has increased bookings in place from the port in 2017 and 2018.
Peter Wilson, project manager for Cruise Forth said: “With the help of Fife Council-funded buses, taxis, local tour operators and excursion buses, passengers were able to explore Fife from Dunfermline to St Andrews.
“More and more local businesses are getting involved as they recognise the business opportunities that can be developed.
“Meanwhile, Fife is securing its place as a great tourism destination among UK and international visitors.”
Rob Mason, head of cruise from Forth Ports, added: “This has been a successful year for cruise calls into Rosyth and we will continue to work with Fred Olsen to develop Rosyth as a key turnaround port for Scottish cruising.”
Thanking the team for choosing Rosyth, he added: “We look forward to our busiest year yet in 2017.”
Clare Ward, the senior commercial planning manager for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We would like to thank the team in Rosyth for helping to make our cruise season this year our busiest yet, and we are looking forward to building upon this success in 2017.
“Scotland continues to be an increasingly important market for Fred Olsen, and we know that our guests enjoy the experience of sailing from Rosyth, with its iconic bridges and stunning scenery.”
Alistair Bruce, chairman of the Fife Tourism Partnership, congratulated all involved in yet another successful cruise season.
“The tourism sector in Fife is increasingly diverse with visitors choosing to come for many different reasons.
“This is a very positive message for businesses and the local economy.
“I would encourage more businesses to get involved and see how they can benefit from the growing interest in the area.”
