It was great to see another cruise ship visiting Whitehaven and this time it was the Saga Pearl. At over 400ft and 12,500 ton it was a little too large to fit through the lock gates and enter Whitehaven Harbour. However, passengers were decanted into two of the ship's lifeboats and brought ashore.
After passing through Whitehaven's sea lock the boats moored on the marina and the passengers disembarked. To help promote Whitehaven as the gateway to the lakes, the passengers were greeted by the Mayor of Whitehaven, whilst Whitehaven Brass band played a programme of suitable tunes on the harbourside as they boarded the coaches for their tour.
Although not very large the Saga Pearl with accommodation for 474 has one of the largest libraries of any ship, a dedicated cinema and a gym. It also has a rather interesting history having originally been built as a Soviet spy ship Okean and finished as cruise ship Minerva. It now leads a dual life as both the Saga Pearl and Explorer II.