Cruise ship cancellations affects Guernsey businesses

Wednesday, 22 April 2026 11:25

A Guernsey tour company says the tourism sector can no longer depend entirely on cruise passengers.

'Disappointing but inevitable' is the reaction from Tuk Tuk Guernsey to the two-week delay to the start of the island's cruise ship season.

The first two boats have cancelled for operational or weather issues, with the next scheduled towards the end of April.

Tim Bean says cancellations are common, and over the past few years, customers have changed:

"Overall, the number of expected cruise passengers is well down.

"When we set up the Tuk Tuk business in 2020, our target market was cruise ship passengers.

"Sadly, that's no longer the case, and we're much more reliant on getting business from visitors staying at the various hotels on the island."

Tim dreams of a permanent berth for cruise ships:

"If only Guernsey had a pier head that cruise ships could tie up to, and then they'd be able to arrive with some certainty.

"I'm absolutely sure we'd attract far more cruise ship passengers, which has to be a good thing for the island.

"I'm sure it won't become a reality because of the costs, but it would be an investment for the future."

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