Cruise passengers love Inverclyde visit

Lorraine Tinney • Published 2 Jul 2009 14:00

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CRUISE passengers gave Inverclyde the thumbs-up despite the rain yesterday.

Thousands of holidaymakers sailed into Greenock on the Crown Princess - the biggest liner to visit Scotland - which was carrying passengers from as far afield as the USA, New Zealand and Japan.

The ship has nine restaurants, fitness and spa facilities, two theatres and an outdoor film screen over its pool.

But the tourists were impressed with their first views of Greenock, the friendliness of local people and the town"s shops.

Speech pathologist Haley Durall, 27, from St Louis in Missouri, travelling with her friends, Julie Asher and Connie Willis, said: 'I liked looking at the countryside and over the town. It"s beautiful. It"s the prettiest port we"ve been to yet.'

Sophia and Michael Rhodes, 60, from Phoenix, Arizona, found Greenock folk very friendly and helpful.

Sophia, 62, said: 'The town centre was very nice. Everybody is friendly and gave us wonderful directions.'

New York pair Sue and Herb Beim thought Greenock was charming. Sue, 68, said: 'Everyone is so friendly. I told this woman I liked what she was wearing, and she offered to give us a tour of the area.'

Some visitors went to Glasgow, or took a free whistlestop tour with Inverclyde Tourist Group. But California couple William and Joanne Cozine missed the chance and would have liked to have seen more of the area.

William, 72, said: 'It"s a nice town. We wanted to see more, but we couldn"t get a place on the tour. You need to run more tours.'

Teacher James Cirocco and his wife Dixie, also from California, enjoyed a jaunt to Glasgow.

James, 65, said: 'We went to Kelvingrove Museum and we had a great time. People are very friendly in Greenock in the shops, or when you ask for directions.

'But if we had known about the local tour beforehand we would have gone on that.'

See Friday's Tele for our special feature on the Crown Princess, in which we take a peek inside the luxury liner.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 02 Jul 09

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