I have a grand view of the Moray Firth from my house. I’m well used to seeing rigs and oil-related vessels passing, but cruise ships always add a wee bit of variety. The most notable event was when the Wind Surf passed by. I’d never have known the name of this unusual ship had it not been for the list that the Port of Invergordon publishes (http://www.cfpa.co.uk/Cromarty_Firth_Port_Authority/media/Document-Library/Cruise/Cruise-Lines.pdf)
On paper, visiting cruise ships should be a good thing. But only if there is a significant amount of money ending up in the local economy. If it’s simply a case of point-and-click and then back to the boat for dinner, then obviously that’s not happening. Is it a genuine opportunity to visit a beautiful part of Scotland, or just a “toilet stop”?
Then you mentioned the crews: “groups of young, south-east Asian men obviously glad to get a bit of daylight” I recall seeing a documentary somewhere that highlighted the lives of those who work on cruise ships. While many of them get higher wages than they would working in their home countries and are able to provide more for their families, the sea does not respect employment rights. They work long hours without rest days and are simply expected to get on with it or bugger off.
We wouldn’t put up with this, but hey – I managed to book a really cheap cruise for my holiday. How cool is that?