Coaches Torbay

Cruiseship Visits

In recent years visiting cruiseships have made more numerous stops to Torbay, something that has been encouraged by the local authorities as it is seen as a good way of bringing in extra money to the area. There has been ongoing talk of extending Torquay's Haldon Pier to cater for visiting cruise-liners, time & money will tell if this ever happens! We now get around half a dozen visits by cruiseships per season, usually they'll arrive betwen 06.30-11.00, departing again between 14.00-21.00. 

To transport the many passengers who disembark onto one of the cruiseship's lifeboats/ferries and cross to land onto Torquay's Becon Quay a number of coaches are always hired in to take those who wish to go further than Torquay itself to locations such as Exeter, Plymouth, Buckfast Abbey. Around 6-9 vehicles usually are required, with Plymouth Citybus, C.J. Down of Mary Tavy, Target Travel of Plymouth being some of the more frequently used operators. The coaches usually arrive at Haldon Pier within an hour or two of the cruiseship anchoring in the Bay. Trips mostly take around 4-5 hours, so early departures around 08.00-09.00 arriving back around lunchtime and when the boat arrives later, coach departures leaving around 11.00-12.00 return around 16.00-17.30.

 

Cruiseship 'Amadea' during its visit to Torbay in May 2015

The rare sight of 2 Cruise Ships on one day in Torbay on 5th August 2016. 'Hamburg' to the far left, 'Sebourn Quest' to the right

 Heading along Torquay Harbourside returning passengers to visiting Cruiseship 'Delphin' in August 2014 is C.J. Down of Mary Tavy Berkhof Axial bodied Volvo B10M-62, 3504CD.

One of 2 Caeatno Levante bodied Volvo B12Bs acquired by C.J. Down of Mary Tavy from Bournemouth, this one being former FJ07DVZ, photographed heading away from Torquay's Haldon Pier whilst transporting passengers from visiting Cruiseliner 'Seabourn Quest' in August 2016.

On one of the wettest cruiseship visiting days back in September 2013 sees a pair of Grey Cars Coaches of Heathfield, Newton Abbot, fronted by Plaxton Première 350 bodied Volvo B10M-62, 2091MX. Former N219HWX.

A glorious day back in August 2014 as Plymouth Citycoach's Plaxton Premiere 350 bodied Volvo B10M-62, JSK264, former W311SDV, heads away from Torquay's Beacon Quay after bring back passengers of cruiseship, 'Delphin'.

A line-up of Plymouth Citycoch Plaxton bodied Volvos arriving back with coach loads of passengers from the 'Europa', seen above in August 2016.

 Plymouth Citybus 313-JSK261, former Y313NYD, a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M-62, arrives on Beacon Quay, with Torquay Harbour in view, to take visitors of cruiseliner 'Ocean Majesty' out around the county.