Will the Cabinet Secretary liaise with Cruise Wales to ascertain if cruise ships can dock at Llandudno Pier?
I recognise the economic value cruise visitors bring to north Wales and will contact Cruise Wales to explore increasing calls at Llandudno. However, there are limits to the size of vessels that can safely use the pier.
Llandudno Pier was built as a pleasure pier, making direct docking of large cruise ships impractical. Although the landing stage was rebuilt in 2012 to support steamships and tendering, it cannot accommodate full docking for large liners. Its layout restricts vessel length to around 75 metres.
Shallow waters and tidal conditions impose draught restrictions, with most operators requiring at least 1 metre under-keel clearance. Tides below 2.3 metres are unsuitable, limiting viable days to just a few per month. The pier is exposed to wind and swell, complicating manoeuvring and berthing. Tidal changes also make gangway positioning difficult even for smaller vessels.
Despite these constraints, Llandudno has hosted cruise ships such as the Hebridean Sky, Ocean Explora, and Sea Spirit, which anchor off the North Shore. Passengers come ashore via tenders that land on wooden jetties, a concrete slipway, or the beach. This demonstrates that Llandudno already has the capability to be a successful part of cruise line itineraries.