Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is deploying smaller ship Bolette from Newcastle for the first time with departures from the Port of Tyne.
The line has returned to offer regional sailings from the north east for the spring and summer using the former 1,380-passenger Holland America Line ship Amsterdam.
A nine-night inaugural Northern Lights cruise from Newcastle is being followed by itineraries covering Norway, Iceland, Amsterdam, Latvia, Estonia, the Arctic and Sweden.
Product and customer service director Clare Ward said: “We have been offering sailings from Newcastle for many years, and so it is great to be back – this time with our beautiful flagship Bolette.
“Newcastle’s north-easterly location means we can offer some fantastic sailings in a much shorter time, including to northern Norway in nine-nights, and the beautiful scenic fjords in just five-nights.”
Port of Tyne international terminal manager Phil Bedford added: “As a region, we firmly believe that we have the infrastructure to grow UK departures from the Port of Tyne, and world-class tourist attractions to grow the number of visiting cruise calls.
“Fred Olsen is committed to serving regional ports around the UK and has been working with the Port of Tyne for over a decade.
“We enjoy a very loyal following in the north east, and we are pleased to be offering 19 calls from this convenient regional port during this spring and summer 2023 season.”