Large passenger ships disappear from the quays of the Port of Gdynia at end of summer. Fortunately, according to the forecasts for the next year, the cruiser MSC Lirica is expected in Gdynia as early as on May 1st 2012, thus inaugurating the next cruiser season. The 2012 tourist season is supposed to be even more interesting than the previous one thanks to more than 70 passenger ships that are expected to call in the port next year.
This year's cruiser season ended on September 17th with the call of Gemini - a 163m long ship sailing under the Bahamas’ flag. In 2011, cruisers moored at the quays of the port of Gdynia as many as 56 times, bringing more than 78 thousand visitors on their decks. The largest vessel in terms of length visiting Gdynia this season as many as three times was Costa Pacifica (290.20m) built in 2009.
This year another two cruisers were honored with plaques in the “Passenger Ships Avenue". These were: Costa Pacifica (unveiling ceremony took place on 07.06.2011) and Mein Schiff 2 (12.08.2011).
Passenger Ships Avenue in Gdynia is the only such place in Poland. In order to commemorate the largest and most beautiful cruisers calling each season at the port of Gdynia, commemorative plaques have been set at the Pomeranian Quay since 1st July 2001. The plaques are made of green Italian granite; they represent the picture and name of the ship, the emblem of Gdynia, the sign of the owner and the Polish agent as well as the year of unveiling of the plaque. The following ships already have their plaques in the Avenue: Birca Princess, Vistamar, Albatros, Lili Marleen, Grand Princess, Discovery, Star Princess, Constellation, the Baltic Cruise project, Navigator of the Seas, Hanseatic, Queen Victoria, AIDAluna, Emerald Princess, Grand Mistral, Vision of the Seas, AIDAblu, Costa Pacifica and Mein Schiff 2.
