The 2023 cruise ship season ends in fine style this coming month as Falmouth welcomes five large ships making the final calls of what can only be described as the best season on record with 50 calls.

On Sunday, October 1 the German-operated Artania, the former Royal Princess, makes the first of two calls as she begins a 16-day Hamburg to Bremerhaven cruise taking in Channel and Bay of Biscay ports in the Atlantic Arc group of ports. Artania has been a regular caller here for the past 38 years.

The ship starts her transatlantic repositioning cruise in mid October when she makes a call on October 16th enroute to Miami. At Christmas the ship starts a 143-day round-the-world cruise.

The 139,000 tons MSC Preziosa from the MSC Cruises stable returns on October 3. The 333-metre-long behemoth will anchor in the bay for tendering passengers ashore.

The following day Ambassador Cruises Ambition arrives from Bristol to embark passengers for her third cruise from Falmouth, “Iberian Northern Africa Escape” a 12-day round trip. Her next cruise from the port will be on October 16th when she starts a nine-day cruise “Maritime Cities Scenic Waterways” visiting Amsterdam, Antwerp, Rouen and Honfleur.

READ MORE: What passengers can enjoy as 'no fly cruise' leaves from Falmouth

Viking Venus arrives again on October 7 as she makes her way south for the season on the popular “Bergen to Barcelona” cruise.

The final call of the year will be on October 21 with the inaugural call of the MSC Euribia on a nine-day Hamburg to Hamburg cruise. This vessel only came into service in July since when she has kept in European waters doing short cruises.

Powered by LNG MSC Euribia is an environmentally friendly ship featuring an advanced onboard wastewater treatment system whereby all wastewater on board is directed to the water treatment system, so no water is allowed to leave the ship without specific treatment that cleans the water to very high standards.

This avoids alien ocean organisms from being transported from one ocean area to other, which could threaten local ecosystems.

A waste management system collects all waste materials which are sorted to segregate items for recycling. Any waste materials collected are sorted to segregate items for recycling.

MSC Euribia is named after the ancient goddess Euribia who harnessed the winds, weather and constellations to master the seas. Her hull is emblazoned with artwork.

In October 2021, MSC launched a worldwide competition in search of an artist to design an artwork for MSC Euribia hull, to symbolise MSC Cruises commitment to the sea.

MSC said: “The unique and iconic design by artist Alex Flämig has been chosen to represent our message of dedication to the marine ecosystem.”

The 184,000-ton ship can carry upwards of 6,000 passengers with a further 1,700 crew.

Ambassador Cruises Ambition is embarking on a series of Falmouth to Falmouth cruises again next year to France, Spain, Ireland, Round UK and a “Springtime in Fjordland” cruise, which I expect will appeal to people.

Cruises start on April 14, April 26, May 3 and May 14, 2024 from Falmouth Docks.