Cruise Europe
Cruise Europe
08/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/20/2026 05:11
Greenock comes together to welcome Valiant Lady
Greenock Cruise Port (GCP) welcomed Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady to the Clyde for her inaugural visit on August 8. Representatives from the port and the local community joined the captain and crew onboard for the traditional plaque ceremony
Allison McGuire, head of operations GCP, told Cruise Europe: "The visit was a good example of how we are trying to bring together port operations, our local partners and the wider community together to create something more than simply a vessel call."
From an operational perspective, the call involved close coordination between GCP, Peel Ports' marine and operational teams, Mirren Marine's mooring team and OCS Security, alongside the ship's own onboard team. With Valiant Lady being one of Virgin Voyages' larger Lady Ships, the arrival and departure required the usual detailed planning around berthing, mooring, gangway operations, passenger movements and waterside activity.
"For the inaugural visit we also wanted the departure to feel particularly memorable. Coordinating the marine movement with the shoreside activity gave us a fairly spectacular send-off and something quite different for guests to experience from the ship," says McGuire. Inverclyde Pipe Band played from the quayside as guests gathered on the open decks, while a Svitzer tug provided a water-cannon escort as Valiant Lady left Greenock and headed down the Clyde.
"The local community also plays a very practical role in our cruise operation. Members of the Inverclyde Tourist Group are present during calls to welcome visitors and provide local information, helping guests who want to explore Greenock and Inverclyde independently rather than travelling straight into Glasgow. Local businesses and suppliers are increasingly becoming involved too, which is something we are actively developing as the port grows," she explains.
"One of our main aims at Greenock is to make the cruise call feel connected to the destination. We want guests to know they have arrived on the Clyde and in Inverclyde from the moment they step ashore, rather than the port simply being viewed as a gateway to elsewhere. Valiant Lady's visit probably captured that better than most. There was a serious port and marine operation happening behind the scenes, but on the passenger side it felt welcoming, local and quite a lot of fun."
Allison McGuire, head of operations GCP, told Cruise Europe: "The visit was a good example of how we are trying to bring together port operations, our local partners and the wider community together to create something more than simply a vessel call."
From an operational perspective, the call involved close coordination between GCP, Peel Ports' marine and operational teams, Mirren Marine's mooring team and OCS Security, alongside the ship's own onboard team. With Valiant Lady being one of Virgin Voyages' larger Lady Ships, the arrival and departure required the usual detailed planning around berthing, mooring, gangway operations, passenger movements and waterside activity.
"For the inaugural visit we also wanted the departure to feel particularly memorable. Coordinating the marine movement with the shoreside activity gave us a fairly spectacular send-off and something quite different for guests to experience from the ship," says McGuire. Inverclyde Pipe Band played from the quayside as guests gathered on the open decks, while a Svitzer tug provided a water-cannon escort as Valiant Lady left Greenock and headed down the Clyde.
"The local community also plays a very practical role in our cruise operation. Members of the Inverclyde Tourist Group are present during calls to welcome visitors and provide local information, helping guests who want to explore Greenock and Inverclyde independently rather than travelling straight into Glasgow. Local businesses and suppliers are increasingly becoming involved too, which is something we are actively developing as the port grows," she explains.
"One of our main aims at Greenock is to make the cruise call feel connected to the destination. We want guests to know they have arrived on the Clyde and in Inverclyde from the moment they step ashore, rather than the port simply being viewed as a gateway to elsewhere. Valiant Lady's visit probably captured that better than most. There was a serious port and marine operation happening behind the scenes, but on the passenger side it felt welcoming, local and quite a lot of fun."
© Greenock Cruise Port
© Greenock Cruise Port
© Greenock Cruise Port
Cruise Europe published this content on August 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 20, 2026 at 11:11 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]