MILFORD Haven will have an influx of visitors when the Ocean Princess cruise vessel returns to the waterway next week.

The cruise liner, which last called in on July 31, will be calling again in the Milford Haven Waterway on Wednesday, August 28, from 7am until 4pm, with about 650 passengers.

For this call, a craft fair will be held in a separate marquee on the Mackerel Quay from 9am until 3pm, as well as a guided walk at 11am starting from the Mackerel Quayside, which will last approximately one hour.

Both events are for cruise passengers, visitors and locals.

Two days later, on August 30, a new vessel from the Saga fleet M/S Saga Sapphire will be making her inaugural call to Milford Haven from 8am until 6pm.

Port of Milford Haven cruise development officer Sue Blanchard-Williams said: "Port of Milford Haven is leading the promotion of Pembrokeshire as a cruising destination, providing a fantastic boost to the local economy. By coming here visitors get an amazing experience of the rich heritage not just of Pembrokeshire but the whole of Wales.

"On average each passenger spends £80 and each crew member £55 locally. This is distributed between destinations they visit, coach transportation, shops, taxis. I often receive calls after each cruise visit from one particular tourist attraction telling me how delighted they are by the number of visitors on a cruise day.

"We will have eight cruise calls by the end of the season; so far this year we have had four, with two calls next week and two calling in September."