One of the world's largest cruise ships due to call in at Portland Port today has had to cancel the stop due to high winds.

MSC Virtuosa was due to call in at the port for the day and give its nearly 5,000 passengers the chance to explore Weymouth.

But high winds with gusts of up to 49mph forecast by the Met Office mean there has been a change of plans.

MSC Virtuosa, which is 331 metres long and has 16 decks, is currently in the English Channel off the coast of Cornwall instead of in port.

The cancellation comes as a blow to Weymouth with Virtuosa's 4,842 passengers due to spend money exploring the town today.

They were due to be welcomed by Dorset ambassadors in Hope Square, Weymouth, from 1pm to 3pm.

Ambassadors have been busy in Hope Square during 2022, welcoming cruise ship passengers to Weymouth from around the globe. Portland Port has had an eight-month programme of cruise ship arrivals between April and November, with more than 62 cruise ships on the calendar bringing 110,000 passengers to Dorset.

The size and scale of these ships varies massively, from smaller vessels carrying only a few hundred, to the largest ship, which was due to dock today, MSC Virtuosa. At full capacity with passengers and crew it can carry 6,334 people – that’s around half the population of Portland.

This year, many of the cruise ship passengers have been from the USA, and Germany, which has given some of the Volunteer Ambassadors the opportunity to use their linguistic skills making non-English speakers feel extra welcome.

Visitors are very happy to see a smiling face as they depart the shuttle buses from Portland Port at Hope Square, and receive any help and advice about services, facilities, and places of interest – as well as town map and other printed literature. The Ambassadors are all volunteers from the local community and are thrilled to share their wealth of local knowledge with everyone they meet.

The Dorset Ambassador programme was first conceived in 2021 as it was anticipated that, like other years since the pandemic, many people would choose to holiday within the UK rather than travel abroad. This year, the Ambassadors joined forces with the Weyfarers who have been welcoming cruise ships for many years after volunteering during the 2012 Olympics. The Weymouth Information Shop has also played a vital role supporting the Ambassadors and visitors since opening in May this year. It offers a huge range of information, from sectors including health and wellbeing, community, advice and guidance, and volunteering.

Lynita Harris, Operations Manager at Volunteer Centre Dorset said “It is really lovely to hear such positive feedback from our Ambassadors, cruise passengers and the public. I have come across quite a few visitors myself while working in the Weymouth Information Shop, and they often comment on the warm welcome and helpful advice they received in Hope Square. We are proud to be supporting such a wonderful team of volunteers, both new and seasoned experts, who all give their time for the love of Weymouth. The positive comments that I’ve heard from visitors about how beautiful Weymouth is, feels very promising for the future of tourism in the town.”

Volunteer Centre Dorset supports the volunteer ambassadors and would encourage anyone who is proud to welcome people to Weymouth to join the friendly group.

All volunteers will be given a uniform including a cap, polo shirt, jacket and backpack and will be offered training. Volunteers can claim out-of-pocket expenses like public transport costs, parking and mileage – and we have an arrangement with a local café to receive a hot drink to keep you going during your shift.

To register as a Dorset Ambassador, visit www.volunteeringdorset.org.uk