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#BelfastLough - Chief executive of Azamara Club Cruises, the firm which has docked its Azamara Pursuit in Belfast for a £50m makeover, said the project could see the "renaissance" of a bygone industry here, writes The Belfast Telegraph.

Larry Pimentel, whose cruise line is part of the Royal Caribbean family, made the comments as he viewed the progress of his cruise vessel's refit, which is being carried out at Harland and Wolff in Belfast by staff from Newry firm MJM Group.

"It is my expectation that this will be the beginning of a burgeoning trade. We'll come to Belfast and bring jobs for the craftsmanship and the bespoke capabilities of a bygone era. I view this as the beginning of something exciting," said Mr Pimentel who was previously chief executive of Cunard Line and Seabourn Cruise Line.

The Miami-based chief believes that other cruise lines around the world will follow Royal Caribbean's lead by bringing more projects here.

For further reading of the story click the link.

Published in Belfast Lough
The Holiday World Show in association with The Sunday Times, opened its doors today at the RDS Simmonscourt Complex in Dublin. The three-day show, which runs tomorrow and Sunday, will have numerous exhibitors with worldwide destinations and all types of holidays on offer.
As part of the show, visitors can attend a series of free talks held each day. One of the talks will be about "Cruise Holidays" –All You Need To Know, presented by cruise travel specialist, John Galligan of (John Galligan Travel) which starts at 3pm on Saturday. For a full list of the other speakers click HERE

The following ferry and  cruise operators are exhibiting at the show: Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Celtic Link Ferries, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Cruise Holidays, Travel.ie, Hurtigruten, John Galligan Travel, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruise Lines, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Saga, Silversea Cruises, Thomas Cook and Voyages To Antiquity.

Also exhibiting is Emerald Star for those interested in taking a cabin-cruiser holiday on the Shannon.

For opening times of Holiday World Show (incorporating the Caravan & Motor Home Show) see below

Friday 28 January 1.00 pm - 8.00 pm 

Saturday 29 January 11.00 am - 5.30 pm

Sunday 30 January 11.00 am - 5.30 pm

For a full listing of exhibitors, ticket prices and further information about the show logon to www.holidayworldshow.com

Published in Cruise Liners
A new 'Cruise Pavilion' awaits visitors as part of The Belfast Telegraph Holiday World Show which opened its doors today. The three-in-one show which already includes the Caravan & Motorhome Show and Angling Ireland Show, is also open tomorrow and Sunday at the Kings Hall, Belfast.
Apart from the many and varied travel options from around the world, the exhibitors will provide holiday-makers with expert advice, special offers, promotions, competitions and entertainment and the cruise pavilion will cater for those considering taking their holiday afloat.

The following ferry, cruise and specialist travel companies exhibiting at the Belfast venue are: DFDS Seaways (formerly Norfolkline), Celebrity Cruises, Complete Cruise Solution, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Cunard, Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O, Princess, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Seabourn, Silverseas Cruises, The Cruise Machine (trading as Vamos Holidays) and Voyages To Antiquity.

On the following weekend, The Holiday World Show in association with The Sunday Times will be held on 28, 29 and 30 January at the RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, which incorporates the Caravan & Motor Home Show.

Like the Belfast show The World World Show in Dublin will have numerous exhibitors with worldwide destinations and all types of holidays on show. The following ferry, cruise and specialist travel operators will be exhibiting: Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Celtic Link Ferries, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Cruise Holidays, Travel.ie, Hurtigruten, John Galligan Travel, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruise Lines, Pullmantur Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Saga, Silversea Cruises, Thomas Cook and Voyages To Antiquity. Also at the show will be Emerald Star for those interested in taking a cabin-cruiser holiday on the Shannon.

Visitors to the Holiday World Show Dublin can attend cruise talks hosted by the Eoghan Corry Free Expert Clinics during the three-day long show. For a full listing of exhibitors, ticket prices, opening hours and further information about both shows logon to www.holidayworldshow.com

Published in Cruise Liners

Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

© Afloat 2020