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#cruiseliners – The Wind Surf – the largest ship in the Windstar Cruises fleet – will dock at Dun Laoghaire Harbour tomorrow, Thursday, 4th September at 8am.

As previously reported, her arrival marks the final cruise call of the season for Dun Laoghaire after a hugely successful series of cruise dockings at the harbour this spring / summer.

The Wind Surf, one part sailing yacht and one part upscale cruise ship, has seven triangular, self-furling, computer operated sails, making a stunning ship. The ship, known for its luxurious amenities and unique ports of call, carries 312 guests and 191 international staff.

The cruise ship's docking at the harbour coincides with Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company's recent announcement that 2015 will be the most successful year ever for Dun Laoghaire in terms of attracting cruise passengers to the harbour. A total of 23 cruise vessels have already been confirmed to visit Dun Laoghaire in 2015. The size of these ships is such that they will bring a record 66,867 passengers.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's docking of the Windsurf, Gerry Dunne, CEO of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, said: "Since 2012, due to the attractiveness of Dun Laoghaire and its wonderful harbour, the number of cruise bookings has grown exponentially and 2015 will be the most successful year ever for Dun Laoghaire in terms of attracting cruise passengers to the harbour.

"We welcome cruise ships of all shapes and sizes and are delighted that the Windsurf will be docking at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Cruise passengers provide a valuable source of business for retail outlets and restaurants, which will deliver a huge economic boost for the town and its hinterland," he added.

William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland and internationally for many years, with his work appearing in leading sailing publications on both sides of the Atlantic. He has been a regular sailing columnist for four decades with national newspapers in Dublin, and has had several sailing books published in Ireland, the UK, and the US. An active sailor, he has owned a number of boats ranging from a Mirror dinghy to a Contessa 35 cruiser-racer, and has been directly involved in building and campaigning two offshore racers. His cruising experience ranges from Iceland to Spain as well as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, and he has raced three times in both the Fastnet and Round Ireland Races, in addition to sailing on two round Ireland records. A member for ten years of the Council of the Irish Yachting Association (now the Irish Sailing Association), he has been writing for, and at times editing, Ireland's national sailing magazine since its earliest version more than forty years ago