Cruises and Cruise Liner Visits to Ireland

Over 180,000 passengers on 94 cruise ships were welcomed to Cork Harbour (Cobh) this year with the end of season caller today, MSC Virtuosa at 181,541 gross tonnes representing one of the largest ships of its type in the world. The most frequent caller was Regal Princess with 14 visits and a maximum passenger capacity of 3,592 for each visit to the southern cruise terminal.

Thriving Cruise Season at Port of Cork Ends With MSC Virtuosa As Final Caller

25th October 2023 Cruise Liners

The cruise ship season for the Port of Cork Company (PoCC) has been marked with a successful year as it welcomed one of the largest such ships in the world, the MSC Virtuosa which arrived to Cork Harbour today. The…

The final cruise call of the season to Belfast Harbour was by Borealis which marked the 158th cruise ship to visit this year, in what has been a record season for Cruise Belfast. The cruise ship was scheduled to arrive last Friday, however due to adverse weather conditions, the arrival of the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines took place on the Saturday morning.

Record Cruise Season for Belfast Harbour Comes to a Close with Call by Borealis

23rd October 2023 Cruise Liners

A record cruise season for Belfast Harbour this year saw 158 calls as reported by Cruise Belfast, the partnership between the port and Visit Belfast which markets the city as a leading destination. The announcement was made as the final…

The Norwegian Star arriving in Greencastle 11th October 2023, the largest-ever cruise ship in Lough Foyle

Foyle Port Welcomes Lough Foyle’s Biggest Ever Ship

11th October 2023 Cruise Liners

The Norwegian Star, the largest-ever cruise ship to drop anchor in Lough Foyle, arrived spectacularly at 7am, marking the end of the 2023 cruise season for Foyle Port. The ship has a gross tonnage of 91,740 and a length of…

Azamara Pursuit on its maiden call to Warrenpoint, Co Down, is also where MJM Marine have their headquarters in Newry, and which was given in 2018 a project to fit-out the 800 passenger vessel at Harland & Wolff, Belfast. In the city’s port today, MJM will make its multi-million pound announcement on board the 2,950 cruise ship, Celebrity Apex, of Celebrity Cruises (Royal Caribbean Group) one of MJM Marine's trade partners.

Newry, Co. Down Cruise Ship Outfitting Firm Secures €139m of New Work

8th September 2023 Cruise Liners

A cruise ship and ferry outfitting firm based in Co. Down will announce today in Belfast Harbour that it has secured £120 million (€139m) of new work to fit out cruise ships. The firm MJM Marine located in Newry, said the…

Cruise passengers are tendered ashore to Dún Laoghaire Harbour. The south Dublin Bay port has welcomed 65 cruise ships in the current year alone, with an additional 20 expected in the coming weeks, bringing the total to 85 for the 2023 season

100,000th Cruise Line Passenger Welcomed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

5th September 2023 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News

Dún Laoghaire Harbour has marked a significant milestone as it welcomed its 100,000th cruise passenger, Melinda Berk from New York, who arrived on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship. To celebrate the occasion, Melinda was presented with a hamper of gifts,…

New French Operator Makes Irish Debut With Anchorage Visit off Dun Laoghaire Harbour

2nd September 2023 Cruise Liners

A new French cruise operator, Compagnie Française de Croisières, made its first presence in Irish waters when their Renaissance arrived to anchor off Dun Laoghaire Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Marseilles based CFC Croisières has just a single cruise ship,…

The new cruise ship Explora I on Lough Foyle

New Cruise Ship Explora I Makes Maiden Call to the Island of Ireland at Foyle Port

31st August 2023 Cruise Liners

Foyle Port welcomed the impressive new cruise ship Explora I to Lough Foyle on its first-ever visit to the island of Ireland on Thursday. The luxury liner, which was built and delivered by Fincantieri at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy,…

The new £20m terminal building at Greenock Ocean Terminal, Inverclyde, will welcome 89 cruise ships into the Scottish town’s new dedicated pontoon across 2023 – a rise of over 25% on last year. Above at the launch, Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, Provost of Inverclyde, Councillor Drew McKenzie, Scottish Government Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop and UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord.

New £20m Cruise Visitor Centre Launched at Greenock, Inverclyde

28th August 2023 Cruise Liners

One of Scotland's main cruise ports, Greenock Ocean Terminal, Inverclyde is where a new £20 million cruise ship visitor centre is looking ship-shape after it was officially launched. The project, led by Inverclyde Council, is part of the £1 billion…

City officials in Amsterdam are looking to relocate the cruise terminal to outside the city centre and do not plan to outright ban such ships from calling to the popular tourist destination, as some media reports have suggested. Above Azamara Journey berthed at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam facility.

Cruise Industry Association Says Passenger Ships Have Not Been Banned From Dutch Capital

29th July 2023 Cruise Liners

In Amsterdam, a city council moves to 'keep' cruise ships out of the city-centre, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world's largest cruise industry trade association. As Tradewinds reports, Amsterdam is certainly looking to prevent massive sized cruise…

Dutch capital cruise ship ban: A cruise ship reflected on the terminal glazing (notably mid-right) of the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) located in the city-centre where the influx of visitors and pollution caused are the main reasons for the ban.

Dutch Capital Bans Cruise Ships to Limit Visitors and Curb Pollution

22nd July 2023 Cruise Liners

In the Dutch capital, cruise ships have been banned from the city-centre by Amsterdam's council, as it tries to limit visitor numbers in addition to curb on pollution. According to politicians, the vessels were not in line with the city's…

The two millionth cruise liner visitor to Belfast arrived on the Norwegian Dawn

170 Cruise Ships to Visit Belfast Port This Season

15th June 2023 Cruise Liners

The number of cruise ships expected to dock in Belfast Harbour this season represents a 20% increase on the previous record set in 2019. In 2019, Cruise Belfast opened the first dedicated cruise terminal on the island of Ireland, and…

Record-season as 90 plus cruise ships will call to and anchor offshore off Dún Laoghaire Harbour in 2023 with a total of 164,000 passengers & 71,000 crew. 44% of passengers will take a tender ashore to visit Dún Laoghaire Town and the surrounding region. Above Star Legend which AFLOAT adds, in 2021 had been lengthened by 84ft to include 50 new suites etc, was part of Windstar Cruises $250m Star Plus Initiative to increase capacity of a trio of former Seabourn ships. The enlarged ship seen alongside the harbour’s Carlisle Pier last year, has so far this year called twice last month and is to repeat the same number of calls in July.

Record-Breaking Cruise Ship Season for Dún Laoghaire Harbour with 90 Plus Visits

12th June 2023 Cruise Liners

This season more than 90 cruise ships will call to Dún Laoghaire Harbour bringing a total of 164,000 passengers and 71,000 crew to the area With 44% of passengers* who tender ashore visiting Dún Laoghaire Town and the surrounding area,…

Small cruise ship MV Corinthian with 98 guest capacity is seen departing ABP’s Port of Barrow, having opened this year's season on the Irish Sea port located in Cumbria, north-west England.

Cruise Caller to Irish Sea Corinthian Opens Season at ABP’s Port of Barrow

9th June 2023 Cruise Liners

Cruise ship MV Corinthian called to the Port of Barrow, Cumbria in the north-west of England as the first this season to visit the Irish Sea port operated by Associated British Ports (ABP). Grand Circle Cruise Line which has operated…

Cunard’s Queen Victoria sailed into Holyhead at the weekend on its first ever visit to Wales. The giant liner is one of 81 vessels due at Welsh ports over 2023 - with more than 50 set to arrive at Holyhead

Cunarder Calls into Port of Holyhead on First Ever Visit to Wales

6th June 2023 Cruise Liners

At the Port of Holyhead, Cunard Line's cruiseship Queen Victoria sailed into the ferryport at the weekend on its first ever visit to Wales. The giant Vista class vessel is one of 81 cruiseships scheduled to visit Welsh ports during…

One of the lowest polluting ships in the world the MV Sylvia Earle built last year, anchored off Greencastle, Co. Donegal on 25 May. Guests from the luxury vessel's Zodiac's disembarked at the harbour to explore Malin Head, as part of a 17-day voyage of Ireland and Scotland. The guests in the afternoon then went to the other side of the Lough to Magilligan Point and onward to the Causeway Coast in Co. Antrim which was all achieved in one day!

Doubling of Cruise Calls to Visit Foyle Port this Season

6th June 2023 Cruise Liners

A doubling of cruise ships this season are to call to Foyle Port, the gateway port of the north-west which welcomed its first caller which took place on the 12th May. As the Seabourn Ovation entered Lough Foyle, this marked…

Azamara Pursuit is to call to Warrenpoint as one of a three cruise ship callers to the port on the shores of scenic Carlingford Lough. This will be the cruiseships second visit, having made a debut call last year when as seen above approaching the quayside.

Paddle Steamer Excursion from Warrenpoint to take Place in Advance of Cruise Ship Season

29th May 2023 Cruise Liners

The cruise ship season is to resume as the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority is set to welcome three ships that will make calls to the seaside town in Co. Down this summer. In advance of the cruiseships, the world's last seafaring…