#HollandAmerica – Dunmore East is to host three Holland America Line (HAL) cruiseships of varying sizes this season which runs until mid-September, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The largest of the trio Eurodam (86,273grt) had visited today with an anchorage call and she is to be followed by a pair of fleetmates next month. The twin funnelled vessel is cruising from Alesund in Norway to Amsterdam with a passenger capacity potential of 2,104 passengers and a crew of 929.
Next to call on 2 August is Veendam (56,982grt) also from Amsterdam and heading for Bergin with her 1,350 passenger capacity and 580 crew. She is named after the capital of the Netherlands's northern peat colonies.
Making the final member of this trio is a call on 14 August by Prinsendam (37,845grt), which is the smallest of HAL's 15-strong cruiseship fleet.
She originally began her career as Royal Viking Line's white hulled Royal Viking Sun, and she is to sail from Reykjavik to Amsterdam with her designed capacity of 766 passengers and 460 crew.
Combined these calls bring a welcome boost to the Waterford estuary region with benefits to key tourist attractions, among them the House of Waterford Crystal.
Across the estuary is the Hook Lighthouse & Heritage Centre which as previously reported is where the Gathering of Lighthouse Keepers is to be held on the Hook Peninsula in September.
