#CruiseLiners – German cruise operator, Passet Kreuzfahrten's Delphin (16,214grt) is visiting Dublin Port today, the small former Soviet cruiseship is berthed just short of the East-Link Toll Lift bridge, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The cruise set off from Oban and terminates in Dover, with interim ports of call among them to Belfast, Douglas, Cobh (tomorrow) and Torquay in England's West Country.
Appearance wise, the near 500-passenger capacity Delphin has an attractive and well proportioned profile and which reflects moreso of ferry design as explained below.
She was the leadship of the Belorussiya class series built by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard, Finland during 1975–1976 for the Black Sea Shipping Company of the Soviet Union.
Unusually, for a cruiseship she was fitted with a stern-vehicle door where her 'garage' could accommodate more than 250 cars. The stern-vehicle ramp is clearly evident in this photograph of the Byelorussiya as she was named during her era of Russian ownership.
It is somewhat apt that the vessel is moored at this berth in Dublin Port, as the North Wall Extension is also equipped with a linkspan vehicle ramp used by P&O Ferries Liverpool route vessels.
