#WaterfordCrystalCruises – Opening the Port of Waterford's cruise season next Monday is Noble Caledonia's Island Sky, the 118 passenger and 77-crew vessel is to dock along the city's quays, writes Jehan Ashmore.
Island Sky is the first of 17 cruise callers to the 'Crystal' city among them Crystal Cruises six-star rated Crystal Symphony (940 passenger/545 crew) which calls in August and Crystal Serenity (1080/655) to form the final cruise call of the season in early September.
Island Sky will also be the first cruise caller to make a repeat call in June out of the 12 cruiseships visiting, among them the largest Celebrity Infinity (see pictured under cruise-schedule list link). The 3,000 plus passenger vessel and more than 1,200 crew on board are to anchor off Dunmore East and like last year she is to return this season in June and August respectively.
Also due to make an impressive sight off Dunmore East in July and September, is Wind Surf, the 310-guest vessel, which as the name suggests sets seven triangular self-furling sails than are operated by computers. The former Club Med I currently operated by Windstar Cruises has a sail surface area of 26,881sq ft set on five 164-ft masts.
The third location in Waterford Estuary for cruise callers is the port's main terminal at Belview Port which as previously reported on Afloat.ie is connected with an inter-model operation with freight-train services linking in with regular containership calls.
However in August, the cruise season's only caller to dock along Belview is to be Regent Seven Sea Cruises Seven Seas Voyager, another six-star rated vessel with capacity for 700 guests and pampered by almost 500 crew.
