#CruiseFerryBerths - Brilliance of the Seas departed Cobh in the afternoon followed by Discovery this evening, the latter notably had berthed at Ringaskiddy Ferry Terminal as distinct to docking at the adjacent deep water berth, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The Royal Caribbean Lines 90,000 tonnes 'Radiance' class Brilliance of the Seas had called to Cobh's dedicated 'cruise' terminal before she headed for Klasvik, Norway. As for Discovery she is bound for St. Mary's, the capital of the Scilly Islands.
Normally, when more than one cruise caller arrives the same day, the Ringaskiddy deepwater berth that mostly accommodates large ocean-going cargoships also caters for cruiseships that has included the famous 'Cunarder' QE2.
Discovery of 19,900 tonnes is on charter to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, she had berthed at the Ringaskiddy Ferry Terminal ro-ro berth jetty. It is at this berth that Brittany Ferries cruiseferry, Pont-Aven of 41,700 tonnes, making her twice the size of the cruiseship, calls from Roscoff on Saturdays. She has a capacity for 2,400 passengers and like cruiseships, she features a pool.
The intimate 700 passenger Discovery is a small vessel in today's cruiseship market. She was launched as Island Venture in 1971 and is the surviving sister of a pair of almost 20,000 tonnes vessels built for Norwegian based Flagship Cruises.
The German built sisters were better known during careers for Princess Cruises as the Island Princess and Pacific Princess, which saw them appear in the popular US TV series the 'Love Boat' during the 1970's. The latter sister was scrapped this year.
On completion of this current cruise, Discovery departs Bristol (Avonmouth) on a 14-night cruise to the Azores and Madeira. It is understood that following her final cruise for CMV in October she is due to be sold.
