#HistoricCruiseDay – A historic occasion for Waterford City Quays, as for the first time ever a record total of three cruiseships are visiting Ireland's oldest city today, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Port of Waterford are host to some 500 crew and more than 900 passengers. The visitors are to experience the south-eastern city established by the Vikings. Likewise of those invading Longboats, the cruiseships Seabourn Legend, Hamburg and Silver Cloud sailed upriver of Waterford Estuary to dock along the Suir.

Benefitting from the influx of tourists in bringing an economic boost are the business community, key tourist attractions and to those in the surrounding hinterland.

Seabourn Legend and Hamburg berthed closer to the Rice Lift Bridge at the North Quay while the largest caller in terms of gross registered tonnage (grt), Silver Cloud, moored further downriver at the Frank Cassin Wharf.

Listed below are some details about the cruiseship callers.

Seabourn Legend (1992 /9,961grt) Operator: Seabourn Cruises Passengers: 208 Crew: 164

Hamburg (1997/15,067grt) Operator: Hapag-Lloyd Passengers: 408 Crew: 170

Silver Cloud (1994/16,927grt) Operator: Silversea Cruises Passengers: 300 Crew: 210

By coincidence the cruiseships all fly the Bermuda flag.

Take note!... this evening all three cruiseships are to depart within a short timeframe of each other between 7.30-8pm (elements permitting). So there' a unique opportunity to see the shipping spectacle for both cruise-goers and onlookers alike.

An excellent vantage point is from the city-quays Millennium Plaza (near Reginald's Tower) as this faces opposite the Frank Cassin Wharf on the Co. Kilkenny side of the Suir.

It is at this quayside where the former Irish owned Bell Lines Container Terminal stood. The traditional city-centre port was shifted in the 1990's to a brand new deepwater terminal downriver at Belview, as the main port of Waterford.

The company was aquired by Irish Continental Group (ICG) and as previously reported, the group this week released mid-year financial results, for more click HERE.

#AbandonedCall – The 51,044 tonnes Crystal Symphony, the biggest cruiseship caller to Galway Harbour this season as reported earlier on Afloat.ie, instead had to abandon an anchorage call this morning due to bad weather, forcing her to head for the Port of Cork, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Due to unfavourable sea conditions, the 992 capacity cruiseship which was off Mutton Island in Galway Bay, was prevented from anchoring and was unable to transfer her passengers ashore by her fleet of tenders to Galway Harbour.

Crystal Symphony has since departed Galway Bay and is currently off the Co. Clare coast. She is expected to reach Cork Harbour  tomorrow morning at around 06.30. 

It is understood that the 238m long vessel operated by Crystal Cruises was already scheduled to visit Cork, as part of her round island cruise which included as reported an anchorage call in Lough Foyle.

She is to berth at Ringaskiddy's Deep Water Berth in lower Cork Harbour.

#BiggestCaller – Crystal Symphony at 51,044grt is the biggest caller in tonnage terms to Galway Harbour this cruise season, yet her passenger capacity was surpassed by Thompson Spirit which called earlier this summer, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 922 capacity Crystal Cruises operated vessel marks the sixth caller out of a total eight to include the 1,350 Thompson Spirit in May, making 2014 one of the busiest for Galway Harbour Company in recent years.

The mid-west port has proposed plans for a new port further out in Galway Bay to allow much larger cruiseships to dock. For further details visit their website HERE.

Crystal Symphony this morning anchored off Galway Harbour, close to Mutton Island having made as previously reported another anchorage call yesterday off Mouvile, Co. Donegal close to Greencastle on Lough Foyle.

It may be nearing the end of August, but the season continues as German operator, Phoenix-Reisen makes an appearance next Sunday with their Artania (44,348grt)

The one-time Royal Princess is due at the end of the month with a capacity of 1,260, making her the third largest caller of passengers.

At the other end of the spectrum, Club Med Cruises striking looking five mast sail-assisted Club Med 2 (14,983grt) with only 386 guests is scheduled to end the season in early September.

#CruiseDonegal – Having sailed from Belfast, the 51,000 tonnes Crystal Symphony anchored this morning off Greencastle from where as previously reported, Donegal Co. Council are backing the Loughs Agency to upgrade facilities.

The visit of Crystal Symphony is an impressive sized cruiseship to Lough Foyle. The €170,000 investment in Greencastle is to develop the lucrative cruise trade to the north-west. The aim is to increase cruise-based visitors to tour the Inishowen Peninsula, with Malin Head been the main destination attraction.

Crystal Cruises, operators of the ultra-luxury 900 passenger-plus cruise line won three first-place awards from CruiseLine.com's Bon Voyage magazine. The online publication's panel of experienced cruise editors chose the winners for the first annual Editor's Choice awards, giving Crystal five accolades overall – more than any other luxury line.

Among the categories won was for Best Refurbished Ship in which Crystal Symphony was awarded Silver. The 238m long cruiseship having recently undergone a $15 million redesign.

The redesign for example involved a newly-styled Avenue Saloon, one of the ship's most popular venues. The piano bar retains its 19th-century gentlemen's club feel with rich mahogany woods, buttery leathers, and luxe velvets. So click HERE for a peak and more!

#OvernightVisitor – One of a quartet of cruise-callers to Dublin Port yesterday, Seven Seas Voyager remains berthed this morning having spent an overnight visit in what will be an overall 38 hour call, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Regency Seven Seas Cruises 42,363grt tonnes ship is at the high-end of the cruise market with a 6-star rating for the vessel which had a major refurbishment in late 2013. She has an international crew of 447 which allows her 700 guests to be pampered by having a high crew / guest ratio of 1: 1.5. This level of customer-service comes with ultra-luxurious facilities and where all cabin 'suites' categories also have balconies.

Her extended port visit allowing her guests a far more leisurely time to take in the attractions of the capital and beyond. Such calls and turnarounds are been encouraged by Dublin Port Company to increase cruise business and in boosting the local economy from such high-spending clientele.

All shore excursions from Regency are free in every port-of-call and where her guests can avail of many excursions in a day and during the entire cruise. This is offered so to increase experiences in the history, culture and cuisine of destinations visited with local guides and transportation.

Those wishing not to spend longer shore-time excursions can remain on board, however her berthing location in Dubin is somewhat unusual for a cruise-caller been further tucked in within Alexandra Basin. This is unfortunate given the more industrial backdrop at this stretch of quayside compared to those along the more customary cruise berths lining Ocean Pier.

It should however be acknwlowedged that AidaCara and Ocean Majesty (see report) had occupied these main cruise berths at Ocean Pier leaving the fourth caller, Ocean Princess to berth upriver at North Wall Quay extension.

In order to meet the demand from increased cruise calls and ever larger vessels, Dublin Port Company propose a €200m dedicated cruise terminal at the North Wall next to the East-Link Bridge. This more attractive solution closer to the city centre along the main river-channel would bring shorter transport times between the port and the capital.

After today's second opportunity to visit the capital and visitor attractions in the surrounding hinterland, guests will head back to the comfort of their floating hotel for her 20.00hrs departure tonight. 

This will involve Seven Seas Voyager firstly moving astern into the channel to swing off opposite the Poolbeg Yacht Boat Club & Marina before she heads downriver bound for Waterford.

#FerryToCruiseship- Of the quartet of cruiseships in Dublin Port today, Ocean Majesty (as pictured) has the most unconventional background, having been launched in 1966 as a side-loading car ferry for Mediterranean service, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In her current role, Ocean Majesty with a 672 capacity has German passengers on board who embarked on 17 August from Hamburg on a charter cruise (Hansa Touristik) of the UK and Ireland.

The 10,417 tonnes cruiseship had sailed northbound through the Irish Sea and berthed in Dublin around noon. According to her itinerary, the ports of call so far visited were Plymouth, the Pool of London involving a transit through Tower Bridge as part of a two-day stopover in the capital.

She is operated by Athens based Majesty International Cruises who in 1994 rebuilt the former Trasmediterránea ferry, Juan Marsh, which served a career mostly between Spain and the Balearics and also to the Canary Islands.

Likewise of the quartet of cruise callers, Juan March was also a member of a quartet of almost identical Albatros-class sisters (two pairs of half-sisters).

The Portuguese flagged Ocean Majesty is completely unrecognisable as the former ferry (See Photo) which saw radical rebuilding of superstructure. Note the gentle sweeping curvature of her decks. Her hull form has an attractive flared bow and retained cruiser stern that these days displays Madeira as her port of registry.

Tonight she heads for Belfast and then several Scottish ports of call. They are Fairlie, Ullapool, Kirkwall and Rosyth and followed by a day at sea before her return to the German North Sea port on 29 August.

This season sees Ocean Majesty operating more than 12 cruises, the first cruise started in Nice and other embarkation ports are Warnemunde and later this year from Venice.

#CruiseQuartet- Following yesterday's busy cruise trio line-up to Dublin Port, among them the 5-star luxury sail-assisted Sea Cloud II, even more callers are due when a quartet are to dock tomorrow morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Leading the quartet will be Ocean Princess, one of a pair of the smallest units of the Princess Cruise fleet, having only 672 guests. Built in 1999 for former owners Renaissance Cruises, the 30,000 tonnes ship is to enter Dublin Bay at 06.00hrs. She is to dock next to the East-Link Bridge, where Sea Cloud II had occupied berth 18 along North Wall Quay extension. 

A quarter of an hour later, the bay is to receive the 6-star rated Seven Seas Voyager, which has a similar capacity of 700-guests who all enjoy 'balcony'  suites. Operated by Regent Seven Sea Cruises, she was refitted in late 2012 and is to call to Alexandra Basin's berth 30.

After another 15 minute interval, the next caller is AidaCara, the 11 deck vessel which serves the German market is operated by Aida Cruises. Notably is her distinctive bold livery of facial features displayed on the bow. She is to call alongside berth 35 at the river-side of Ocean Pier.

Following all this activity, the three Dublin-berthed cruiseships will have to wait to 11.30 before the fourth and final caller joins them in port in the form of the veteran Ocean Majesty.  The 1966 built former Mediterannean ferry is to arrive at Ocean Pier's berth 35 within Alexandra Basin east.

Launched as Juan March for operators Trasmediterránea, she mostly served the Balearic Islands. Work on reconstructing the side-loading car ferry took three years to complete in 1994 for her Athens based owners Majestic International Cruises.

#SailingCruiseship- As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a trio of cruise callers due to Dublin Port arrived this morning, among them the exclusive Sea Cloud II (2001/3,849grt), a 5 star luxury sail-assisted vessel, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 117m/ 384ft Spanish built windjammer cruiseship operated by Sea Cloud Cruises, yesterday called to Belfast Harbour. On her arrival today she berthed next to the East-Link Bridge, bringing her mere 94 guest higher spending power clientele closer to the capital's centre.

Of her three masts, the mainmast towers 57m or 187 ft above deck and in total she sets 23 sails totalling 3,000 m² / 32,000 sq ft. Alternatively she has use of engine power (2 X 1,240 kW) producing around 14 knots.

So what passenger facilities are available, there is a lido deck with bar, restaurant, lounge, boutique, library with laptop, sauna, fitness area, a swim platform and a hospital.

Of her 47 outside cabins, 29 of them have a shower/WC, 16 junior suites with bathtub/WC and 2 luxury owner suites. Take a peek HERE, at one of these luxury suites (No. 402) which is 27 m² / 290 sq ft and features a King-sized bed. The bathroom with marble sink and golden fixtures, exude an ambiance of sheer luxury. Click the photo of the suite to enlarge for a better view.

All cabin categories of the top end luxury cruiseship are furnished with bathrobes, hair dryer, telephone, adjustable A/C, private safe, TV/DVD and a mini-bar.

This evening she bids the capital farewell with a departure time of 18.30. Having entered Dublin Bay she is to set a course for Cork Harbour.

Unlike the majority of cruiseships that head for Cobh or smaller sized callers which could head upriver to Cork city-quays, the exclusive Sea Cloud II is an exception.

Instead her guests will have ultimate privacy by anchoring in the lower harbour when she is due to arrive around lunchtime tomorrow.

#cruiseliners – Tomorrow the Port of Cork will welcome three cruise liners to Cork Harbour, bringing a combined total of 6,500 passengers and crew to the region.

The largest liner, "MSC Magnifica" will be first to arrive, berthing at Cobh Cruise Terminal at 7.30am with over 3,500 passengers on board. She will be followed by the arrival of "AIDACara" at Ringaskiddy Deepwater Berth at 8.30am. Finally, the sails of the unique "Sea Cloud 11" cruise liner will be seen in the lower harbour at 1.30pm when she drops anchor for the afternoon.

"The ability to accommodate multiple cruise calls in one day is testament to the excellent cruise facilities that Cork has to offer cruise line companies. Along with our world class tourism offerings throughout the region, we really have a unique selling point for cruise lines. The Port is committed to investing in the upgrade of our current facilities in Cobh and assessing the requirement of additional facilities as the cruise sector expands."

By the close of the 2014 in early October, the Port of Cork will have welcomed a total of 52 cruise ships to the port. Despite the number of calls being slightly lower than 2013, the cruise vessels calling in 2014 are larger and have higher passenger volumes such as Princess Cruises newest ship "Royal Princess" which will make her maiden call to Cork on 19th September. At 330 metres in length (over 3 times the length of Thomond Park), this is the size and style of ship that the Port of Cork are endeavouring to attract in the future.

The Port of Cork is currently home to Ireland's only dedicated cruise berth in Cobh and all vessels calling to the port are listed at www.portofcork.ie

#LargerCruiseships - Planning permission is been sought by the Port of Cork for a €1.5m deep-water pontoon and access bridge to cater for bigger cruise liners arriving in Cobh, writes the Irish Examiner.

The port authority has applied to Cork County Council for the facility, which it hopes to have completed by next April — the start of the annual cruiseseason.

Port of Cork commercial manager captain Michael McCarthy said it was imperative that it built facilities to handle the new generation of cruise liners.

"The current berth can handle ships like Celebrity Eclipse and Independence of the Seas, which are up to 330-340 metres in length. The next generation, such as the Quantum of the Seas (167,000 tonnes), will be longer and will carry nearly 4,000 passengers," he said.

This year the biggest vessel visiting the port will be the Royal Princess (141,000 tonnes) as previously reported on Afloat.ie, which arrives in Cobh next month. The Irish Examiner has more on the planning permission story, click HERE.

Afloat.ie adds three cruiseships are to call this Thursday, the trio are Sea Cloud II (2001/3,849grt) MSC Magnifica (2010/92,128grt) and Aidacara (1996/38,557grt). To find out further details of each visiting vessel, click to our coverage link above.