Cruises and Cruise Liner Visits to Ireland

This season’s first cruise ship to Dublin Port, MS Spitsbergen called with passengers disembarking in the ‘Docklands’ quarter, close to the O2 Arena. So far the small polar ship has visited Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man before in a couple of months heading for Svalbard, where the largest island in the archipelago is the ship’s namesake off northern Norway and within the Arctic Circle. Above the observation deck at the prow, when in waters off Bessaker, also in Norway, home to Hurtigruten’s famous Coastal Express. As for today, Spitsbergen arrived from Douglas, Isle of Man from where also this morning, the IOM Steam Packets fast-ferry Manannan, at 35 knots passed the Baily Lighthouse and bound for the Irish capital marking its first seasonal sailing.

Expedition Cruise Ship Sails into Dublin Port Setting the Season of Visitors to the Capital

4th April 2024 Cruise Liners

The first cruise ship to Dublin Port of this season saw the Norwegian operator of M/S Spitsbergen, Hurtigruten Expeditions, whose small yet smart red, black, and white liveried ship, sailed upriver to a berth today, writes Jehan Ashmore. The call…

Ambition of Ambassador Cruise Line was the first vessel to visit Cobh today, opening the start of a season that is also to welcome a further 100 plus calls. The 1,400 passenger guest cruise ship previously called to Belfast and beforehand became the first ever cruise ship to use the new berth at the Scottish port of Stornoway (above) on the Isle of Harris & Lewis, off the west coast. Up to now the port could only handle anchorage available for ships the size of Ambition and fleet-mate flagship Ambience which too has called to Cobh in the past two years.

Ambition Achieved as Ambassador Cruise Line's Second Ship 'Maiden Call' to Port of Cork Also Starts Season

4th April 2024 Cruise Liners

Ambition, one of two cruise ships of UK operator Ambassador Cruise Line, overnight sailed from Belfast Harbour to arrive this morning at the Port of Cork, where it made a maiden visit to Cobh, writes Jehan Ashmore. Afloat tracked yesterday…

Among the cruise ships scheduled to sail into Waterford estuary this season, Seabourn Ovation which is set to visit in May, with the majority calling beyond and up to September.

Schedule of Cruise Calls for Port of Waterford Announced for this Season

19th February 2024 Cruise Liners

Cruise ships visiting the south-east Port of Waterford will total 28 scheduled calls this season, with arrivals to take place in Belview and Dunmore East, which represents a 33% increase on last year. More than 27,000 cruise-goers this season will…

Cruise season at Cork Harbour which is to have a surge in calls with a rise of 23% this year. AFLOAT captured at Cobh, Artania last season with up 1,200 passenger guests travelling with Phoenix Reisen, which mostly caters for the German cruise market. The ship is to return twice, in May and October. As for the season’s opening caller in April, this will be MS Sirena of Oceania Cruises.

Cruise Ship Surge As Operators Head to Port of Cork for 2024 Season

24th January 2024 Cruise Liners

The cruise ship season at the Port of Cork is to have a surge in the number of vessels accommodated this year with a rise by 23% to 116 vessels. Starting in April, the season will run up to November…

Belfast Harbour announced the ‘Best UK & British Isles Port of Call’ by Cruise Critic, the port welcomed 159 cruise calls and 32 cruise lines in 2023. Afloat adds above is a Norwegian Dawn in Belfast Lough as seen from a departing Stena Line ferry.

Belfast Harbour is Named 'Best UK & Ireland Port of Call' by Cruise Critic's Editors’ Picks Awards

11th December 2023 Cruise Liners

Belfast Harbour has been recognised as the Best UK & British Isles Port of Call at this year’s Cruise Critic UK Editors’ Picks Awards. Cruise Critic, a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, is the world’s leading cruise reviews site and online cruise…

Over 180,000 passengers on 94 cruise ships were welcomed to Cork Harbour (Cobh) this year with the end of season caller today, MSC Virtuosa at 181,541 gross tonnes representing one of the largest ships of its type in the world. The most frequent caller was Regal Princess with 14 visits and a maximum passenger capacity of 3,592 for each visit to the southern cruise terminal.

Thriving Cruise Season at Port of Cork Ends With MSC Virtuosa As Final Caller

25th October 2023 Cruise Liners

The cruise ship season for the Port of Cork Company (PoCC) has been marked with a successful year as it welcomed one of the largest such ships in the world, the MSC Virtuosa which arrived to Cork Harbour today. The…

The final cruise call of the season to Belfast Harbour was by Borealis which marked the 158th cruise ship to visit this year, in what has been a record season for Cruise Belfast. The cruise ship was scheduled to arrive last Friday, however due to adverse weather conditions, the arrival of the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines took place on the Saturday morning.

Record Cruise Season for Belfast Harbour Comes to a Close with Call by Borealis

23rd October 2023 Cruise Liners

A record cruise season for Belfast Harbour this year saw 158 calls as reported by Cruise Belfast, the partnership between the port and Visit Belfast which markets the city as a leading destination. The announcement was made as the final…

The Norwegian Star arriving in Greencastle 11th October 2023, the largest-ever cruise ship in Lough Foyle

Foyle Port Welcomes Lough Foyle’s Biggest Ever Ship

11th October 2023 Cruise Liners

The Norwegian Star, the largest-ever cruise ship to drop anchor in Lough Foyle, arrived spectacularly at 7am, marking the end of the 2023 cruise season for Foyle Port. The ship has a gross tonnage of 91,740 and a length of…

Azamara Pursuit on its maiden call to Warrenpoint, Co Down, is also where MJM Marine have their headquarters in Newry, and which was given in 2018 a project to fit-out the 800 passenger vessel at Harland & Wolff, Belfast. In the city’s port today, MJM will make its multi-million pound announcement on board the 2,950 cruise ship, Celebrity Apex, of Celebrity Cruises (Royal Caribbean Group) one of MJM Marine's trade partners.

Newry, Co. Down Cruise Ship Outfitting Firm Secures €139m of New Work

8th September 2023 Cruise Liners

A cruise ship and ferry outfitting firm based in Co. Down will announce today in Belfast Harbour that it has secured £120 million (€139m) of new work to fit out cruise ships. The firm MJM Marine located in Newry, said the…

Cruise passengers are tendered ashore to Dún Laoghaire Harbour. The south Dublin Bay port has welcomed 65 cruise ships in the current year alone, with an additional 20 expected in the coming weeks, bringing the total to 85 for the 2023 season

100,000th Cruise Line Passenger Welcomed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

5th September 2023 Dun Laoghaire Harbour News

Dún Laoghaire Harbour has marked a significant milestone as it welcomed its 100,000th cruise passenger, Melinda Berk from New York, who arrived on the Norwegian Dawn Cruise Ship. To celebrate the occasion, Melinda was presented with a hamper of gifts,…

New French Operator Makes Irish Debut With Anchorage Visit off Dun Laoghaire Harbour

2nd September 2023 Cruise Liners

A new French cruise operator, Compagnie Française de Croisières, made its first presence in Irish waters when their Renaissance arrived to anchor off Dun Laoghaire Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Marseilles based CFC Croisières has just a single cruise ship,…

The new cruise ship Explora I on Lough Foyle

New Cruise Ship Explora I Makes Maiden Call to the Island of Ireland at Foyle Port

31st August 2023 Cruise Liners

Foyle Port welcomed the impressive new cruise ship Explora I to Lough Foyle on its first-ever visit to the island of Ireland on Thursday. The luxury liner, which was built and delivered by Fincantieri at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy,…

The new £20m terminal building at Greenock Ocean Terminal, Inverclyde, will welcome 89 cruise ships into the Scottish town’s new dedicated pontoon across 2023 – a rise of over 25% on last year. Above at the launch, Jim McSporran, port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, Provost of Inverclyde, Councillor Drew McKenzie, Scottish Government Transport Minister, Fiona Hyslop and UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord.

New £20m Cruise Visitor Centre Launched at Greenock, Inverclyde

28th August 2023 Cruise Liners

One of Scotland's main cruise ports, Greenock Ocean Terminal, Inverclyde is where a new £20 million cruise ship visitor centre is looking ship-shape after it was officially launched. The project, led by Inverclyde Council, is part of the £1 billion…

City officials in Amsterdam are looking to relocate the cruise terminal to outside the city centre and do not plan to outright ban such ships from calling to the popular tourist destination, as some media reports have suggested. Above Azamara Journey berthed at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam facility.

Cruise Industry Association Says Passenger Ships Have Not Been Banned From Dutch Capital

29th July 2023 Cruise Liners

In Amsterdam, a city council moves to 'keep' cruise ships out of the city-centre, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world's largest cruise industry trade association. As Tradewinds reports, Amsterdam is certainly looking to prevent massive sized cruise…

Dutch capital cruise ship ban: A cruise ship reflected on the terminal glazing (notably mid-right) of the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) located in the city-centre where the influx of visitors and pollution caused are the main reasons for the ban.

Dutch Capital Bans Cruise Ships to Limit Visitors and Curb Pollution

22nd July 2023 Cruise Liners

In the Dutch capital, cruise ships have been banned from the city-centre by Amsterdam's council, as it tries to limit visitor numbers in addition to curb on pollution. According to politicians, the vessels were not in line with the city's…

The two millionth cruise liner visitor to Belfast arrived on the Norwegian Dawn

170 Cruise Ships to Visit Belfast Port This Season

15th June 2023 Cruise Liners

The number of cruise ships expected to dock in Belfast Harbour this season represents a 20% increase on the previous record set in 2019. In 2019, Cruise Belfast opened the first dedicated cruise terminal on the island of Ireland, and…