#CorkCruiseTrio – This season the Port of Cork will welcome 54 cruise ships throughout Cork Harbour, among them three cruiseships calling simultaneously next Thursday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

So what callers are we to expect in this trio line-up, they are listed below as follows. For further details click the highlighted name of each cruiseship.

Sea Cloud II (2001/3,849grt) Flag: Malta Operator: Sea Cloud Cruises Passengers: 94 Crew: 65 

MSC Magnifica (2010/92,128grt) Flag: Panama Operator: MSC Cruises Passengers: 2,500 Crew: 1,000                                                                     

Aidacara (1996/38,557grt) Flag: German Operator: Aida Cruises

The total number of callers this year has slightly dipped than those visiting in 2013,  though cruise vessels calling this summer are larger including newbuild Royal Princess of 141,000 tonnes.  Overall this trend has resulted in an increase in passenger capacity of between 3,000-4,000.

It is estimated that 108,000 passengers and some 30,000 crew will be calling to the various cruise berths in Cork Harobur and bring an economic windfall of around €15m.

In recent years Cobh has been visited by increasingly larger and efficient vessels. Another trend is the developing demand for turn-around calls and overnight stays.

Due to the above combination of larger cruiseships and capacity demands, the Port of Cork are planning to handle even bigger vessels than the current Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ships with the arrival of the giant new 'Quantum' class newbuilds of approximately 167,000 tonnes.

These ultra-large ships carry almost 5,000 passengers each and the Port of Cork will be the only port of call on the island of Ireland capable of handling such ships when they enter service.

In order to facilitate larger cruiseships docking in Cobh, it is understood that two ships will be able to berth together.

To meet this goal, the costs involved to upgrade Cobh are significant, though the Port of Cork Company remain committed.

Such an investment to the development of the Irish cruise sector is claimed to be of considerable financial return to the local economy and that of the Munster region.

#CruiseDublinTrio- As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a partner has been sought by Dublin Port Company for the promotion and expansion of the cruise ship business, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Currently the port handles 110,000 annually which generate €50 million into the local economy and the popularity of the capital as a cruiseship destination continues by major cruise brand operators.

Among them will be the visit of three cruise ships next Wednesday and together they contribute to around 100 cruise calls this season, likewise to last year and an increase from 2012 when 89 ships visited.

So what cruiseships make up this forthcoming trio of callers, they are listed below. Notably the 5-star luxury sail-assisted Sea Cloud II is to set sail into the port as the first of these callers.

Sea Cloud II (2001/3,849grt) Flag: Malta Operator: Sea Cloud Cruises Passengers: 94 Crew: 65
For more details click HERE

MSC Magnifica (2010/92,128grt) Flag: Panama Operator: MSC Cruises Passengers: 2,500 Crew: 1,000                                                                           For more details click HERE

Thompson Spirit (1983/33,390grt) Flag: Malta Operator: Thompson Cruises Passengers: 1,254  Crew: 520                                                                     For more details click HERE

Despite the above cruiseships which are to berth in Alexandra Basin where the vast majority berth, the size of such vessels continues by considerably larger newbuilds. This has led to the port proposing to develop the sector by building a dedicated €200m cruiseship terminal.

Plans for the new terminal were submitted to An Bord Pleanála in March, which is to examine the largest infrastructural project planned in the port's history. The facility would accommodate the world's biggest ships and bring increased passenger numbers to 320,000 annually.

Dublin Port Company also aims to development the cruise industry by making the new terminal (closer to the city centre beside the East-Link bridge) into a hub-port or 'turnaround' destination where cruises start and finish.

This would create a whole new option for the cruise industry through fly-cruises marketed at lucrative international markets. In addition to attracting the domestic market where direct cruises to date have at best been sporadic.

#AnchorageCallers – A pair of cruiseships are to anchor off Dunmore East next week bringing a potential capacity of 1,940 passengers in total to the south-east region along with more than 1,500 crew, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The arrival of two cruiseships to Dunmore East at the mouth of Waterford Estuary has happened before in recent years. On this occasion the ships due next Tuesday are Thompson Spirit (1983/33,390grt) from Falmouth and Crystal Symphony (1991/51,044grt) whose last port of call is scheduled to be from St. Peter Port, Guernsey.

Thompson Spirit is due to arrive first and anchor around 08.00hrs and followed by Crystal Symphony at 09.30hrs. The former ship is a relatively new caller to Irish waters operating for Thompson Cruises since 2012 and serving the UK market based out of English east coast ports while Crystal Cruises have been a regular customer to the Port of Waterford.

Passengers will be transferred ashore by tenders to the pontoon facility within Dunmore East's joint fishing and leisure harbour which is sited along a scenic stretch of the Waterford coastline.Time spent ashore will be approximately 7-8 hours to explore visitor attractions providing an economic boost to the region where a total of 10 cruise callers (using Dunmore East) are scheduled in this year's season.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Port of Waterford handles cruiseships throughout the estuary, asides Dunmore East, callers can berth at Belview, the main port or along the city quays.

#CruiseCarlingford- Furthermore to our previous report on Warrenpoint Port, the harbour welcomed the first visit of a cruise ship, the Saga Pearl 2 last month to the harbour on the shores of Carlingford Lough.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, the (Saga Cruises) ship was making a Britain and Ireland Explorer cruise with 800 people on board, who disembarked in the local town and visited the region.

CEO of Warrenpoint Harbour Commissioners Peter Conway said, "We are hoping that this is the start of new business for us and that we can help welcome more tourists to this beautiful part of Co Down. There are also plans for a 200-berth yachting marina and we are trying to secure funding."

Mr Conway added: "We would be prepared to invest £2m in this £5m project; there is an inherent demand for leisure activity on Carlingford Lough."

It's understood the port has also been in negotiations with a view to a possible purchase of the port at Greenore in the Republic, the only privately-owned port in Ireland.

The port is most famous for being used to fit out the ships used for the pirate radio station Radio Caroline which Afloat.ie reported about the 50th anniversary since first broadcasting across the Irish Sea off Ramsey, Isle of Man in 1964.

Mr Conway said he had ambitions to broaden the port's appeal. "Warrenpoint is primarily a commercial port, but we have other stakeholders and we think that it is important that we put something back into the local community which is why we want to develop the cruise business and marina, and open up this part of Northern Ireland to a wider audience".

Warrenpoint also accommodates a small but successful mussel-dredging fleet, selling to customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. Local fishermen also sell scallop and crab to some of the top Northern Ireland restaurants.

The board in December 2013 also agreed to the construction of a new £3m grain storage facility and conveyor system.

In October this year the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority will host the 2014 British Ports Association (BPA) 2014 annual conference.

The event, to be based at the Slieve Donard Resort in Newcastle, is expected to attract around 200 delegates.

#CruiseDonegal – Donegal Now.Com reports that the Inishowen Peninsula in the north of the county is set to cash in on the lucrative cruise ship business in years to come.

Malin Head is likely to be one of the main visitor attractions. Donegal Co. Council is backing a Loughs Agency initiative that will see around €170,000 invested in upgrading facilities at Greencastle Harbour.

This will allow tenders boats to ferry in passengers from cruises to Donegal. To read more click HERE.

#HALtenderLINKS - Having anchored off Galway Harbour today, Holland America Line's 800 passenger Prinsendam and her fleet of tenders leave in their wake  strong ties with the mid-west port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

At 38,848 tonnes, Prinsendam is the smallest member of the HAL fleet and having started off as Royal Viking Sun as the final ship launched for her original owners Norwegian Viking Line. Since last weekend she has been cruising Irish ports, firstly Dublin and yesterday Killybegs.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, HAL have a history of regular liner trans-Atlantic calls to Galway Bay. During the careers of their Maasdam and Ryndam this required the use of a dedicated liner tender based in the port, the former Calshot which HAL purchased in 1964 through a subsidiary, Port & Liner Services (Ireland) Ltd.

This saw the 500 plus passenger tender converted from steam to diesel power and renamed Galway Bay. Her classic funnel was also altered and she was repainted in HAL colours during this period as she plied passengers between the liners and Galway Pier.

Also during her Irish career the 700 tonnes tender was chartered to CIE to serve the Aran Islands in the role of a ferry directly from Galway City dock and with a capacity reduced of 400.

She would serve HAL until sold in 1971 to Galway Bay Ferries again continuing the routes between the city to Kilronan, the capital of Inishmore and neighbouring islands of Inishmaan and Inisheer.

Prior to her west of Ireland days, she also served the trans-Atlantic liners in and out of Southampton, having been launched as the Calshot in 1929 at Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston yard for Southampton based Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company or Red Funnel as it became known.

Her Solent days saw her alongside the famous Cunarder liners Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. She also took part in a D-Day role as a headquarter ship at Juno Beach.

Afloat.ie will have more about the Galway Bay which in 1986 returned to original home waters of Southampton in 1986 for preservation and restoration by her current owners, The Tug Tender Calshot Trust.

#LargestUKliner - In a major coup for Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, the largest ever cruiseship built exclusively for the UK market, P&O Cruises 143,000 tonnes newbuild Britannia, is to visit in her first season in 2015, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Britannia is due for delivery in Spring and is to make her first call to Dun Laoghaire in mid-July.

The giant five-star luxury cruiseship with a 3,600 passenger capacity and more than 1,700 crew, is one of a record 22 cruise callers to visit Dun Laoghaire.

The significant increase in cruise calls is clear, as only four calls are scheduled this year, the most recent been the distinctive five-mast cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf which called at the weekend.

The port's developing cruise industry business, expects to deliver 100,000 cruiseship visitors and crew generating a boost to the local economy and hinterland in 2015.

To secure the ports long-term viability over the next 10-15 years, the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company's Masterplan adopted in 2011 includes several large scale projects, among them plans for a dedicated new cruise-berth costing €15m.

Such a facility would be capable of berthing the 'next generation' of very large cruiseships within the harbour.

In the meantime the majority of larger ships have to anchor offshore and bring passengers ashore by tenders. This is time-consuming process for cruise operators and subjected to weather conditions.

The cruise industry is a key area of development of the 'regional' port which in recent years has seen a decline in Stena Line's HSS fast-ferry services to Holyhead. This season is the fourth consecutive year of the summer-only operated route.

#CruiseLiners – Galway Harbour Company will welcome the fifth cruise caller this season when Holland America Line's Prinsendam calls this day next week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported, this season is one of the busiest in recent years for the mid-west port when eight calls are made and all by different operators. Due to their size, all cruiseships are to anchor offshore in Galway Bay.

The mid-sized cruiseship at 37,000 tonnes is capable of carrying more than 800 passengers and she follows a history of HAL calling to Galway when regular liner calls in 1939 reached 56 that year.

According to the port's website's cruiseliner list, the following other calls are by Crystal Cruises, Phoenix-Reisen and Club Med until the close of season in early September.

#CostaConcordia - More than two-and-a-half years after she sank off the western Italian coast, the ill-fated cruise liner Costa Concordia is set to be refloated in a first for the ship salvage industry.

As The Guardian reports, this will be the only time a ship so large has ever been salvaged - following a successful project to right the vessel that itself was described by salvage expert Nick Sloan as having a "90% plus" chance of working.

Plans for that operation came 18 months after the tragedy on the night of 13 January 2012 that claimed 32 lives and saw thousands of passengers - including an Irish couple - brought to safety.

The crew of the Carnival-owned cruise ship were recognised for their "courage and professionalism" in the large-scale rescue effort - in stark contrast to the ship's captain Francesco Schettino, who faces trial on multiple criminal charges connected to the incident.

Meanwhile, Paddy Agnew writes in The Irish Times on the atmosphere on the island of Giglio surrounding the salvage efforts, especially in light of Schettino's comments in a rare public interview that his orders to his bridge crew were misunderstood in the moments before the ship hit the rocks.

#CruiseYacht- Cruiseship-yacht Wind Surf (14,000 tonnes) with her impressive five 164-ft masts docked today in Dun Laoghaire Harbour and during the port's third cruise season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The flagship of Windstar Cruises five-strong fleet as reported yesterday has a capacity for 310 guests and towering above her passenger decks are the masts that set seven triangular shaped computer controlled self-furling sails that total 26,000 sq m.

She sailed overnight from an anchorage call off Dunmore East and her visit to Dun Laoghaire Harbour is a fly-cruise turnaround, likewise to her two previous calls last year.

On that final visit last July during the 'heatwave', as she departed her sails were furled -out (click link for photo) which was an added bonus to those strolling the harbour piers.

Wind Surf relies mostly on engine power (hence the funnel between the second and third masts), has four Wartsila diesel-electric generating sets and a pair of electrical propulsion motors that deliver 12 knots. This can be increased by combining her sails to achieve 15 knots with a favourable wind. During joint-power operations she has a sea-water hydraulic ballast system to limit heel when sailing.

As to be expected the 187m flagship has luxurious amenities and a crew of almost 200 on board the vessel that was launched as Club Med 1 a quarter-century ago for original owners Club Med. She was last extensively renovated in 2012. Her sister was in Irish waters this week when Club Med 2 called to Cobh.

Both vessels throughout their careers have cruised mostly in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, however last year was a first for operators Wind Star and Club Med to visit Irish ports. This evening she may or not 'self-furl' her sails, but will certainly motor out of the harbour bound for Douglas, Isle of Man.