#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.

 

The arrival this morning of Silver Cloud in Belview, the port of Waterford, represented the last cruise-caller of the season to the port. The six-star rated ultra-luxury 16,927grt cruiseship operated by Italian owned SilverSeas Cruises, had sailed on an overnight passage from Dublin. The 1994 built vessel has only a capacity for 294 passengers.

Another cruise caller, Crystal Cruises 51,044grt Crystal Symphony has a considerably larger capacity of over 900 passengers. The vessel had departed Dublin several days previously and also visited the south-east, to anchor off Dunmore East.

Passengers disembarked at the fishing port using the vessel's tenders and were bused to the various attractions of the city including the recently re-opened House of Waterford Crystal plant and visitor showrooms.