#TheWORLD – This morning The World berthed in Dublin Port beside the East-Link Toll Bridge, having made calls to Belfast, Galway and London-Derry in this year of the UK City of Culture, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The exclusive residential vessel of 43,188 tonnes is operated by Residences at Sea. The on board community which own one or more of the 165 private residences between them is spread across the 196m long ship and with facilities on 12-decks.

She has visited Dublin Port several times and on this occasion the vessel is to stay in port for three nights and depart in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Click and scroll across the picture gallery to reveal The World's luxurious facilities which offer many different experiences. Among the various amenities is the swimming pool, a putting green, marina sports platform, the spa, a cigar club and regatta bar plus a choice of dining options. After an active day on board or an excursion ashore what about taking to an open-air Bali-bed!... and under a balmy starry night.

An example of the residents private quarters are the Two-Bedroom Apartments which in the majority have a fully-fitted kitchen, though residents can also dine out in the ships restaurants with a range of cuisine to suit many tastes.

On returning to these two-bedroom apartments, residents can relax in the spacious living and dining areas. The apartment has en-suite bathrooms in both the master bedroom and guest bedrooms. As the ship visits numerous exotic ports and locations, the owners can watch the World go with immediate accessibility with use of the ample veranda space.

The Bahama-flagged The World was launched over a decade ago at the Norwegian shipyard of Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder AS. She is capable of operating her twin 7,400HP direct injection turbo-charged engines from full ahead to full astern in just 50 seconds making her a highly manoeuvrable ship. The turbo-charged engines produce a speed of 18.7 knots.

#P&OCruises – Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company welcomed today the mid-sized cruiseship Arcadia (83,500 tonnes) under the command of Captain S C Breton, who is the first female to take this position for P&O Cruises, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Arcadia had departed her homeport of Southampton on Sunday and spent a leisurely passage before arrival this morning in glassy flat-calm seas and weather conditions more akin to the Mediterranean.

Passengers swam on board two of the ships outdoor swimming pools while the 285m long cruiseship was anchored motionless in the strong blue seas of Dublin Bay.

Enjoying the weather are more than 1,900 passengers from the UK and a sprinkling of other nationalities. Eighty per cent of her guests will be taking tenders ashore to visit Dun Laoghaire or excursions into the capital and the neighbouring Wicklow mountains.

The 2005 built exclusively adult-only cruiseship will be departing around teatime this evening on the 900 nautical mile passage to the Icelandic capital Reykjavik. After visiting two more ports in Iceland as part of the 14-night cruise Arcadia heads across the North Sea with calls to Norway before returning to the familar Southampton Waters.

In recognition of the Arcadia's maiden call, presentation ceremonies took place on board between Captain Breton and Don McManus, Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC) board member and Chairman of Dun Laoghaire Business Association and Cathaoirleach Carrie Smyth of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Also in attendence was David Dingle, CEO of Carnival Corporation (UK).

The cruise liner sector is a growing business within the tourism industry and Dun Laoghaire Harbour is capitalising on such strengths and following the construction of the purpose-built cruise passenger tender pontoon.

The passenger pontoon facility caters for medium and large-scale cruiseships such as the Queen Mary 2 which made her historic first call in May which marked the start of the season with 14 cruise calls to the harbour in 2013.

Within the next two months, a further seven cruise vessels are scheduled to visit Dún Laoghaire Harbour including the five-masted Wind Surf, which is due to dock within the harbour walls.

One of two swimming pools on the Arcadia and during her anchorage call in Dublin Bay. Photo Jehan Ashmore

Pictured (L-R) James Brown Deputy Captain, Don McManus (DLHC) and Chairperson Dun Laoghaire Business Association, Captain S C Breton, Cathaoirleach Carrie Smyth of DLRCoCo, David Dingle CEO Carnival Corporation (UK) and Nicky Logue, Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel. Photo: Jehan Ashmore

#CaptBreton – While Galway Bay is hosting The World today off Mutton Island, Captain S C Breton master of P&O Cruises Arcadia which is nearly twice the size, is set to make an anchorage call off Dun Laoghaire Harbour tomorrow morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Under her command, Captain Breton has the responsibility of the 83,500 tonnes vessel and leading a crew of 848 and more than 1900 passengers on the exclusively adults-only cruiseship. The call is to become the second cruise caller to Dun Laoghaire this season, following the successful and historic inaugural visit of Queen Mary 2 in mid-May.

The vast majority of her passengers are from the UK, the rest are a sprinkling of nationalities including those from Isreal, Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand. As for Captain Breton and her crew who are more diverse in terms of nationality than her guests are, with more than 25 countries represented and where the majority of the crew are mostly British, Indian and Filipino.

The 285m Arcadia was launched in 2005 by her patron, Dame Kelly Holmes. She is one of seven cruiseships of the P&O Cruises fleet which together last year made a spectacular cruise-in-company sail-past down Southampton Water for the 'Grand Event' which celebrated the 175th anniversary of the world famous company last July. Arcadia was the third vessel behind the sail-past leadship.

Incidentally Arcadia's first port of call after the event was to Dublin Port as previously reported on Afloat.ie and tomorrow's call will be her first to Dublin Bay since the visit just over a year ago.

Arcadia was launched in 2005 at the Fincantieri Cant. shipyard in Malfoncone though originally she was laid down at the Italian shipyard for Cunard Line as their Queen Victoria, however it was decided by her owners Carnival Corporation to transfer the vessel to her UK based cruising subsidiary.

As previously alluded she is an adult-only cruiseship which offers a relaxed pace in stylish surroundings that are also extravagant throughout her 11 passenger decks. A notable feature  is her exterior glass-fronted lifts and expansive art collection, featuring no less than 3,000 works of art and creating a sophisticated air on board.

#ClubMedCruise – As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Club Med's impressive five-masted cruiseship Club Med 2 (1992/14,983grt) docked into Cork Harbour this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

She had sailed overnight from Brest and her presence alongside Cobh will make for a refreshing sight compared to the usual albeit considerably larger cruiseships that compete with the town's steep sided ramparts.

The 637 foot long the Club Med 2 which is normally associated with the splendours of the Mediterranean Sea during the summer months also cruises in Caribbean waters during the winter.

A crew of 200 cater for the floating resorts 439 passengers who can indulge in a stress-free atmosphere thanks to two swimming pools and fitness rooms. Passengers can also enjoy sporting pursuits ranging from sailing, snorkelling, water-ski and windsurfing which are provided from the nautical hall of the vessel. Guests are accommodated in 175 cabins and 11 suites.

Tomorrow the Port of Cork is set to welcome 1,500 Australians and 400 Kiwis to the town as part of their Sydney to Sydney 104-night World Cruise on board the Sea Princess. In addition Cobh will be hosting Australia Day and hopefully with the weather to match!...while watching the Rugby action 'Down-Under'.

#CruiseTallShips – An unprecedented number of cruiseships also equipped with sailing masts are to visit Irish ports this season, starting with the arrival of the five-masted Club Med 2 to Cork Harbour tomorrow, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Club Med's impressive 637-foot vessel is to dock alongside Cobh Cruise Terminal around dawn tomorrow and a further two such cruiseships the Sea Cloud II and Wind Surf are to visit Irish ports before mid-July.

Those privileged to experience a cruise on these types of cruiseships have the added opportunity in operating the rigging systems, albeit they are mechanically controlled.

Sea Cloud II which has three masts has a total sail area of approximately 32,150 sq. feet (3.000 m²) and carries a mere 64-passengers. She is operated by Sea Cloud Cruises and the 384-foot vessel is also to head for Cork Harbour, however on this occasion during her call on 13 July, she is expected to take anchorage off the Whitegate Oil Refinery.

The final member of the trio is another five-masted vessel, Windstar Cruises 310-passenger Wind Surf. The 535-foot long vessel is heading too for the south coast on 16 July when she also makes an anchorage call off Dunmore East.

Further calls by the trio are to include visits to Belfast Harbour, Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

#CruiseLiners - The world's largest residential cruise liner is set to visit the City of the Tribes next week, according to the Galway Independent.

The floating town known as The World is expected to arrive in Galway Bay next Monday 8 July for a single night's stay after a similar stop this morning at Belfast and later this week at Derry.

Distinct from other cruise liners that ply the oceans, The World comprises a residential community of some 130 families who between them own the 12-deck, 200-metre-long vessel.

Galway Harbour Master Captain Brian Sheridan described The World's visit as "a great opportunity to showcase the city and the region to its passengers and a welcome economic boost" - despite the ship being too large to enter Galway's inner harbour.

Providing berthing space for the modern generation of cruise ships is one of the goals of the planned expansion of Galway Port, though it emerged this week that the planning application had still not been submitted to An Bord Pleanála.

The Galway Independent has more on The World's visit HERE.

#TheWorld – Residensea's 41,000 tonnes ultra-luxury The World, the only private residential community-at-sea based ship berthed in Belfast Harbour this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Residents on board the 644ft ship may travel the globe without ever leaving home, as they own one or more of the 165 private residences. For an example of the accommodation take a peek of a two-bed apartment.

Since her launch in 2002 continuously circumnavigated the world visiting the most exotic locations as well to calling to well-travelled ports.

Belfast Harbour which celebrates its 400th anniversary this year is to welcome a record 60 cruiseship calls, bringing over 100,000 visitors to the city and to tourist hotspots throughout Northern Ireland.

The World berthed in the Pollock Basin of the port, though most larger vessels dock alongside Stormont Wharf. The port is to increase business in this sector with a £7m investment purpose-built cruise terminal which will see such cruiseships moor instead on the south quays of the Lagan and nearby to the Titanic Belfast Visitor Centre and Quarter.

Among the cruise line operators visiting Belfast Harbour in 2013 are Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, MSC, Thomson, Fred Olsen Cruise Line and Saga Cruises.

The first caller of the season was by another ultra-luxury caller Hebridean Princess which visited in April.

#Coastguard - What would have been the Irish Coast Guard's longest ever rescue mission was stood down at the last minute after the casualty in question was deemed to be in a stable condition.

According to the Irish Independent, the Shannon-based coastguard rescue helicopter was dispatched on the 300-nautical-mile mission to retrieve a man in his 70s from a cruise liner en route to Cobh from the United States.

The distance was so great that the helicopter, the new Sikorsky S-92 with the call sign Rescue 115, was forced to land on an offshore oil rig 180km off Kerry to refuel.

While there the chopper experienced a technical issue and was grounded for safety reasons while an engineer was sent to the oil rig on board Waterford's Rescue 117.

However, in the meantime a second doctor on board the MS Marina determined that the patient - who was feared to have had a stroke - was in a stable enough condition to be transferred to hospital upon the ship's arrival in Cobh early today.

The Irish Examiner confirms that the casualty was a 79-year-old American.

#CelebrityCruises – The Celebrity Infinity basked in the glorious sunshine today while at  anchor off Dunmore East and from where tenders of the 91,000 tonnes cruiseship shuttled back and forth, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Tonight the 2001 built cruiseship makes an overnight passage up the Irish Sea with a morning arrival to Dublin Bay around 09.30hrs. The 2,000 passenger vessel is to dock in the capital port along Ocean Pier.

A sister of the Millennium class cruiseship, Celebrity Constellation also made an anchorage call albeit off Dun Laoghaire Harbour more than a decade ago in 2002, a year after her launch.

The then named Constellation was particularly impressive on that occasion however with the recent anchorage call of the giant 151,000 tonnes Queen Mary 2 in Dublin Bay the cruiseship-liner easily becomes the largest caller to date off Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

#GhostShip- According to FoxNews, the 4,521 tonnes Russian ghost ship, Lyubov Orlova that has been drifting in the Atlantic Ocean since a tow line snapped months ago, and has yet to be spotted, has left some to speculate that it may be resting at the bottom of the ocean, leaking toxic waste.

The Canadian Coast Guard has told CBC News that it has not received any reported sightings of the Croatian built small cruiseship Lyubov Orlova since 12 March.

Lyubov Orlova was named after an iconic Russian film actress — was being towed from Canada to a scrapyard in the Dominican Republic in January when a cable snapped, leaving the 295-foot vessel adrift. A brief effort to re-secure the boat was abandoned days later due to rough seas.

FoxNews has more on this story about the vessel which is a sister of the Clipper Adventurer, which Afloat.ie covered during the first ever cruise call to Drogheda Port last year.