THE FIRST of this year’s cruise ships arrived into Dublin Port yesterday morning, carrying 1,900 passengers and 800 crew.
The MV Oriana, which boasts 10 decks and includes swimming pools, whirlpool spas, cinemas, restaurants and bars, entered port at 7am.
Some 86 cruise liners are expected to dock at Dublin Port this year, generating €35 million-€55 million for the local economy, according to Dublin Port Company. The ships will carry up to 80,000 high-spend passengers, with thousands of crew members.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary Hanafin said it was encouraging to see that Ireland continued to attract a larger number of cruise liners, despite the economic downturn.
“Their contribution to our economy is significant and the business that cruise ships bring to the ports and cities should not be underestimated,” she said. “I know, for instance, that each cruise ship call delivers a noticeable upturn in trade at high-end retailers.”
Dublin Port Company chief executive Enda Connellan said they had spent a great deal of effort increasing Dublin’s share of the cruise ship market since the mid-1990s. It is estimated that cruise liners contributed more than €350 million to the city in the last decade, he said.
“We are bringing an important industry to the city, which this year alone will benefit this city’s economy by between €35 million to €55 million.”
Dublin Chamber of Commerce also welcomed the arrival of the first cruise ship of the year and said 80,000 passengers and their crews would provide a welcome boost to Dublin’s bars, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions.
In Cork, more than 50 cruise liner visits are projected to give a €5 million boost to the local economy, the Port of Cork predicted yesterday.
Port of Cork commercial manager Capt Michael McCarthy said the 53 visits to the port by the liners between now and November this year would bring more than 100,000 passengers and crew to the region.
Since 1991, cruise passenger numbers to Cork had grown by nearly 80,000, he said, which highlighted the rapid growth of the sector. This was projected to continue despite the economic downturn, which should see 2011 becoming the busiest year yet for the port.
Cork’s cruise liner season begins today with the visit of the MV Oriana to Ireland’s only dedicated cruise berth at Cobh, and continues next week when the MV Grand Princess calls.
Later this month the MV Celebrity Eclipsewill call on its maiden voyage to Cork.