THE iconic orange and white colours of Cape Clear Ferries is becoming a familiar sight around Cork Harbour since the recent launch of Cork Harbour Cruises.
The Cailín Óir vessel has recently been upgraded to cater for 100 passengers with additional popular upper deck seating offering panoramic 360 degree views of the harbour.
The service from both the city centre and Crosshaven offers a range of excursions, including a new service to Spike Island, which is one of Ireland’s most popular visitor attractions.
The service from Crosshaven is a 30-minute trip that offers the same scenic views plus a commentary about the historic island and its imposing fortifications.
In keeping with Cape Clear’s storytelling tradition, there will also be stories and anecdotes about the area’s rich maritime history.
The service from the Marina in Cork city offers mini after lunch cruises together with a longer excursion into the harbour.
Because Cork is a bustling harbour with a great range of activities, wildlife and scenery, the operators say ‘no two days will be quite the same.’
The Cailín Óir caters for young and old alike with no age restrictions and even on rainy days the large windows ensure that the sights can be enjoyed in comfort.
A wonderful new feature of the service is that they are providing refreshments for sale on board such as teas, coffees, beverages, and treats.
The company has secured a licence to serve alcohol but it needs to finalise their insurance cover before this comes into effect.
In addition, they say they will be able to provide catering, such as lunches and buffets for private groups and parties, on the daily or sunset tours.
For more information on the trips see corkharbourcruises.com.
