Bantry Bay will welcome three cruise trips to the area this summer.
BANTRY Bay will welcome three cruise trips to the area this summer.
One of the cruisers, the MV Albatros, will visit both Bantry and Cobh.
‘This shows the connection between the ports and the joined up promotion of both regions to the cruise companies,’ according to the Port of Cork.
In total over 100,000 passengers and crew will arrive in the region between April and December, with some liners calling for the first time to Cobh and others on repeat visits. Princess Cruises’, MV Caribbean Princess will make ten visits to Cobh in 2016.
The Albatros is due to arrive in Bantry on August 9th while the Serenissima will make two visits to the bay – on both May 11th and May 25th.
In 2015 the Port of Cork invested €1.5m in upgrading the current facilities at Cobh Cruise Terminal, Ireland’s only dedicated cruise berth. The investment included installation of a number of high load mooring bollards at the east and west end of the berth which will enable larger
ships to visit.
Commercial manager at the Port of Cork, Captain Michael McCarthy said the fact that Cork has some new customers this year, shows more and more cruise companies are considering Cobh as part of their cruising route.
‘Following the investment last year, the Port of Cork can now accommodate the larger liners or Quantum class ships without any restrictions. It is our ambition as a port company to attract these ships and increase our cruise calls to 75 per year over the next three years,’ he said.
The cruise business in Cork contributes over €4m annually to the local economy, which is a welcome boost for business in Cork City, Cork County, East Cork and West Cork. He added that three of the cruise ships would visit Bantry too.
To find out the full selection of dates and arrival times of the cruise liners calling to Cobh or Bantry, see www.portofcork.ie for the complete schedule.
