The award-winning Cruise Belfast Initiative, a partnership between the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau (BVCB) and the Port of Belfast is looking forward to a successful 2005 cruise season…
The award-winning Cruise Belfast Initiative, a partnership between the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau (BVCB) and the Port of Belfast is looking forward to a successful 2005 cruise season with the announcement that 16 cruise ships are visiting Belfast this summer.
Having recently won the `Area Tourism Initiative of the Year` award at the NITB Tourism Awards, for the success of its 2004 cruise season and the subsequent economic benefits for tourism in Northern Ireland, the Cruise Belfast Initiative is experiencing its busiest cruise season ever with 36,000 passengers and crew expected to bring £10-12 million into the local economy.
The first of Princess Cruises` six visits this year, the 109,000 tonne Golden Princess, is one of 16 liners due to dock in Belfast this summer. At a staggering 61 meters tall (the same height as Belfast Hilton Hotel) the Golden Princess boasts four swimming pools, a nine-hole putting course and a wedding chapel.
To ensure that visitors are also well catered for on dry land, extensive preparations have been made to greet those expected to disembark to experience all that the city and Northern Ireland as a whole has to offer.
After the successful visit of the Grand Princess liner to Belfast last year, Princess Cruises have scheduled five visits by the Golden Princess and one by her sister ship, the Star Princess this summer.
BVCB Chief Executive, Gerry Lennon is delighted to be welcoming such a large number of ships this year. He said,
“The Cruise Belfast Initiative has been a tremendous success, showcasing the city to a host of international travellers to the extent that Belfast is now a firmly established port of call for many of the Northern European Cruise itineraries. We have had very positive feedback from both visitors and crew members alike in recent years and the city has received some of the highest ratings from passengers – scoring positively against many other prestigious destinations.
“We are delighted to be announcing such a bumper season this year with 36,000 passengers and crew expected to step ashore this summer, generating an estimated £10-12 million into the economy of Belfast and indeed the whole of Northern Ireland,” he added.
Joe O`Neill, Port Manager at the Port of Belfast is looking forward to a busy cruise schedule this summer.
“Since we launched the Cruise Belfast Initiative with BVCB in 1999, we have brought 56 cruise ships to the city and this year we expect to welcome our 100,000th cruise visitor. It is particularly gratifying to note that Princess Cruises had such a positive response from passengers last year in respect of Belfast, that they are planning six visits to Belfast this season,” said Joe.
“This incredibly busy summer is great news for the city and builds on our successful cruise season last year when we welcomed 12 vessels carrying 24,000 passengers and crew to the Port of Belfast,” he concluded.
BVCB is a partnership organisation funded by Belfast City Council and the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation administered by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and sponsored by Diageo NI.
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