Ireland's ports prepare for the return of cruise liners

Approximately 90 cruise liners will visit Cobh this year. Picture: Dan Linehan
The Port of Cork said it expects 90 cruise vessels to arrive in Cork Harbour this year almost matching pre-pandemic levels.
Ireland finally reopened again for cruise business with the arrival of the MV ‘Viking Venus’ to Dún Laoghaire Harbour on Tuesday marking the safe return of the sector after two years. The global cruise liner industry was severely impacted by the pandemic as many cruise ships saw Covid-19 outbreaks.
The cruise liner industry is estimated to contribute €70m to the national economy and on average €14m per year to local economies such as Cork which pre-covid had typically welcomed on average 100 cruise ships per year.
Conor Mowlds, Chief Commercial Officer with Port of Cork Company and Chairperson of Cruise Ireland said the return of cruise liners this week follows weeks and months of intense collaboration with stakeholders such as the Department of Transport and the HSE.
“We are looking forward very much to the return of cruise activities, to rebuilding and growing the cruise line sector, which has such a crucial role to play for the country’s tourism and the hospitality industries.”
The Port of Cork Company hopes to welcome a return to almost pre-pandemic levels of cruise calls with approximately 90 cruise ships scheduled between April and November - the first of which will be the ‘Borealis’ cruise ship which will dock in Cobh from the UK on Good Friday, April 15.
Johanna Murphy, president of Cobh and Harbour Chamber said: “We’re looking forward to once again welcoming cruise passengers back to Cobh, which has been such a hugely important part of our town’s heritage for hundreds of years.”