World’s largest cruise-liner set to visit Cobh next year

THE world’s largest cruise- liner will visit Ireland three times next year but only Cobh’s terminal in Cork will be big enough for it.

Port of Cork officials confirmed yesterday that they are about to embark on a major €600,000 dredging project, as part of a wider €3 million extension of the Cobh Cruise Terminal, to host the huge five-star liner, The Independence of the Seas.

With a capacity for 3,800 guests, measuring 334 metres and weighing an incredible 145,000 tonnes, it will be the world’s largest cruise ship once launched.

The giant ocean cruise liner is under construction and is due to arrive in Cobh for the first time next May.

At 15 decks high, it will have a casino, a cinema, a theatre, spa, pools and a surf simulator on board.

Cobh’s terminal’s berth slot will be extended by 45m to a total slot length of 385m to accommodate it.

This will make it the only major cruise port in Ireland capable of handling Freedom-class ships which weigh 158,000 tonnes and measure 339m in length.

Port pilots are about to start training on the hi-tech simulator at the National Maritime College in Ring-askiddy, using a computer version of the vessel, to prepare them for its entrance into Cork Harbour.

The confirmation of its Irish calls was made on board Celebrity Cruise’s luxurious five-star Constellation ship which berthed in Cobh early yesterday for the second time this week.

Up to 2,500 passengers were on board the 311m long vessel — almost as long as the Eiffel Tower is tall — which departed Cobh for England as part of a tour of Ireland, England and the Channel Islands.

It was the fourth cruise ship to berth in Cobh this week — the first of the port’s 2007 cruise liner season — and one of its busiest-ever weeks.

Celebrity Cruises’ sister company, Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas called on Monday and the largest ship to visit Cork this year, the Navigator of the Seas, called on Tuesday, kicking off a bumper season worth an estimated €35 million to the local economy.

The Norwegian Dream is due in port on Sunday.

90,280 tonnes.

964.6 feet long.

24 knots top speed.

11 decks.

10 elevators.

999 crew.

2,449 guests.

Two 2,530 square foot penthouse suites each with baby-grand piano, wet bar, exercise equipment and whirlpool.

Ship supplies per 10-day cruise:

24,236 lbs of beef.

10,211 lbs of chicken.

2,100 lbs of lobster.

200 bottles of champagne, including a rare vintage Magnum for $5,000.

10,100 cans of beer.

9,235 dozen eggs.

20,003 lbs of fresh fruit.