Belfast enjoyed another successful cruise season in 2024, welcoming 145 cruise calls to the city between April and October this year.
Cruise Belfast, the partnership between Belfast Harbour and Visit Belfast which markets the city as a leading cruise tourism destination, reported that 60 ships from 35 different cruise lines docked in the port, bringing 260,000 passengers and crew to Northern Ireland.
Among them were six ships which made their inaugural calls to Belfast, including Cunard’s spectacular new vessel Queen Anne, which made its first visit to Belfast in June as part of its British Isles Festival Voyage.
In a further indication of the city’s growing status in the cruise industry, Belfast also facilitated six cruise turnarounds during the year with Ambassador. These voyages provided local people with the opportunity to embark on a cruise from Belfast to destinations including the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland, the Mediterranean and the Scottish Islands.
This year’s season also included one full turnaround of international passengers, mostly American visitors who flew into Belfast to join a cruise around the UK and Ireland.
Michael Robinson, Port Director of Belfast Harbour said: “Cruise tourism is now well established in Belfast and this year we continued to receive very positive feedback from passengers, crew and cruise line management about the quality of the region’s tourism offering and the service that the industry provides.
“The cruise sector also continues to develop and expand, with a growing number of cruise turnarounds. We look forward to another busy year in 2025 when we will welcome our 1,500th call – something we could never have imagined when the first cruise ship visited Belfast back in 1996.”
Gerry Lennon, CEO of Visit Belfast, also emphasised the significance of cruise tourism, stating: “Cruise tourism is vital not only for Belfast but for the entire region. It brings significant numbers of visitors who contribute to local businesses and create jobs. The impact of these visitors resonates throughout our community, supporting a diverse range of sectors and enhancing the overall economic vitality of Northern Ireland.”
The largest vessel to call in Belfast in this year’s cruise season was the 333-metre MSC Preziosa, which arrived in September.
The final call on October 28th was the Oceania cruise ship ‘Sirena’.