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HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF AS THE QUEEN VICTORIA RETURNS TO BELFAST

Queen Victoria LM BVCB BHCTHE Queen Victoria cruise liner sailed into Belfast this morning, no fewer than 151 years after her famous name sake visited in person.

Queen Victoria granted Belfast its City status in 1888, and today nearly 2,000 passengers were welcomed ashore by the City’s first citizen the Lord Mayor of Belfast Patrick Convery.

The maiden visit to the city by Queen Victoria is further evidence of the success of the Cruise Belfast initiative which sees Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau (BVCB) and Belfast Harbour working together in attracting international cruise companies to Belfast and Northern Ireland.

The Queen Victoria is the 19th of 37 cruise ships visiting Belfast this year and by the end of the cruise season in October the city will have welcomed almost 63,000 passengers and crew.

Not quite reflecting history, the Queen Victoria has followed the QE2 (Queen Elizabeth the 2nd) into Belfast as she visited the port on her farewell voyage in 2008.  Owned by one of the World’s most famous cruise lines, Cunard, Queen Victoria is the second largest ‘Cunarder ‘ever built at 964 feet long and 106 feet wide with features such as a theatre with private boxes, a library with 6,000 books, a museum, art gallery spa and swimming pool.  Passengers can even avail of fencing classes as it was reputed that Prince Albert was an enthusiast!

Anne McMullan, BVCB Director of Communications, says that the fact that cruise companies continue to add Belfast to their programmes and invest in the local economy is significant.

“The Cruise Belfast Initiative consistently succeeds in attracting more ships to include Belfast and Northern Ireland within their cruise itineraries.  Despite the economic recession, the cruise market continues to grow globally, attracting a more diverse range of cruise visitor.  It has become an integral part of Belfast’s tourism offering as it supports jobs and services through the tours being provided.  Today, dozens of luxury coaches will transport passengers across Belfast and Northern Ireland benefiting local businesses including coach companies, tour guides, visitor attractions, cafes and retailers.   This year will see 37 cruise ships dock in Belfast, with 63,000 passengers and crew, a huge increase from the 2 welcomed in 1999.

Tony McAuley, Commercial Officer at Belfast Harbour added, “We realise the value of the cruise line industry, not only to Belfast but to the national economy, and not only tourism but to the wider maritime economy.  It’s therefore imperative that the Cruise Belfast initiative builds on each year’s successes as it generates in the region of £15m annually to the economy.

“It is always exciting to see ships make their maiden voyage into Belfast, but we are equally happy to see a large number of cruise ships making repeat visits to Belfast.  Belfast Harbour is proud to provide a gateway to Belfast and Northern Ireland to the tens of thousands of visitors who come ashore, as they make a significant financial contribution to the local economy during their visit.  For many passengers, this is their first visit to Belfast and Northern Ireland and the positive experiences which they will take home with them bring further benefits in the longer term.”

Other cruise ships due to dock in Belfast this summer include Princess Cruises, Fred Olsen, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Crystal and Saga.

The Cruise Belfast Initiative is a partnership between BVCB and Belfast Harbour. BVCB is a public/private partnership funded by Belfast City Council, NITB and the private sector and is supported by Diageo NI.

The Cruise Belfast Initiative is a partnership between BVCB and the Port of Belfast. BVCB is a public/private partnership funded by Belfast City Council, NITB and the private sector and is supported by Diageo NI.

 

 

 

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