NCL maiden call to Belfast
CRUISE LINER SAILS INTO
BELFAST FOR DEBUT
APPEARANCE
A major new addition to this season’s cruise calendar
sailed into the Port of Belfast this morning bringing with it over
3,000 passengers and crew. The impressive NCL Norwegian Jade
is the 16th ship out of a remarkable 39 cruise liners
scheduled to visit Belfast this year and the first ship from the
Norwegian Cruise Line Corporation to ever dock in the city.
The vessel’s stopover is a result of the work
carried out by the Cruise Belfast Initiative, a partnership between
the Port of Belfast and the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau
(BVCB), set up to market Belfast as a cruise destination.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tom Hartley
was at the port to greet the vessel’s passengers and crew and
said,
“It was a pleasure for me to welcome cruise
ship passengers to the city for the first time since I became Lord
Mayor of Belfast,” he said. “The visitors were very excited
at the prospect of exploring our city and I was delighted to have
the opportunity to share in their excitement. Belfast is a
great place for a cruise ship to dock and it is becoming
increasingly popular with 39 ships due to visit the city this
year. Its compact size enables passengers to explore the city
with ease and makes for a very rewarding experience.
“Adding another prestigious liner to the long
list of cruise vessels that have docked in Belfast is a mark of the
city’s increasing tourism reputation. We have worked hard to
promote Belfast as a vibrant, modern city, ideal as a cruise
destination and it is great to see the recently unveiled brand for
Belfast being put into practise - providing an even warmer welcome
to the city,” he concluded.
Gerry Lennon, Chief Executive of BVCB was also
at the port to welcome visitors,
“Belfast’s cruise calendar continues to show
strong growth. This year’s cruise season is the busiest the
city has experienced and by the time it is wrapped up in November
it has been estimated that over 64,500 passengers and crew will
have visited the city, bringing in an approximate £15.5 million in
tourism revenue,” he said.
“It is encouraging that Belfast has been
included in cruise itineraries despite stiff competition from major
UK ports and that the city has been so well received by both
passengers and cruise companies,” he added.
Joe O’Neill, commercial director at the Port
of Belfast was delighted to welcome the new vessel to Belfast,
“It is very satisfying to know all the hard
work we put into the cruise initiative has been so
successful. We have been able to establish Belfast as a port
of call for some of the most high-profile cruise companies and the
Norwegian Jade cruise liner joins ships from well known companies
visiting the city this year including Celebrity Cruises, Princess
Cruises and Fred Olsen Cruises as well the world-famous QE2,” he
said.
Laura Harvey, Corporate Development Director
at the Northern Ireland Tourist Board added;
“Cruise calls are playing an increasingly
important role in adding to the number of international visitors
coming into Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland each
year. Many cruise passengers take the opportunity to explore
the country with day trips to the North Coast, County Down and
other areas, so cruise stops provide the perfect opportunity for
visitors who want to get a taster of what the province has to
offer, returning at a later date for a longer stay.”
BVCB is a public/ private partnership funded
by Belfast City Council, NITB and the private sector and is
sponsored by Diageo NI.