Cruiser that’s twice as long as Croker... and dwarfs the Aviva
THE largest vessel ever to dock in Dublin steamed up the Liffey yesterday, bringing more than 3,200 tourists with her.
The MSC Splendida’s passengers disembarked to be greeted by colourful stilt walkers, drummers and Irish dancers before they took their seats in the long rows of coaches waiting to take them on a tour of Co. Wicklow.
Measuring 333 metres, more than twice the length of a GAA pitch, the liner carries 1,370 crew members and 3,247 passengers.
Its facilities include a VIP section with 24-hour butler service, a dozen bars and lounges, spa and Turkish baths, four swimming pools and a Formula 1 simulator.
The Splendida started her voyage in Hamburg, docking at Invergordon in Scotland and Kirkwall in the Orkneys.
The cruiser is also due to visit Greenock in Scotland, Cork Harbour and Southampton before heading back to Hamburg.
Yesterday’s Dublin visit is esti- mated to have generated at least €50,000 for the local economy.
It was a first visit to Dublin for husband and wife Yves and Katerine Bonte, from Belgium.
‘We’ve been to Scotland before but not Ireland,’ Mrs Bonte said. ‘This is the first time. ‘But we don’t have a car and it is difficult to travel in Ireland without a car.
‘Normally we go for the countryside but that is not possible in Dublin. But we are interested in the way people are living and to visit the town.’
Asked about the entertainment that greeted her and other passengers, she added: ‘The music is nice but the outfits and the dancing is something else.’
In a further boost for cruise tourism to the city, Dublin Port Company yesterday announced that Dublin would become the first Irish port to welcome Disney Cruise Line following confirmation that the MV Disney Magic would visit in 2016.
The 300m ship will make her maiden call to Dublin next May as part of a transatlantic cruise starting in Port Canaveral, Florida and finishing in Dover, UK.
She will be back in Dublin next June as part of a 12-night cruise around Britain with Dublin selected as the only Irish destination.
She will bring 2,700 passengers and a complement of 950 cast and crew to the city each time.
Eamonn O’Reilly, Dublin Port Company CEO, said: ‘We handled 86 ships last year and welcomed 141,000 visitors.
‘We now expect that we will exceed these figures this year as many of the 18 ships that originally planned to anchor in the bay may now opt to come into Dublin Port.
4,617 Passengers and crew aboard the Splendida