Ship the largest to dock at Dublin

The cruise ship Grand Princess , which is arriving in Dublin tomorrow morning, will be the largest ever to visit the port.

The cruise ship Grand Princess, which is arriving in Dublin tomorrow morning, will be the largest ever to visit the port.

The 108,806 tonnes vessel is due to dock at the Coal Berth Quay at approximately 10 a.m.

"This is the largest cruise ship in terms of tonnage size to enter Dublin Port," said Mr Jimmy Carolan of Dublin Port Company.

"The one-day visit of the Grand Princess, which has accommodation for nearly 3,000 passengers and more than 1,000 crew, will directly contribute €3 million alone to Dublin."

READ MORE

At 290 metres long, facilities on board include a nine-hole putting course, 24-hour internet cafe, casino, sports court and jogging track, Broadway style theatres and four swimming pools.

Passengers can also revel into the night in a night club located 150 feet above sea-level. Couples can also marry on board in a special wedding chapel.

Princess Cruises, owners of the Grand Princess, signed an agreement in March with the Dublin Port Company which will see 10 cruise ships call at the port next year. This contract will bring in over 26,000 passengers. This would equate to €23 million directly into Dublin businesses. Last year Dublin Port received 35,000 passengers and 19,000 crew from over 50 cruise ships.

Cruise ships visiting the capital have become increasingly larger over recent years. The QE2 of 70,000 tonnes made two calls to Dublin albeit to anchor in Dublin Bay in 1996 and 1997, followed by the Constellation of 90,000 tonnes which also anchored off Dublin in subsequent years.

The largest cruise ship actually to dock in the port, in 2002, was the Brilliance of the Seas, also 90,000 tonnes.

The $450 million Grand Princess was built in Italy in 1998. It departed Copenhagen on Saturday, with calls en route at Dover and Falmouth.

Those interested in seeing the ship's arrival should allow at least an hour before the 10 a.m. docking time as the combination of weather, pilotage and tug handling of the vessel requires time.

Vantage points at Howth peninsula and the South Wall provide ideal locations.

It will depart Dublin tomorrow at 9 p.m. for Scotland before heading for New York.