Cruise season starts as Bantry welcomes Spirit of Discovery

THE cruise ship season is underway in West Cork with the vessel Spirit of Discovery arriving in Bantry Bay.

A total of 22 cruise liners are expected to visit Bantry Bay this year, a record-breaking season for the town and up from nine cruise ships last year.

Over the coming months, these liners will bring more than 15,000 passengers and crew from all over the world to Bantry Bay providing a major boost for tourism in the surrounding area.

Operated by Saga Cruises, the Spirit of Discovery is one of the largest liners that can be accommodated in Bantry Bay and was anchored just off Whiddy Island for the duration of its stay.

With a passenger and crew capacity of 1,527, just shy of half the population of Bantry, it brought a huge footfall to the town.

Port of Bantry assistant harbour master Michael Murphy said that seeing the jump from nine cruises in 2023 to 22 this year shows how much of a popular destination the port has become.

‘We have a very busy season ahead of us and we look forward to welcoming so many passengers and crew from all over the world to the port,’ he added.

Cruise tourism continues to be a significant contributor to the Cork economy, estimated to generate €17m in revenue.

Onshore spending averages at €81 per passenger and €29 per crewperson, highlighting the substantial economic benefits for the region.

The 2024 cruise liner schedule indicates a 10% increase in vessels expected to visit the Port of Cork this year with an impressive 125 cruise vessels scheduled to arrive between April and November.

The first vessel into the Port of Cork this year was the Bahamas-registered Ambition, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, on Thursday, April 4th. The 709ft ship will visit Bantry on April 28th, with its 680 cabins and 1,200 guests.

Bantry Bay Port – at 35km long – is the largest long marine inlet in the southwest and has recently invested €8.5m in its marine strategy to aid both existing marine users and new marina facilities.