Foyle Port initiated its 2024 cruise season with the arrival of the Seabourn Ovation on May 14, marking the first of three ship visits scheduled for the week as part of a season expecting over 10,000 passengers and crew in the North West of Ireland until September.
The Seabourn Ovation visited Foyle Port during a 21-day voyage from Lisbon to Hamburg via Scandinavia, with upcoming calls including Saga’s Spirit of Adventure on May 16 and the return visit of the World Explorer by Rivages du Monde on May 19.
Bill McCann, Foyle Port’s Harbor Master and Operations Director said: We are seeing return calls from 92pc of the cruise lines this year – we believe this speaks volumes to the positive experience received on previous visits and is a real testament to the destination, 2023 was a record year for the port as we welcomed over 16,000 guests and crew with an estimated direct spend of over €1m into the local economy benefiting local restaurants, shops, tourism providers, entertainment and transport companies. We eagerly anticipate further growth allowing for more international tourists to experience first-hand what a beautiful part of the world this is.”
Niamh McCarthy, Managing Director of Excursions Ireland, said: it is always very refreshing to work with a region who actively welcome cruise ships and this port is one of them. The variety of tours we offer from this region is second to none and the year-on-year feedback is phenomenal. We are looking forward to another busy 2024 season and also look forward to working alongside all at Foyle Port in the future to further promote and showcase this region and all it has to offer.”
