By
Laura Hyde |
Foyle Port in Northern Ireland is preparing for a rise in cruise tourism in 2025, with the number of ship calls expected to increase by 21 per cent compared to 2019. A total of 17 cruise ships are scheduled to visit the port between May and September, including five vessels making maiden calls.
Returning cruise lines include AE Expeditions, Azamara, Crystal Cruises, Mystic Cruises, Noble Caledonia, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea, Phoenix Reisen and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The 2025 cruise season will begin with the arrival of Mystic Cruises’ World Explorer on 11 May.
It is estimated that combined visiting passenger and crew spend will generate over £500,000 ($662,000) for the port’s local economy in 2025.
Foyle Port is a member of Cruise Ireland, a network of Irish port authorities and stakeholders, and is committed to growing cruise tourism to the region. The cruise team attended Seatrade Cruise Global from 7-11 April in Miami, Florida.
“The consistent return of cruise lines year after year speaks volumes about the reputation of our destination,” said Captain Bill McCann, harbour master and operations director at Foyle Port. “The feedback we received from cruise lines in Miami was overwhelmingly positive, with particular interest in the port’s strategic location, allowing visitors to experience both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in one day. We look forward to working with our strategic partners to collectively welcome over 5,000 passengers and 3,700 crew from all over the world this season.”