Derry’s year as City of Culture may have helped attract more visitors to the North West but did little to bring additional cruise ships to Foyleside, tourism figures show.
Statistics for January – June 2013 show while 21 cruise ships docked in Belfast, with 26,445 passengers and 10,575 crew on board, only the three visited Derry.
These were the Hebridean Princess which docked at Queen’s Quay on 20-21 April, the Quest of Adventure tied up at Lisahally Port on 18 May and the MS Astor which berthed off Greencastle on 22 June.
Visits by The World on 6-7 July and Seabourn Pride on 9 September (both at Lisahally) were not included in the figures which are contained in the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s (NISRA) Tourism Statistics Bulletin for the 12 months period to June 2013 and the first six months (January to June) of 2013.
In 2012, eight cruise ships visited Derry.
The Quest for Adventure docked at Lisahally on 9 May, the Marco Polo and Prinsendam berthed off Greencastle on 14 and 16 July respectively, the Clipper Odyssey pulled up alongside Queen’s Quay on 4 August, the MS Astor at Greencastle on 10 August, Princess Daphne on 30 August at Lishahally and the MS Albatross and Ocean Countess berthed off Greencastle on 12 and 15 September respectively.
Looking ahead, just the two cruise ships are so far confirmed to visit Lisahally in 2014. They are the Adonia (17 June) and Crystal Symphony (25 August).
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