Two millionth passenger visit 'testament to how popular Belfast is'

Belfast's two millionth cruise ship visitor said the milestone was a "testament to the city and how popular a stop it is".

Lea Goodsell from the United States of America docked in the city on board the Norwegian Dawn, which is operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, on Tuesday.

She said she was "thrilled" by the accolade, adding: "I go on a lot of cruises but to represent the two-million people that have come before me is overwhelming".

The first cruise ship to visit these shores did so in 1996, but since then the industry has boomed with a record 165 cruise ships expected this year - a 15% increase on the previous record set in 2019.

Ms Goodsell's trip will unfortunately only last for less than 12 hours, something she described as "such a crime".

She has, however, set her sights well on coming back for a more lengthy stay.

"I view cruising as an opportunity to get a taste of places and then figure out which ones I want to come back to and I've already decided I'm coming back.

"It's my first time in Belfast so there's a lot to see and do to try and fit into a very short period of time," she told UTV.

"I'm getting on a bus I'm going to try and see all the major things and then on my second time around I'm going to get off and explore more.

"I think top of the list is to find a quaint pub and have a Guinness and just kinda feel like I live here for just a brief moment in time, somewhere that's off the beaten path a little bit."

Some of the biggest cruise ships in the world, from world-leading global brands including Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas (347 metres long, gross tonnage 168,666) and MSC Virtuosa (332m long, gross tonnage 181,541) have called at Belfast multiple times in recent years. 

Port Director of Belfast Harbour, Michael Robinson, said the arrival of Belfast's two-millionth cruise visitor is a "significant milestone".

“Cruise visitors make an important contribution to the tourism industry in Northern Ireland bringing tourists from across the world for day trips to attractions across the region," he added.

Meanwhile, Tourism NI’s Director of Marketing, Naomi Waite, said: “The millions of pounds of investment in our tourism infrastructure and visitor experiences in recent years has ensured Belfast and Northern Ireland are at the forefront of the cruise offering."

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