Life on the ocean wave: Belfast Harbour welcomes 1,500th cruise ship with arrival of Regal Princess

Today (18th) the Regal Princess, a 19-deck ship that can hold up to 4,250 passengers, pulled into Belfast for a stay – with the major milestone making it an extra-special trip.

It was already the city’s most frequent visitor, with the latest visit the 32nd time the Regal Princess has called into Belfast since 2015, and the fifth time it stopped in Northern Ireland this year.

The ship is operated by Princess Cruises, a major played in the industry that has brought almost a third of the total number of cruise passengers who have come to the province.

Michael Robinson, port director of Belfast Harbour described hitting 1,500 cruise ship visits as “a fantastic achievement”.

“The cruise sector brings significant numbers of people to the city, directly supporting local tourism businesses in the economy while also boosting the profile of Northern Ireland as an international destination,” he said.

“Belfast Harbour has committed to our largest ever port investment in order to facilitate further growth of the cruise sector. Feedback from our cruise line partners and visitors about the quality of the local offering and service is always positive, and we are excited about what more can be achieved.”

Regal Princess Captain Aldo Traverso said it was an honour for his ship to be a part of “a significant milestone at Belfast Harbour today”.

He added: “Visiting this vibrant city has been met with warmth and hospitality, making it a favourite stop for our guests on their British Isles voyage. We look forward to many more calls to come.”

Visit Belfast’s Mary Jo McCanny said cruise tourism is “an important part of our visitor economy”, adding: “This milestone is both a celebration and a launchpad for the next chapter of growth for the city.”

Since the first cruise ship arrived in Belfast in 1996, the industry has grown exponentially and now contributes approximately £25m a year to the local economy. To date, almost 2.5m cruise passengers have come to Northern Ireland on cruise ships, and in 2025 there will be 148 visits by 58 ships from 31 different cruise lines at Belfast Harbour.