Foyle Port welcomed the impressive new cruise ship Explora I to Lough Foyle on its first-ever visit to the island of Ireland on Thursday.
The luxury liner, which was built and delivered by Fincantieri at the Monfalcone shipyard in Italy, is owned by Explora Journeys, a new luxury division of MSC Cruises.
The maiden voyage of Explora I set sail on August 1st from Copenhagen and visited Lough Foyle as part of its inaugural UK and Ireland voyage. To mark the occasion, delegates from Fáilte Ireland, Donegal County Council, Go Visit Inishowen, Visit Derry, Hamilton Shipping, and Foyle Port exchanged plaques with the ship's captain, Serena Melani.
Plaque Exchange onboard Explora I on 31st August 2023. From left to right: Lisa McLaughlin, Trade Liaison Manager, Go Visit Inishowen; Leo McParland, Managing Director, Hamilton Shipping; Matt Doherty, Business Development Officer, Visit Derry; Catherine Crawley, Visitor Services Officer, Visit Derry; Captain Serena Melani, Explora Journeys; Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach, Donegal County Council; Louise Denvir, Cruise Marketing Executive, Foyle Port; John McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council; David Leonard, Wild Atlantic Way Officer, Fáilte Ireland; Harbour Master Captain Bill McCann, Foyle Port
Mayor of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Martin Harley, expressed his delight in welcoming this luxury cruise ship to Donegal on its first visit. He said that showcasing Donegal and the North West region's natural, unspoiled beauty will pay dividends in the future, and they look forward to many of today's visitors returning to their region in the years ahead.
Foyle Port's Harbour Master, Captain Bill McCann, expressed his honour in welcoming the guests and crew of this extraordinary ship on their first visit to the island. He believes that the North West is a cruise destination with an unrivalled offering, with guests visiting incredible locations of natural outstanding beauty, including the Inishowen Peninsula, UNESCO World Heritage site the Giant's Causeway, Glenveagh National Park, and Ireland's only intact Walled City, Derry-Londonderry.
Janine Moore, Commercial Development Manager for Intercruises, expressed her excitement in working on the shoreside experiences and collaborating with both the Explora team and their local destination colleagues in Greencastle to realize Explora's vision with a successful shoreside operation.
Explora I anchored in Lough Foyle on 31st August 2023
Foyle Port will host six cruise ships this week, two of which will visit on Saturday. Azamara Journey and Noble Caledonia's Island Sky will come alongside in the commercial Port at Lisahally.
Two cruise ships in one day will be another first for the Port. By the end of the 2023 cruise season, Foyle Port expects to have welcomed over 14,000 passengers and crew, with visitor nationalities ranging from the US, Australia, France, Brazil, Israel, and Germany, to name a few.
The doubling of cruise visits to the region in 2023, with seven of the 17 ships being inaugural calls, shows the growth of cruise tourism to the North West.
