#CobhCelebrity – Cobh welcomed Celebrity Eclipse this morning as the giant luxury ship made a first port of call having set off from Southampton, the UK’s largest cruiseport, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The ‘Solstice’ class 121,000 gross tonnage luxury cruiseship at 317 metres in length is impressive given that the quay at Cobh Deepwater Berth is only 33 metres longer. It is also the only facility in Ireland in which the Port of Cork can offer a dedicated cruise berth. Planning permission however in recent years was granted for a cruise terminal in Dublin where tomorrow the ship is due to make a maiden port of call to the capital. 

The 2,850 passenger capacity Celebrity Eclipse is the third of a quartet built in Germany for US based owners Celebrity Cruises. In what is a very unusual feature to be found on board is the 'Hot Glass Show'. This is where the fascinating art of glass-blowing is performed by talented craftsmen working in an outdoor studio located on the top deck's Lawn Club.

The 16 passenger deck ship was ranked among the Top 20 Large Cruise Ships according to Conde Nast Traveler's 2014 Reader's Poll. Four years previously, Celebrity Eclipse made a maiden call to Cobh. The occasion also celebrated the 500th visit of a cruiseship to Cobh, which was covered for a report published in Ships Monthly, July 2010 issue.

Notably, this first call to Cobh of the then new cruiseship took place only days after assisting stranded UK holiday makers in Spain following the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud crisis caused by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. This led to widespread disruption due to a complete shut-down of aviation travel across Europe.

In an 'act of goodwill' the owners deployed Celebrity Eclipse to make a special round trip in April 2010 from Southampton to Bilbao. This involved transporting 2,200 tourists back home on a passage across the Bay of Biscay.