Displaying items by tag: CorkCruise

16th April 2013

Further Discovery as Cork-bound Cruiseship to Launch Season

#CruiseCORK – The first caller of the Cork cruise season is to be made this evening by Discovery, which as previously reported also started the 2013 season to Dublin Port last week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

She is to due to dock around 22.00hrs this evening alongside the deepwater berth at Cobh Cruise Terminal and where she will make an overnight visit.

A total of 60 cruise ships are scheduled to call in 2013, carrying in excess of 100,000 passengers and crew to be welcomed to the region.

Also recently reported on Afloat.ie was the announcement that the Port of Cork Company is to become 'a sister port' in an alliance with PortMiami, the "Cruise Capital of the World".

Close to 700 passengers can be accommodated on Discovery which is making her debut season operating cruises for Cruise & Maritime Voyages. On this cruise she embarked passengers from her homeport of Avonmouth, near Bristol in north Devon.

The UK based CMV are running cruises by the 20,000 tonnes vessel (and Marco Polo) this season. In tandem the owners of Discovery - Voyages of Discovery are marketing their own cruises using the same vessel under the 'Discovery Sailaway' banner.

Considerably larger cruiseships will call throughout the season to Cork Harbour, for further details and dates click this LINER-LIST.

For example the next caller on 27 April is Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) Vision of the Seas, of 78, 000 tonnes with a capacity for more than 2,400 passengers.

Published in Cruise Liners

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Cork Cruise Calls Set for Busiest Year

#CruiseLiners – A total of 64 cruiseships are scheduled to call to Cork Harbour, making the 2013 season the busiest year to date for the Port of Cork, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The increase in calls (from 57 in 2012), reflects further confidence of the cruise sector in 2013, where there will be 6 maiden calls to Cork and 2 will stay overnight.

A major coup for Cork is that for the first time, Europe's largest based cruise ship "Independence of the Seas" will welcome passengers to embark directly at Cobh on two cruises. Firstly in June and September, with 12-night cruises touring the Norwegian Fjords, organised by Lee Travel.

The giant vessel of 154,000 tonnes which is operated by RCCL, made her inaugural call to Cork in 2007 when she docked at the dedicated Cobh cruise terminal. From April 2013, the 4,375 passenger ship returns to running summer season cruises from her UK homeport of Southampton.

Cobh will look forward to many other callers throughout the season (cruise caller schedule) and where visitors will be given a very special welcome courtesy of CorkCruise. This is an initiative to provide tourist representatives to go on board each vessel. Following visits to Cobh, Cork City and beyond, a traditional Irish dancing and brass band performance are held on the quayside, as a fond farewell.

The efforts of CorkCruise, were recognised once again in 2011 when the Port of Cork was awarded two Cruise Insight Awards for 'Best Shore Side Welcome' and 'Best Tour Guides' which were announced at the global shipping conference, Seatrade Miami in April 2012.

Published in Port of Cork

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil