#Cruiseliners – An extra cruiseship is to visit Dun Laoghaire Harbour, since Afloat reported the end of the 2015 season marked by the maiden anchorage call of Mein Schiff 4, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The additional cruiseship, Celebrity Silhouette brings to eight in total to call during 2016. The 122,400 tonnes 'Soltice' class ship is to anchor off Dun Laoghaire in July and only because Dublin Port cannot accept the vessel due to unsuitable tides.

The Celebrity Cruises ship however will make three visits to Dublin Port throughout this season, for more click here. The port will be capable of handling much larger cruiseships following permission granted last year for a new cruise terminal.  

As for Dun Laoghaire Harbour, there is insufficient depth for larger cruiseships to dock inside the harbour and this led to plans lodged by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company for a €18m cruise-berth. A decision to grant or deny planning permission by An Bord Pleanala was delayed earlier this month and they announced that a final ruling on the controversial project may take months to reach conclusion. 

Celebrity Silhouette with a 2,886 passenger capacity will be a boost for Dun Laoghaire Harbour to where previously the German build cruiseship also made a maiden offshore call to the port last July.

Of the eight cruiseships for the 2016 season all ships have visited Dun Laoghaire Harbour before.

In the past five years the most frequent caller has been the sail-assisted Wind Surf. The four-mast cruiseship is scheduled to make 2 of the eight calls this season and dock within the harbour alongside Carlisle Pier.

To consult arrival and departures times for the cruiseships calling to Dun Laoghaire Harbour, click here in addition to those also scheduled to the port for the following season of 2017.