The Port of Waterford will harbour 21 cruise vessels during the upcoming tourism season in an expected €2.5m boost to the regional economy.

The vessels docking at Waterford -- at both the Port of Waterford at Belview and the Department of Agriculture and the Marine-operated Dunmore East harbour -- between April and October will carry a total of 25,755 visitors and some 12,049 crew.

“We are delighted to welcome visitors from all over the world to the Southeast region during our cruise business season," said Port of Waterford harbour master Capt Darren Doyle.

The Maud will be the first vessel to arrive on 28 April while carrying some 528 passengers and 300 crew while the gigantic Celebrith Aprex will dock twice over the summer with 3,405 passengers and 1,320 crew members.

Visitors from each of the vessels will alight at Belview and enjoy travel to the top attractions across the Southeast and at Dunmore East they will travel ashore via tender boats.

In Association with

Nearby attractions include the Waterford Treasures Museum collection in the city’s Viking Triangle, Waterford Crystal, the UNESCO World Heritage site at the Copper Coast, the Rock of Cashel, Kilkenny Castle and the Dunbrody Famine Ship at New Ross.

Photo: The Celebrity Apex cruise ship visiting Waterford.