THE largest cruise ship ever to visit Donegal is due to dock today as the county bids to be a leading cruise tourism destination.
The European cruise industry is worth close to €2 billion annually, and Donegal is increasingly positioning itself to benefit from that growing market.
The Queen Anne, the newest luxury cruise ship operated by Cunard Line, was expected to arrive in fishing port Killybegs this morning and depart again today (Monday) at 6pm.
Weighing 113,000 gross tonnes and spanning 14 passenger decks, the vessel carries more than 4,200 passengers and crew, and its berth in Donegal is another major milestone for the county.
Local councillor Niamh Kennedy said there is huge excitement in Killybegs ahead of the ship’s arrival.
In addition to the thousands of tourists on board, large numbers of people from across Donegal are expected to travel to the town to catch a glimpse of the vessel.
Cllr Kennedy, who works from the Killybegs Information Centre, said preparations for cruise ship visits begin well in advance of each arrival.
She also praised the Killybegs 2040 Regeneration Project, launched in June last year, which aims to revitalise the town centre and tackle dereliction. The project, she said, has “lifted the whole town”.
Cllr Kennedy spoke of the sheer scale of modern cruise ships, which tower over even the massive fishing trawlers that have long defined Killybegs’ harbour – a striking symbol of the town’s growing tourism potential.
The Luxury Silver Spirit Cruise Ship made its inaugural visit to Greencastle and Killybegs in Donegal in 2024.
Donegal County Council is a member of Cruise Ireland, the all-island marketing body responsible for promoting Ireland to international cruise itinerary planners and operators.
Through Cruise Ireland, the council has access to key decision-makers across the global cruise sector, while Donegal is represented at major industry events, trade shows and familiarisation programmes attended by leading cruise lines.
Killybegs has already developed a significant cruise tourism business, with 17 cruise ship calls scheduled for this year alone.
Meanwhile, another record-breaking cruise ship visited Donegal earlier this month when the Holland America Line vessel Nieuw Statendam docked in Greencastle on Saturday, June 6.
It was the largest ship ever to visit Lough Foyle, carrying close to 3,700 passengers and crew.
Greencastle is expected to welcome several more cruise ships in the years ahead, although vessels there must currently dock off-shore.
Rathmullan, however, shares Killybegs’ advantage of having deep-water quayside berthing facilities, making it another potential cruise destination.
In March, Cllr Pauric McGarvey submitted a motion to Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Council calling for efforts to attract cruise ships to Rathmullan.
“This is an opportunity not just for Rathmullan but also for this part of Donegal,” he said.
Cllr McGarvey stated that it has the “second deepest natural harbour in Ireland at 14 metres”, which he said is “more than enough” to accommodate large cruise vessels.
He was told the council is currently revamping its cruise brochure under a new “Cruise Donegal” brand and is also exploring the possibility of inviting expressions of interest from cruise operators regarding Rathmullan through Cruise Ireland.
The number of cruise ships visiting Ireland this year is expected to rise by 14 per cent compared with 2025, bringing an estimated 750,000 passengers.
According to industry figures, cruise passengers spend an average of €81 at each port they visit, while crew members spend an average of €29 ashore.
Independent Cllr Niamh Kennedy