Calls for North Quays dock to open as cruise ship cancellations cause havoc for Waterford businesses
Passengers must use tenders (smaller boats) to reach land, meaning bad weather can cause last minute cancellations.
At 9.30 this morning, Jim Gordon found out that he was going to lose a few thousand euros. As the owner of Revolution Bar, he ordered in fresh fish and lamb stew. He rostered extra staff. He opened an hour early. All of this made sense when he thought over 700 tourists were going to descend upon the city for the day.
The Seven Seas Grandeur cruise is a seven-day one-way cruise from Southampton to Belfast. Prices start at USD $22,598 (double-occupancy rates).
Jim told the Waterford News & Star that this sudden cancellation happens “six or seven times over the summer”.
A spokesperson for Waterford City and County Council explained that “there’s only a certain window where the tide and the weather line up and if they don’t align, the ships don’t re-attempt to dock.”
In the past, cruise ships used to dock on the North Quays but in recent years they anchor off Dunmore East. This means tenders must be used to bring passengers ashore. If there is a swell, it is the cruise ship’s call whether to cancel the day’s excursion.
However, this decision is not communicated to those ashore until very late. It is understood that approximately 15 JJ Kavanagh’s coaches were parked in Dunmore East this morning. They left the fishing village empty of passengers.
“We need a cruise terminal to avoid this uncertainty,” Jim told the Waterford News & Star. He continued: “It shouldn’t be that difficult to build a dock that cruise ships can dock at at the North Quays.”
If a cruise ship docked at a jetty or dock, then the weather would not affect passengers' ability to arrive in Waterford City.
This was raised several weeks earlier at a Council Plenary meeting.
Councillor Adam Wyse said: “We’re a city that has a huge maritime history; it's vitally important that naval ships and cruise liners can dock at the quayside in Waterford city.”
He told the council that the Port of Waterford has included in their submission regarding the North Quays the need to allow ships to berth in the city in terms of cultural heritage and footfall for Waterford city.
Senior Executive for Waterford City and County Council, Seán Dobbs, said that the council would be “favourably disposed” to having a wharf for cruise ships and was engaging with the developers.
The next cruise ship is due to arrive in Dunmore East on July 7; fingers crossed it’s a nice day.
