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'We'd love to come back': Cruise season ends

BBC A female with blonde hair with a big smile standing at the bus stop. She is wearing a black jacket and a gold necklace. The male is the picture has grey hair and a pair of glasses standing at the bus stop beside Belfast city hall. BBC
Donna Cauley and Bob Garratt waiting to go back to the last cruise ship of the season sailing out of Belfast

Cruise ship season officially ended in Belfast on Monday night with the last visiting vessel leaving the harbour.

It brought to a close a very busy year.

There was plenty of focus on one particular ship this year but it was only one of 145 to call at Belfast between April and October.

BBC News NI interviewed passengers who boarded the Oceania cruise ship Sirena ahead of it leaving the port.

'The onion rings here are excellent'

Donna Cauley, from Texas, said the highlight of Belfast has been its heritage.

"I got to hear about all the history, there is such great architecture here in Belfast.

"This is our first experience of Northern Ireland, we would love to come back but I think we would come a little earlier in the season for better weather. We had a lovely bus tour where we got to hop on and hop off."

Bob Garratt, from Gladeville, Tennessee, said: "We have had the best thing, we finally had a proper Guinness. It is the first one and it was worth the wait. The homemade onion rings here are excellent, just as good as back home."

A couple smiling next to a Northern Ireland tourism banner. The female has black hair with gold hoop earrings. The male is wearing a black jacket his t-shirt button is opened, he is smiling showing his teeth.
Robyn Snow pictured alongside husband David Snow

Robyn Snow, from New York, said: "We have had a wonderful experience, it was easy to navigate, we received a very warm welcome and got the maps handed straight to us. We went to visit the Crumlin Road Gaol, the Cathedral and the City Hall."

Robyn's husband David said: "The highlight was the Guinness sitting in a real Irish pub, you get loads of people from all over trying to pour a Guinness but they will never make it just like they do here. It is just not possible."

The visitors were surprised that the weather stayed mostly dry for the whole time they spent in Belfast.

"When we came into the harbour this morning it was rough and when we arrived into Belfast it was flat, it's been great. People in Belfast are very friendly and welcoming. We thought it would have rained all day, it's cold but at least it is dry."

"The most memorable sight that I saw was the two giant cranes, that was at the shipyard. To think that is where the Titanic was, it was kind of an interesting welcome," he added.

A manager of Belfast sightseeing standing in front of City Hall Belfast. He has grey hair and tattoos on his chest. He is wearing a red and black coat. The coat is labelled Sightseeing Belfast. The coat has a poppy badge. He has leaflets in his hand standing in front of the city hall.
Sightseeing Belfast manager Joe said they had a busy last day

Joe, the manager of Sightseeing Belfast, said: "We have had a very busy day. The season has been successful overall, it is great to meet new people from all over the world."

He added: "That is the last ship today. We will be looking forward to March 2025 then we will see the ships arriving daily again."

'You're only 90 minutes from any end of the country.'

Belfast Harbour Commercial Executive Gary Hall said Belfast's draw for ships was the most famous cruise liner of them all.

"It's the tourist product.

"We can visibly track our increase in cruise numbers since 2012 when Titanic Belfast opened.

"And then you've got everything on the north coast.

"A lot of the feedback we get back from cruise lines is that the beauty of Northern Ireland is that you're only 90 minutes from any end of the country."