Holyhead Cruise Destination, Cruising UK and Ireland | Retirement

Holyhead Cruise Destination, Cruising UK and Ireland

by DavidPhillips

A Holyhead cruise visit is becoming ever more popular with major cruise lines which offer cruising holidays around the waters of the UK and Ireland. Holyhead on Anglesey is a major UK passenger ferry port to Ireland and has excellent port facilities for large cruise ships looking to offer their passengers exciting and interesting places to visit.

Holyhead Breakwater is a famous attraction and the longest sea wall in the UK, and cruise liners anchor in a sheltered spot north east of the breakwater and Anglesey Aluminium jetty in the outer harbour. The local boatyard can provide a suitable tug if the cruise ship requires assistance.

For cruise ships over 250 metres in length this location is great as it is in the shelter of the town and harbour with the prevailing winds coming from the south west. Passengers can land at the Fish Dock on the east side of the inner harbour, a journey they can make by ship's tender. At the dock special coaches will take visitors to various attractions across the island and on the mainland.

If you sailed up north from Milford Haven or Swansea in South West Wales, chances are you may have glimpsed some amazingly beautiful Cambrian coastal settings. Approaching Anglesey island you may have caught eye of some fine sandy beaches stretching from the south near Llanddwyn, where shots from Demi Moore's Half Light movie were taken, to Trearddur Bay in the west. And don't forget world renown South Stack Lighthouse, well worth a visit after arrival in Holyhead.

Ferries sail to Dublin, the Irish capital, and to Dun Laoghaire from Holyhead. In fact the port of Holyhead now welcomes some of the top cruise ships in Northern Europe. Cruise lines such as Holland America, Noble Caledonia, Oceana Cruises and Hapag Lloyd will increase their visits, drawn no doubt by the variety of historical and natural attractions for their passengers. Holyhead has already hosted a cruise ship carrying 750 passengers, the 48,000 tonne Seven Seas Voyager.

Mindful of the growing interest in visiting the island, there are plans to use the Anglesey Aluminium jetty as a new berthing location, making disembarkation easier. This strategic decision will attract larger cruise ships which might otherwise use larger port facilities at Dublin and Liverpool. The aim is to regularly accommodate vessels of around 85,000 tonnes, and estimates are that an investment of about 7 million to port facilities is required, with 0.5 million earmarked for the jetty berthing facility.

Looking ahead, the extra investment in port infrastructure at Holyhead, especially when as many as 70 cruise liners sail in North European waters, increases the chance of this Holyhead cruise destination becoming a real possibility for many keen cruise passengers. And now Anglesey council is leading the "Celtic Wave" initiative to encourage co-operation between key ports in Wales and Ireland, namely Holyhead, Swansea, Milford Haven, Cork, Waterford and Dublin. The strategy is supported by 1.2 million, aiming to draw bigger cruise ships and visitors to these ports.

You may wish to visit the historic castles of Wales at Beaumaris and Caernarfon, which are designated UN World Heritage sites. Alternatively, you may want to visit the last working mill in Wales at Llynnon, Llanddeusant or walk some of the Anglesey coastal path or visit the National Trust house and gardens at Plas Newydd. Whatever option you choose, you can be sure that more cruise liners will be looking to make the Holyhead cruise destination over the coming years.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

David Phillips comes from the sunny island of Anglesey off North Wales in Britain, and edits an online resource on local news and information. Learn how you could enjoy exciting historical attractions by taking the perfect Holyhead cruise journey here.