The biggest cruise liner to berth at Dublin Port is due to arrive today.
The Golden Princess, at 108,865 tonnes, will eclipse last year's record-holder, a sister-ship, the Grand Princess. She was the first cruise ship over 100,000 tonnes to enter the port.
The Golden Princess is one of the largest cruise ships afloat and is the first of 11 cruise calls scheduled to visit the port in a deal announced last year between Princess Cruises and the Dublin Port Company. In the deal with Princess Cruises, the port will facilitate 26,000 passengers during the season, generating an estimated €23-€25 million for the Dublin economy.
The 290m Golden Princess can accommodate 3,000 passengers and has a crew of 1,100. "The Golden Princess will nearly be full to capacity. The ship is twice the length of Croke Park," said Jimmy Carolan of Dublin Port Company.