Cruises from Cork

The Sheltered, deepwater Port of Cork is the natural entry point to many of Ireland’s principal visitor attractions. Over a period of 150 years more than 2.5 million emigrants sailed from the Port of Cork to establish new lives overseas. Today Cork plays host to many of the world’s luxurious cruise vessels which bring tens of thousands of North American and European cruise passengers to explore the country’s chequered history and enjoy its many scenic, cultural and sporting delights. The range of first class port facilities ensures alongside accommodation for the largest cruise ships.

A cruise call at the Port of Cork provides the passenger with the ultimate cruise experience – a fascinating combination of pursuits from history to archaeology, flora and fauna, golf, beautiful gardens, shopping or simply relaxing with friendly and hospitable people. Once experienced a return visit is inevitable.

Below please find an overview of some the many great places to see from Cork.

Cork
A stopover in Cork offers a wide choice of quality shore excursions. Experienced, courteous, multi-lingual guides escort passengers on luxurious, air conditioned coaches to sites of historical, cultural and scenic interest. The second largest city in Ireland, Cork exudes a friendly, relaxed ambience and cruise passengers will delight in its superb historic buildings, modern department stores, pedestrianised streets and its quaint and fascinating bars, full of charm and character. Exploring Cork is enjoyable and exciting with plenty of places to visit. Ring the Shandon Bells in the 300 year-old tower of St. Anne`s Church, marvel at the French Gothic spires of St. Finbarr`s Cathedral, or take a step back in history at the Cork City Gaol. Whether strolling down historical streets, shopping, exploring the surrounding countryside, or simply basking in the City`s hospitality, Cork City is an experience always to be remembered and cherished.

Blarney
Steeped in history and magical charm, Blarney offers the visitor a host of wonderful things to do and places to explore. One of the finest things that will impress the first time visitor is the well preserved village square. For many of the visitors to Blarney, their first priority is to kiss the famous Blarney Stone high up on the Castle battlements. Tradition holds that those who kiss the Blarney Stone will be endowed with the gift of eloquence - "the gift of the gab", as the locals call it. At the impressive Blarney Woollen Mills, visitors can witness examples of old Irish crafts on exhibition, including hand weaving and hand-knitting, and select from the largest retail collection of Waterford Crystal in the world.


Kinsale
The very attractive town of Kinsale is just 29km directly south of Cork City. Kinsale has many popular attractions which include heritage, gourmet restaurants, sailing, deep sea angling and golf. Even the casual visitor to Kinsale will be captivated by its beautiful setting, with the long waterfront, narrow winding streets, and Compass Hill rising sharply behind the town. The old fortifications of Charles Fort and James Fort guard the narrow entrance to Kinsale from the sea. Kinsale owes its unique character to the fact that it was a garrison town and port of consequence for over 300 years, hence its magnificent Georgian houses and the Dutch influence of its architecture.

Midleton
The origins of the historic town of Midleton go back to 1180 AD when the Cistercian monks established a monastery here on the banks of the Owenacurra River. Today, the busy market town has long associations with the Murphy family who opened their first whiskey distillery in the town in 1825. The Old Midleton Distillery traces the history of whiskey making in the town and houses the Jameson Heritage Centre. A visit to the Centre, which contains the largest Pot Still in the world, is a must. A farmers market on in the town every Saturday attracts many artisan food producers.

Killarney
Renowned for its beauty, famed for the splendour of its scenery, Killarney is one of the world’s best-loved tourist spots. Killarney (Cill Airne - The Church of Sloes) became a magnificent town about 1750 when the local magnate, Lord Kenmare, developed the tourist business and four major roads were built to the outside world. Situated in the south-western corner of Ireland, with its three famous lakes reflecting the ever changing skies above the great mountain ranges, Killarney has been the inspiration of poets and painters for many centuries.It is the ideal playground for the sporting enthusiast - you can fish, swim, golf, play tennis, ride a pony, go for a walk, or climb a mountain. For those who are interested in history and archaeology there are many outstanding items of interest to be seen. There are also a number of visitor attractions in the area.

Waterford
Waterford City, steeped in history, heritage and culture, represents a unique blend of modern shopping centres, traditional pubs and highly acclaimed gourmet restaurants. Famous the world over for its hand-crafted crystal – hence the Crystal County, coaches take cruise passengers from Cork to Waterford Crystal’s visitor centre where visitors can see the crystal in production. En route passengers may take in the medieval walled town of Youghal and the monastic ruins of the imposing Rock of Cashel.

West Cork
To the south west of Cork are magnificent Bantry Bay and neighbouring Glengarriff and Garnish Island where the Gulf stream influence is clearly visible on the sub-tropical vegetation. There are a wide range of activities available for visitors throughout the West Cork area including golf, angling, equestrian, sailing, watersports, walking, cycling, visiting the West Cork Model Railway Village or Millstreet Country Park and generally taking in the varied scenery throughout the area. West Cork is also known for its excellent food and there are a wide range of restaurants throughout the area, many of which now carry the Fuchsia Brand symbol of quality.