First cruise ship call of the 2025 season arrives in Belfast

Belfast has today welcomed the first cruise ship call of 2025, as the Viking Vela docked at Belfast Harbour on Sunday.

It is the first time the new Viking vessel has come to Belfast, which will this year welcome inaugural visits from 10 cruise ships as part of a cruise season that will see 146 calls to Belfast Harbour from some of the world’s best-known cruise lines.

During the 2025 season, a total of 57 different ships from 31 different cruise lines – including 13 by Belfast’s most frequent caller, the ‘Regal Princess’ - will arrive in the city

The largest vessel that will be visiting Belfast this year will once again be the 333-metre-long MSC Preziosa.

In a further indication of the city’s growing status in the cruise industry, this year will see Belfast Harbour facilitate eight ‘turnarounds’ – which means passengers beginning and ending their trip in Belfast boosting overnight stays in city hotels.

The 2025 cruise season will come to an end on 6 th November 2025.

See pictures from the Viking Vela docking in Belfast below...