The maritime history of Bangor in County Down entered a new era on Tuesday May 7 when the town welcomed to port its first ever cruise liner.

The luxurious 241 cabin Black Prince, carrying 400 passengers, dropped anchor off Bangor during an eight-port tour of the British Isles and Normandy.

The visit is being seen as a major coup for both North Down Borough Council and the Northern Ireland region of the National Trust, both of which have been working hard in recent years to gain a foothold in the lucrative cruise market.

The cruise has been organised by cruise company Page and Moy as part of its National Trust Travel Collection - a series of cruises for supporters and members of the conservation charity. It is the first such cruise to include the Trust's Northern Ireland attractions on its itinerary.

The Mayor of North Down, Cllr Ian Henry, said that the visit was an important boost for the County Down resort: "Bangor is ideally situated as a gateway to Northern Ireland for cruise liners and the purpose-built Marina is located in the heart of the town centre.

"Attracting liners of this size can only serve to boost the economy not only in North Down but throughout Northern Ireland."

Ruth Laird, Director of the National Trust in Northern Ireland, said the visit represented another important step forward in Northern Ireland's development as a tourist destination. She added: "Northern Ireland has so much to offer, yet our problems over the years have deterred many people from visiting.

"That is now changing and I'm delighted those on board will have a chance to see the range and variety of attractions the National Trust has to offer right across Northern Ireland."

North Down Council has also laid on a series of activities to welcome the cruise liner to Bangor. The Mayor hosted a lunch in Bangor Castle for the ship's captain and representatives of Page and Moy and The National Trust.

As part of the reception for the ship, Irish Dancing, a steel band and traditional music were organised to entertain the visitors during their time in Bangor.

(MB)