Cruise lines which offer cruising vacations around the UK and Ireland are now including a Holyhead cruise as part of their packages. As a major British passenger ferry port on the west coast, Holyhead, Anglesey offers high standard facilities for large cruise liners who aim to provide their passengers with a rich and diverse itinerary.

Holyhead Breakwater is a famous attraction and the longest sea wall in the UK, and cruise liners can anchor in a sheltered spot to the 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.

Plans are advanced for using the Anglesey Aluminium jetty as a more convenient embarkation facility, which will attract ever larger cruise ships otherwise bound for the larger ports at Dublin and Liverpool. The aim is for Holyhead to accommodate ships of around 85,000 tonnes and so using this jpier would be a great plus. It is likely that for an upgrade of Holyhead port facilities an investment of around £7 million is needed, and around £500,000 of this would help upgrade the jetty.

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.

Among the many other interesting attractions you could visit are the historic castles of Wales at Beaumaris and Caernarfon, both UN World Heritage sites. There again you may prefer seeing the last working mill in Wales at Llynnon, Llanddeusant, appreciate the fine Rex Whistler paintings at Plas Newydd or stretch your legs on the Anglesey coastal path. All these factors will attract more cruise liners to choose this Holyhead cruise destination in the months and years ahead.