Why Belfast is a top port of call for UK cruises

Samantha Mayling stops off to explore Titanic Belfast and the Peace Wall with Celebrity Cruises

The warmth of the reception is clear – a large ‘welcome’ sign is emblazoned on the arrivals marquee, alongside a dozen sightseeing coaches ready for excursions around the city. As we drive the short distance to the museum, Titanic Belfast, tour guide Lolly Spence explains: “The story of Titanic is the story of Belfast.”

She also points out the studios where Game of Thrones was filmed, which sparked ‘set-jetting’ tourism for fans of the fantasy TV series. Our destination is the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, which opened on the centenary in 2012. Supposedly unsinkable, the famous liner went down, with the loss of 1,517 lives, on its maiden voyage.

“For many years, it had been a source of shame and sorrow,” says Lolly, adding that locals would declare: “She was all right when she left here.”

A short ride recreates the experience of workers who built the ship

The catalyst for change was 1997 blockbuster Titanic, which turned the story into a romance and generated demand for tourism. The striking metallic museum occupies the spot where Titanic was built, with a four-pointed star shape representing compass points. Covid-safe hand-held multimedia guides add colour to displays, which take us through Belfast’s history, from its linen industry to shipbuilding heyday.

A short ride recreates the experience of workers who built the ship, then we discover more about life on board with mock-ups of the cabins; details of the sinking and rescue; and Titanic’s legacy in films and plays. It’s poignant to read about the lives lost.

Back to the modern era, however, and it’s heartening to discover on the second half of our city tour how Belfast has changed since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

A vibrant city

Lolly worked as a BBC producer during the Troubles and would leave the city as soon as possible after work. “Now it’s a cosmopolitan city with a European feel, a vibrant place,” she says. “A place to be proud of.”

In her entertaining commentary, we learn about its eclectic architecture, from grand Victorian buildings to brutalist concrete structures and the Titanic memorial at City Hall. A traffic detour reveals areas that show Belfast is still deeply divided, with bonfires being built in unionist areas for Twelfth celebrations, which mark the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

A traffic detour reveals areas that show Belfast is still deeply divided

We travel past the Peace Wall, which separates the Catholic community along the Falls Road from the Protestants living on the Shankill Road. “There’s no question of this wall coming down,” says Lolly, pointing to flags and murals that show sectarianism is “alive and well”.

Then we travel through an area of gay bars with rainbow flags, and make a quick circuit of the Stormont Estate to see the parliament buildings of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

It was a whistle-stop morning tour but a fascinating, sometimes sombre, glimpse into a dynamic and complex city.

Book it

The four-hour Titanic Belfast & City Tour excursion with Celebrity Cruises costs from £79.79.
celebritycruises.com

PICTURES: Shutterstock/Leonid Andronov, LMSpencer

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