Dublin Bay Cruises

What Dublin Bay Cruises does

Dublin Bay Cruises is a family-owned passenger cruise operator founded by the Garrihy family and headquartered in Ireland, running scheduled and chartered sightseeing sailings on Dublin Bay. The company operates a single 27-metre vessel, the St. Bridget, with capacity for 96 passengers, across seven routes departing from three points: Dun Laoghaire, Howth, and Dublin City Centre. Its customer base is primarily inbound tourists, families, and day-trippers, supplemented by corporate and private group bookings for events.

The product set centres on scenic and themed cruises — including the Dublin Bay Biosphere Discovery Tours in partnership with the Dublin Bay Biosphere Partnership, Cheese and Wine Evening Cruises, and the Sail and Dine series co-developed with the Wright Group of food venues — alongside a dedicated private hire vertical. In 2026 the company extended its offering into intermodal tourism via the Dublin Tourist Loop, a joint product with Irish Rail DART that bundles scheduled train and cruise travel. Standard tickets are priced in the EUR15-EUR40 range, with private charter, onboard refreshments, and gift vouchers contributing incremental revenue per sailing.

The business operates a small team of approximately six employees and is positioned around sustainability, having become the first domestic passenger ship in Ireland to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel in 2025, and is a participant in Fáilte Ireland's Climate Action Programme. Recognition includes the 2015 Dublin Docklands Business of the Year award, Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice status, and recurring placement in "Top 20 Days Out in Ireland" lists. The operating model is direct-to-consumer ticketing supplemented by B2B private hire and institutional distribution through tourism and rail partnerships.

Name

Dublin Bay Cruises

Legal name

Dublin Bay Cruises Ltd

Website

https://dublinbaycruises.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dublin Bay Cruises is a family-owned Irish operator running scheduled and chartered passenger cruises on a single 96-passenger vessel across seven routes from three Dublin Bay departure points, serving tourists, private groups, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Cruise Services

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed) (THAEADAG), Island & Archipelago Ferry Services (THAEAGAB)

Keywords

• Scenic boat tours
• Passenger cruise services
• Maritime tourism experiences
• Corporate boat charters
• Dublin Bay cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Dun Laoghaire

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Standard Cruise Tickets: The company sells tickets for scheduled boat trips and cruises along Dublin Bay. Prices vary by route, ranging from EUR15 to EUR40 per person. One-way and round-trip options are available. Standard fare is EUR25 per person. Reduced return fares of EUR10 per person are offered for the return leg.
2. Private Charter / Corporate Hire: The vessel St. Bridget is available for private hire for corporate events, social club outings, and private parties. Corporate packages are customisable and can include on-board catering, bar service, team-building activities, and sound system. 'Cheese and Wine Evening Cruises' were launched in 2019 for corporate clients. Enquiries are made via email or phone.
3. On-board Refreshments: An onboard cafe/bar offers refreshments including coffee and light snacks during cruises, providing an additional revenue stream.
4. Gift Vouchers: The company sells gift vouchers through its website, allowing customers to purchase cruise tickets as gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dublin Bay Cruises operates scheduled scenic passenger cruises aboard the single vessel St. Bridget across Dublin Bay and the River Liffey, offering 7 routes connecting Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire, Howth, Dalkey Island, and Killiney Bay. The company also sells private and corporate charters, gift vouchers, and bundled dining and rail experiences.

Product overview

Dublin Bay Cruises operates as a single-vessel passenger cruise service aboard the St. Bridget, offering 7 scheduled cruise routes across Dublin Bay between three departure points: Dublin City (Sir John Rogerson's Quay), Dún Laoghaire (East Pier), and Howth (West Pier). The core product is the scheduled cruise service featuring routes such as Dún Laoghaire to Dublin City, Dublin City to Howth via Dún Laoghaire, Howth Cliffs & Ireland's Eye, and Dalkey Island & Killiney Bay cruises. Value-add modules include private hire and corporate events (with on-board catering, bar, and sound system), the Sail and Dine restaurant partnership with the Wright Group, and the Dublin Tourist Loop™ combining cruises with DART rail. The company positions sustainability as a key differentiator, having transitioned its vessel to HVO fuel in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dún Laoghaire to Dublin City Cruise

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel operations, exceeding EU and Ireland climate targets
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Failte IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2025Dublin Bay Cruises has partnered with Failte Ireland's 'Climate Action Programme' as part of its transition to HVO fuel and sustainable tourism. Failte Ireland is Ireland's national tourism development authority. The partnership supports Dublin Bay Cruises' eco-friendly initiatives and sustainability credentials.
• Wright GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDublin Bay Cruises has partnered with the Wright Group, an esteemed collection of over 24 Restaurants, Bars, Food Halls, and Cafes in Dublin, for the 'Sail and Dine' experience. This collaboration offers passengers a seamless combination of maritime adventure and culinary excellence, with 10% discounts available at partner venues (The Findlater Bar and Restaurant in Howth, The Kilkenny Design Restaurant in City Centre, The People's Park Restaurant in Dun Laoghaire) with a Dublin Bay Cruise ticket.
• Dublin Bay Biosphere PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDublin Bay Cruises collaborates with the Dublin Bay Biosphere Partnership, which works to encourage people to experience and appreciate Dublin Bay (a UNESCO Biosphere). The company participates in the Biosphere Awareness Program, provides educational commentary during cruises focused on Dublin Bay's diverse marine life and seabirds, and supports biodiversity and marine life protection in Dublin Bay.
• Local Marine Conservation GroupsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDublin Bay Cruises has partnered with local marine conservation groups to support biodiversity and the protection of the rich marine life found in Dublin Bay, as part of its environmental stewardship commitment.
• Irish Rail (DART)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDublin Bay Cruises partnered with Irish Rail's DART service for the Dublin Tourist Loop(TM), a flexible day-out experience combining a scenic Dublin Bay Cruise with electrified DART rail. This integration allows passengers to complete the 'loop' by taking the DART back to their starting point. Leap card holders receive a 10% discount on cruises with code LEAP10.
• Dublin ChamberminorOthersDublin Bay Cruises is a member of the Dublin Chamber, a business network representing businesses in Dublin, contributing to local business community engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• City Cruises London: Established sightseeing and charter cruise operator on the Thames with a broad portfolio (sightseeing, dining, private hire). Comparable business model around urban water-based scenic cruising and corporate/private charter.
• Thames Clippers (Uber Boats by Thames Clippers): London passenger vessel operator combining commuter service with leisure sightseeing. Comparable as an urban waterway passenger transport and sightseeing business, though at much larger scale and as part of a broader mobility portfolio.
• Boston Harbor Cruises: Multi-vessel harbor sightseeing, whale-watching, and charter operator in Boston Harbor. Closely comparable product mix (scenic harbor cruises, wildlife viewing, private hire) and similar urban-waterway tourist positioning.
• Dublin Port Company (Port Tours): State-linked port authority running public tours and heritage experiences at Dublin Port. Overlaps with Dublin Bay Cruises in serving visitors interested in Dublin's maritime heritage and waterfront landmarks.

Direct peers

• Liffey Voyager: Operates river cruises along the River Liffey in Dublin, overlapping with Dublin Bay Cruises' Liffey route segment and competing for the same tourist day-out demand in central Dublin.
• Doolin Ferry / Cliffs of Moher Cruises: Operated by the same Garrihy family, this is Dublin Bay Cruises' sister operation offering Aran Islands ferry trips and Cliffs of Moher cruises from Doolin, Co. Clare. Directly comparable small-vessel passenger cruise/ferry service in Irish coastal tourism.
• Viking Splash Tours: Dublin-based amphibious vehicle tour operator serving tourists with sightseeing experiences of the city and waterfront. Comparable as a Dublin-centric, single-asset, small-team tourism experience business targeting similar visitors.

Regional players

• Spirit of the Lakes (UK): Small-operator scenic and wildlife cruises on UK inland/coastal waters. Comparable small-team, single/multi-vessel scenic cruising business model, though operating in UK waters rather than Ireland.
• Galway Bay Boat Tours: Small-operator scenic boat tours on Galway Bay offering wildlife and coastal sightseeing similar to Dublin Bay Cruises. Comparable niche sightseeing model but serving a different regional Irish market.
• Aran Islands Ferry Operators (e.g., Aran Island Ferries): Passenger ferry operator on Ireland's west coast serving the Aran Islands. Same family legacy connection and similar small-vessel passenger service model, but operating in a different geographic region (Galway Bay vs. Dublin Bay).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/DublinBayCruises
• Facebookfacebook.com/DublinBayCruises
• Instagraminstagram.com/DublinBayCruises
• TikToktiktok.com/@dublinbaycruises
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dublin-bay-cruises

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dublin Bay Cruises