Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta) and MSC Cruises on Monday signed an agreement that will see the MSC Lirica being homeported in the nation's capital from October next year.
The city's Mina Zayed Port will serve as the primary embarkation and disembarkation point for the Italian operator's maiden regional itinerary, which is scheduled for the 2011-12 season.
The MSC Lirica — a 59,000-tonne vessel with a capacity for 2,199 guests in 784 cabins — will offer 19 eight-day/seven-night cruises to five destinations between November and March each year.
Tourism map
Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General of Adta, said the agreement would put Abu Dhabi on the international cruise tourism map.
"Exactly one year from now, the MSC Lirica will dock at Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed Port for the first time," he said.
"MSC Cruises' commitment to Abu Dhabi as a homeport will deliver both tactical and strategic outcomes for the emirate.
"Beyond the substantial, broad-based benefits to our domestic tourism sector through incremental gains in hotel guests, longer length of stay and greater spending, this partnership provides Abu Dhabi a firm footing on the international cruise tourism map and reinforces the strategic case for a world-class, purpose-built cruise terminal in the emirate."
Every Sunday from October 28 next year, the MSC Lirica is scheduled to sail round the Arabian Peninsula to Muscat before turning around en route to Fujairah on the UAE's east coast.
It will then continue north to Bahrain before turning south to Dubai and finally completing its journey in Abu Dhabi.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Cruises, said: "We are the first cruise company to choose Abu Dhabi as a homeport.
"With our state-of-the-art vessel MSC Lirica operating 95 calls and rotations in the region, our presence will have a significant impact on Abu Dhabi's tourism industry."
"This is an unrivalled opportunity [for our customers] to discover the UAE and we expect our guests to be enchanted by the ancient culture and modern marvels of this wonderful land," Vago said.
