MSC Cruises, the third largest cruise company in the world, hosted in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) the naming ceremony of its new cruise ship MSC Virtuosa, with “godmother” Hollywood superstar Sofia Lofia. Following the long naval tradition, the official Ship Naming Ceremony was held in the presence of the Ship Captain, Captain Francesco Veniero, and local officials.
MSC Cruises chose Dubai to host the ceremony in recognition of its strong and long-term ties with the United Arab Emirates and the wider Middle East market, which is the company’s top destination.
Equipped with some of the most modern marine technologies, the MSC Virtuosa is one of the most environmentally advanced cruise ships in the world, as all available means have been utilized to minimize the ship’s environmental footprint. MSC Cruises shares the UAE’s ambition to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050 and MSC Virtuosa represents another milestone in achieving this goal.
The MSC Virtuosa can carry up to 6,334 passengers and 1,704 crew and will serve the Arabian Sea until March 2022 from its Dubai base.
The event in Port Rashid, in collaboration with the Dubai Ministry of Economy and Tourism and DP World, reflects the growing importance of the Emirate as a destination for cruise friends from all over the world and highlights the importance of the cruise industry. in the further development of tourism in the UAE.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Cruises, said: This is why this winter MSC Virtuosa, a new and one of the most technologically advanced and environmental vessels in our fleet, will be doing homeporting here as part of our Gulf business development. “part of the dynamic UAE tourism industry and thanks to our unique global network we will continue to promote the country and the Middle East around the world as an attractive holiday choice to support the further development of the tourism industry locally.”
Hosted by UAE TV personality Omar Bouti as Master of Ceremonies, Hollywood star Sophia Loren took to the stage to officially name a 17th MSC Cruises ship, cutting the ribbon and breaking the bottle on the hull. The glamorous evening culminated with a spectacular fireworks display on the stunning Dubai skyline followed by a gourmet gala dinner at one of the ship’s elegant restaurants and a performance by internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man.
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, President and CEO of the DP World Group, said: The port’s state-of-the-art facilities, passenger service capacity and strategic location have helped us win many important accolades, most recently The Middle East’s Leading Cruise Port Award at The World Travel Awards 2021. To ensure that the port continues to contribute smoothly to the UAE economy and to be an important economic pillar of Dubai, we are working to enhance its potential. top leisure facility representing the rich cultural heritage of N toubai. Through our efforts we will seek to keep the Emirate gaining international recognition as a world-class cruise destination. We also expect a total of 126 ship visits and over 500,000 cruise visitors for the upcoming 2021/22 cruise season. “This will further enhance the size of Dubai tourism and contribute to our progress.”
His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “Dubai continues to make progress as one of the top tourist destinations in the world and as the cruise capital of The Middle East, as we constantly strive to achieve the goals of our inspirational leadership to make Dubai the most attractive and visited destination. Dubai’s reputation as a cruise hub continues to grow and iconic events such as this reflect the cruise industry’s crucial contribution to the city’s tourism industry. utilizes the dynamics created by the recent “The start of the new cruise season, further fueling growth during this year – a milestone for Dubai, with Expo 2020 and the celebrations surrounding the UAE Golden Jubilee, among others.”
MSC Virtuosa has 10 restaurants, 21 bars and lounges, five swimming pools and will offer stunning Arabian Routes throughout the winter, from its Dubai base, to offer guests the opportunity to experience the best destinations. in the Gulf region, including Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island and Qatar.
The innovative ship is deployed on 19 decks and is ready to welcome its guests this winter for weekly cruises from Dubai offering the best international cuisine, world-class entertainment, relaxing bars and lounges with the largest shopping malls on board, , water park and clubs for children, from toddlers to teenagers. The impressive feature of the ship is the emblematic promenade, 112 meters long with a stunning celestial LED dome, which is the focus of the ship’s social life. Another unique feature that awaits visitors is the brand new MSC Starship Club, which is available exclusively at MSC Virtuosa and stars the world’s first futuristic humanoid robotic bartender, Rob.
The event at Port Rashid took place in compliance with all public health and safety protocols established by the Dubai government and with the support of MSC Cruises Health and Safety Protocol, which allowed the company’s ships to restart in 2020. The event is also part of the UAE Golden Jubilee celebrations and coincides with the World EXPO 2020 hosting in Dubai.
Following the naming ceremony, MSC Virtuosa departed Dubai on November 28 for its maiden voyage to the Gulf, visiting Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, and Doha.
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Source From: Capital
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