On Saturday night the liner was welcomed by fireworks, heritage displays of traditional food, coffee and date, falconry, henna and calligraphy, including Ayala dancers to the new temporary cruise terminal at Mina Zayed with passengers making the maiden journey from Genoa in Italy to Abu Dhabi waving and dancing on the decks as Arabic music belted out to deliver a party atmosphere.
First down the gang plank was the MSC Cruises walking ‘logo’ who was welcomed by our own Noura Al Dhaheri. Yesterday our Chairman HH Sheikh Sultan and Director General HE Mubarak Al Muhairi were received by MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago onboard the liner with guest of honour, former Italian World Cup winning soccer captain Fabio Cannavero.
Mr Vago told guests that in the 2011/2012 season MSC Cruises will home port its larger Opera liner, which has 867 cabins, to Abu Dhabi. She will sail 25 cruises with 125 calls and bring a further 54,000 passengers per year to the area.
