The United Arab Emirate-based port operator Abu Dhabi Ports has started welcoming cruise liners at Sir Bani Yas Island, the Arabian Gulf’s first cruise beach stopover in Abu Dhabi.
Two cruise vessels Island Sky, owned by London-based Noble Caledonia, and Seaborne Sojourn, Miami-based Carnival Corporation, made their maiden calls at the Island last week as part of their international itinerary.
“We are introducing this new beach stopover to cruise liners as part of our ongoing efforts to reinforce the Emirate’s appeal as a leading cruise tourism destination in the region,” said Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports .
He added that the cruise vessels added Sir Bani Yas Island as their destination “ ahead of another important development―the scheduled opening of the state-of-the-art cruise terminal at Zayed Port next month.”
Abu Dhabi Ports’ Sir Bani Yas Island cruise stopover will be officially opened in late 2016.
Island Sky, the first cruise vessel to visit Sir Bani Yas, arrived in morning of November 16, for a day-long stay at the island. The 114-passenger ship was on a 16-day voyage from Muscat in Oman to Mumbai in India.
Seaborne Sojourn, a 450-passenger vessel, docked at the island on November 19. The ship was visiting Sir Bani Yas Island as part of its 50-day voyage from Monte Carlo in Monaco to Singapore.