By Conrad Prabhu - Muscat sealed its place as one of the region’s top draws for international cruise liners when it dedicated on Saturday a Passenger Cruise Terminal at Port Sultan Qaboos.
The state-of-the-art structure, complete with facilities for Immigration and Customs formalities as well as a well-equipped duty free zone and heritage corner, promises to further enhance the visitor experience for the tens of thousands of tourists who come to the Sultanate’s shores on board cruise liners every year.
But sharing the spotlight on a day of momentous significance for Oman’s vibrant cruise travel industry was Italy’s ‘Sailing Ambassador’ — the luxury Costa Deliziosa, a newly built flagship of Costa Cruises making its maiden sailing to Muscat.
The arrival of the 92,600-gross registered tonne, 17-deck colossus, whose exclusive and innovative features have earned it the billing of a ‘ship of pure pleasure’, coincided with the formal inauguration of the Passenger Terminal. In effect, Costa Deliziosa’s guests became the first tourists to stroll through the modernistic terminal and make the most of its many splendid facilities and offerings.
During inaugural festivities held in the forecourt of the terminal, a number of Omani folk troupes took turns to enthrall dignitaries and tourists with a medley of performances that truly captured the vivacity of the Sultanate’s vibrant folk music heritage. Drawn by the rousing performances taking place right alongside their ship, enchanted guests from the Costa Deliziosa disembarked for a ringside view of the displays or watched from the privacy of their balconies overlooking the berth.
Adding to the excitement of the occasion, a pair of tugboats of the Port Services Corporation (PSC) opened up with water cannon salutes in tribute to the twin milestones commemorated at the port — the opening of the terminal and the maiden call of the Costa Deliziosa.
Later, during a reception held on board the Costa Deliziosa, top executives of Costa Cruises feted a distinguished gathering of ministers, under-secretaries, senior ROP officials, well-known personalities from the Italian expatriate community in the Sultanate, and other guests. Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr Khamis bin Mubarak al Alawi, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Mohammed bin Hamoud al Toobi, Tourism Under-Secretary, were among the dignitaries in attendance.
Also present were the Italian Ambassador to the Sultanate, Saud bin Ahmed al Nahari — Chief Executive of Port Services Corporation, and Kanak Khimji and Anil Khimji — Directors of Khimji Ramdas, whose shipping division represents Costa Cruises and its affiliate AIDA Cruises in the Sultanate.
In welcome remarks, M C Jose, CEO of Khimji Ramdas Projects and Logistics Group, said the Deliziosa’s visit marks a high point for Khimji Shipping — the commemoration of the company’s Silver Jubilee this year. The maiden call, he added, was the latest in a succession of calls by prestigious cruise liners, notably the sister ship Costa Luminosa and the celebrated Queen Mary 2, which stopped over in Muscat in recent weeks. Khimji Shipping also handled all logistics for the Jewel of Muscat, the hand-sewn wooden boat currently making its way to Singapore as the Sultanate’s gift to the city-state, he added.
Underlining the company’s ongoing contribution to Oman’s tourism industry, Jose noted that Costa and AIDA ships handled by Khimji Shipping will generate in excess of 150,000 cruise tourists during 2010 alone.
Costa’s top boss affirmed his company’s commitment to keeping the Sultanate’s cruise travel segment humming over the coming years, most notably by including Muscat and Salalah on the itineraries of its cruise liners.
Pier Luigi Foschi, the Chairman and CEO of Costa Crociere, who was in Muscat especially to mark the Deliziosa’s maiden call, as well as to attend the opening of the Passenger Terminal, said: “I would like to express all my satisfaction for the debut of the Costa Deliziosa in Muscat and thank Oman’s authorities for their co-operation. I am also very proud that the new ‘diamond’ of our fleet is the first ship to call at the new cruise terminal. Since 2006, when we started our regular cruises in the Gulf, we have been increasing our presence in Muscat. In winter 2009/2010, we expect a 40 per cent increase in our guests, with an estimated economic impact of five million euros for the city. The new terminal will support us for a further development of our cruises in Muscat.”
Indeed, Costa Cruises — Italy’s largest tourism group and Europe’s number one cruise company – has been making a huge contribution to the growth of a cruise travel industry in the Sultanate. It was the first company to market regular cruises in the Arabian Gulf, turning Muscat into a cruise destination and contributing to its growth as a tourist resort. Operations kicked off in winter 2006/3007 with one ship, the Costa Classica, bringing in a total of 25,000 guests, said Foschi.
During the current 2009/2010 winter season, Costa ships are projected to make a total of 40 calls at Muscat with 85,000 guests in transit, a 40 per cent jump over the previous year’s tally. Most of Costa’s guests hail from Italy, Germany, UK, Spain and France.
“Costa’s commitment in Muscat is confirmed also for winter 2010/2011, with 33 calls and 85,000 guests forecasted. The ‘diamonds’ of the fleet, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa will be back in the Arabian Gulf on seven-day cruises departing from Dubai and calling at Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain,” said Foschi.
“In addition to Costa Cruises ships, one ship of AIDA Cruises — the German brand also belonging to Costa Crociere group — called AIDAdiva, will be calling 20 times at Muscat in winter 2009/2010,” he added.
In choosing to call Muscat on its grand inaugural sailing, the Costa Deliziosa further entrenches Oman’s reputation as a magnet for international cruise ships. Departing from Savona (Italy) on February 5, the 294-metre-long liner with about 2,200 guests on board set out on its first major cruise with stopovers in Egypt, Jordan and Yemen. The new Costa flagship called Salalah at the weekend, and after a two-day halt in Muscat, is now steaming towards Dubai where it will be formally named tomorrow, February 23.