Abu Dhabi Gets New Cruise Terminal

Abu Dhabi Gets New Cruise Terminal

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta), working in collaboration with industry stakeholders Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), has erected a new tented cruise terminal at Mina Zayed which is capable of simultaneously accommodating 1,300 passengers.

The facility, on the site of the former Adta visitor information centre, has been designed to cater for the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 cruise seasons. It spans some 2,000 square meters and comprises two dedicated halls – one a luggage-handling facility, the other a passenger centre complete with a waiting lounge, security section, prayer rooms, offices, visitor information centre, currency exchange as well as customs and immigration facilities.

The new terminal will open with a welcome ceremony for the 59,000 ton, luxurious MSC Lirica liner which will, from the end of this month, use Abu Dhabi as its home port as it embarks on 19, eight day/seven night cruises around the Arabian Gulf. The MSC Lirica has a capacity for 2,199 guests in 784 cabins.

According to Adta, the arrival of MSC Lirica – the first liner to homeport in the UAE capital - is expected to bring a significant boost to Abu Dhabi’s cruise traffic which is already being aided by increased deployment of larger capacity vessels by existing operators.

The authority says homeporting will also deliver greater knock-on benefits to the local economy with more returns from pre and post accommodation bookings, longer lengths of visitor stay and vessel provisioning. In line with its long-term cruise ambitions, ADTA is planning to construct a permanent, purpose-built cruise terminal at Mina Zayed.