Dubai: MSC Cruises announced that the naming ceremony for the line’s newest flagship, MSC Virtuosa, will take place on November 27th in Dubai, in collaboration with Dubai Tourism, DP World, and Emirates Airline (Port Rashid).
The name Virtuosa comes from the Italian term virtuoso, which refers to the master artisans who conceived and developed this masterpiece, which will be the most technologically and environmentally sophisticated cruise ship ever deployed in the UAE. A variety of live activities and performances will be held to commemorate her naming.
The naming ceremony will take place in accordance with all Dubai government public health and safety procedures, as well as MSC Cruises’ Health and Safety protocol. The event will be held in conjunction with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and will take place as Dubai welcomes the world to Expo 2020.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, said that Dubai has established itself as a leading worldwide tourism destination and favored regional cruising port. The milestone naming ceremony and maiden voyage of MSC Virtuosa from Dubai exemplifies the city’s growing reputation as a great partner for the cruise industry. He further said, “We’ve leveraged our city’s world-class transport and tourism infrastructure, including with Emirates’ investment in a dedicated remote check-in facility at Port Rashid, to provide cruise operators and passengers the best possible experiences, with seamless sea-air connections and exciting Dubai itineraries during their transit. We look forward to the reinvigoration of cruise passenger growth with these solid foundations in place, and are excited to welcome the world to Dubai in the coming months as we move full speed ahead with the Expo Dubai, UAE’s Golden Jubilee programmes, and many other initiatives.”
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, said, “We are incredibly proud and honoured to hold the naming ceremony for our cherished flagship and masterpiece MSC Virtuosa in one of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations – Dubai. This event assumes more significance due to the fact that it is part of the line-up of glorious events and activities taking place for the “Year of the 50th” and coincides with the region’s first World Expo, as well as truly celebrating Dubai as one of the favoured destinations for travellers from all over the world. I am so glad that cruising has played and will continue to play an important part in this achievement. I also want to thank Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, DP World and Emirates Airline for their partnership and support in making this event happen.”
Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said that the quadripartite partnership further consolidates collaboration, takes MSC Cruises’ operations in Dubai to a new level and highlights the emirate’s world-class ability to embrace the expected growth in cruise tourism, given optimistic forecasts of a long-awaited finale of the COVID-19 pandemic looming in the distance.
“As industry prepares for the return of global tourists with health and safety protocols in place, the event planned in November adds to the glitter of EXPO 2020 and highlights Dubai’s position as a cruise destination of choice,” he added.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), said, “We take great pride in the fact that Dubai has emerged as the cruise hub of the region based on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the city the world’s most visited and re-visited destination. Dubai’s partnership with an internationally renowned cruise line such as MSC Cruises is testament to the global appeal of Dubai’s cruise industry and its position as a multi-faceted tourism destination. This milestone event will contribute towards sustaining tourism momentum and further strengthen the destination proposition, as we continue to open up to the world in a safe and secure way.”
He claimed that Dubai has established a reputation for excellence in a variety of fields over the last five decades, with the city’s development into a highly successful worldwide city owing in large part to the city’s unique style of partnership between the public and private sectors. He also stated that they are excited to commemorate this historic tourism event in this historic year for Dubai, and that they are grateful to their valued network of stakeholders and partners, including Emirates and DP World, for their continued support, which has helped Dubai kick-start global tourism recovery, including a return to cruising in the region.
Following the naming ceremony, MSC Virtuosa will set sail from Dubai on November 28th for the first in a series of seven-night cruises that will include stops in Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, Dammam, and Doha in Saudi Arabia, with extra embarkations in Abu Dhabi and Doha.
