Muscat: The cruise season in Muscat for this year will begin next week, as per the details available.
The cruise liners to visit Muscat from October 18 are Mein Schiff 5, AIDAvita (October 25), Costa Victoria (October 28), AIDAvita (October 31) and Mein Schiff 5 (October 31).
Around 25 cruise ships are expected to call on Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat in November.
The number of cruise ships visiting different ports in the Sultanate witnessed a significant rise during the 2018-2019 tourism season. According to Ministry of Tourism, a total of 298 ships (which is more 106 than the 2017-18 period), were anchored at Port Sultan Qaboos, which received the highest number at 147, followed by 79 by Salalah Port and 72 by Khasab Port.
The ministry expects that the number of cruise ships visiting the Sultanate would reach to 360 during the 2019-2020 season.
While the number of tourists who came onboard cruise ships in 2018 stood at 193,467, the number is expected to reach 220,000 in 2019.
The 99,800-ton, 2,534-passenger Mein Schiff 5 launched on January 15, 2016, following a 14-month construction period, will be the first ship to call on Oman.
Mein Schiff 5 has 12 passenger decks and a total of 1267 cabins (of which 963 Balcony rooms, 97 Oceanview, 127 Inside) in 23 grades.
Mein Schiff 5 has 12 passenger decks and a total of 1267 cabins (of which 963 Balcony rooms, 97 Oceanview, 127 Inside) in 23 grades. The 15-decks high TUI Schiff 5 boasts with all 2,534 lower beds.
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