JEDDAH: Cruise Saudi has welcomed the Celestyal Discovery ship from the Greek cruise line Celestyal Cruises at Jeddah Islamic Port. The liner’s first visit to the Kingdom as Saudi Arabia seeks to enhance its presence on the map of Red Sea cruise tourism.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the occasion featured an exchange of commemorative plaques in line with international traditions in the cruise industry, attended by the ship’s captain, Cruise Saudi CEO Lars Clasen, Celestyal Cruises CEO Chris Theophilides, and officials from government entities and the maritime sector.
The event included a tour of the ship for the delegation, underscoring the level of cooperation among relevant stakeholders and enhancing the readiness of Saudi ports to receive international cruise ships with high operational capacity.
The visit comes just days after the inaugural call of the Celestyal Journey on Nov. 29, during which the two ships carried more than 400 tourists from Europe and the United States — an indicator of the strong return of international cruise activity to the Kingdom and the growing demand for Red Sea itineraries.
Cruise Saudi continues to develop the cruise sector through managing berths and terminals and supporting ship operations, having welcomed more than 600,000 passengers from more than 120 countries to date.
The successive visits by international cruise ships affirm the increasing confidence in the Kingdom’s cruise sector and its role in supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by boosting tourism spending, creating job opportunities, and empowering small and medium enterprises.
