The Suez Canal Yachts Marina, in Ismailia, has welcomed passengers aboard the cruise ship ASTORIA GRANDE, which is visiting a number of Egyptian ports after arriving from Türkiye. The move is part of the authority’s efforts to promote maritime tourism, Suez Canal Authority (SCA) Chairman Admiral Osama Rabie said on Tuesday.
ASTORIA GRANDE transited the Suez Canal in the early hours of Tuesday as part of the northbound convoy before heading to the marina.
The vessel is 193 metres long and 27.6 metres wide, with a draught of six metres and a capacity of 1,300 passengers. Gulf Agency Egypt is handling its shipping agency services.
Th visit is significant as the first cruise ship call at the Suez Canal Yachts Marina in Ismailia, which serves as a tourist berth for receiving visitors and completing the necessary formalities in co-ordination with the relevant authorities, including the Interior and Tourism Ministries, the Customs Authority and Ismailia Governorate, Rabie added.
The SCA has been working as hard as ever to boost the canal’s position as a key hub for maritime tourism and logistics services by developing its affiliated yacht marinas, equipping waiting areas and providing the infrastructure needed to berth cruise ships, while co-ordinating with the relevant authorities to facilitate procedures, the SCA chief noted.
He added that the Suez Canal Yachts Marina represented a promising addition to the authority’s efforts to support maritime and yacht tourism in the region by providing an integrated package of services. This would help promote tourism through domestic tour programmes in Ismailia and trips to tourist destinations in other governorates across Egypt.
The vessel is scheduled to remain in Ismailia for 24 hours, during which 335 tourists would enjoy organised visits to the city’s main attractions, including the Suez Canal Museum, Number 6 Gardens, Abu Bakr El-Seddik Mosque and the Evangelical Church, among other sites.
Meanwhile, 327 tourists will take part in an organised tour of attractions in Cairo Governorate, including the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids area, Khan El-Khalili bazaar, Al-Muizz Street and a Nile cruise.
The ship’s itinerary includes calls at several Egyptian ports. Its next stop will be Sharm El-Sheikh, followed by Aqaba in Jordan and then Hurghada, before it transits the Suez Canal again on its return journey.
