Sep 28 - Mein Schiff 1 Makes Inaugural Call To Gibraltar
The Century-class cruise ship, Mein Schiff 1, made its inaugural call to Gibraltar today.
The vessel, owned and operated by the German company TUI Cruises, was constructed at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany in 1996. It has a gross tonnage of 76,522 tonnes, a length of 259 metres, capacity for over 2,600 passengers and a crew of 909.
Minister for the Port, Paul Balban, attended an informal ceremony on board Mein Schiff 1 to mark the occasion. The Gibraltar Tourist and Deputy Captain of the Port, Manuel Tirado, and representatives of the ship’s agent Incargo also exchanged commemorative plaques with the ship’s Captain.
Minister for Tourism, Samantha Sacramento, looked forward to the Mein Schiff 1’s arrival in the latest inaugural visit by cruise vessels this season.
Minister Sacramento said: “We are delighted to welcome the Mein Schiff 1 to Gibraltar on their first ever visit to the Rock. Gibraltar is a unique port of call and the great number of inaugurals we have had this season can vouch for our consolidation as one of the main regional cruise destinations in the area.
“The Port of Gibraltar has been extremely busy in 2016 and this is good news for the cruise sector, for business and commerce generally, and for the Rock’s overall economy which continues to perform strongly.
“The Gibraltar Tourist Board has been working incessantly to attract new customers to the Rock and the Government has invested in all areas of the tourist product to make it more attractive. We are very pleased to see that our efforts are proving successful.
“The local cruise industry’s connection with German firms has worked very well and we are pleased at the interest they have shown in visiting Gibraltar. It is an important step forward. We are sure they will enjoy the unique experience that we can afford them and that they will wish to come back next year.”
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