Jewel of the Seas, cruise liner operated by Royal Caribbean International, made its maiden call to Doha Port on Christmas Day, 2019. The Radiance-class cruise ship is scheduled to make a total of five calls to Doha Port throughout the 2019-20 cruise season.
Qatari officials H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Secretary General of QNTC and GCEO of Qatar Airways among others welcomed the ship. A crest exchange ceremony took place between Qatari Officials and the ship’s captain Anders Bjornar Ingebrigtsen, upholding a maritime tradition that celebrates maiden voyages to a new port.
H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker said, “The arrival of our first American mega cruise ship marks the beginning of a new chapter in Qatar’s cruise tourism, and positions Qatar as an attractive tourist destination for visitors from around the globe. The extraordinary growth in Qatar’s cruise sector, as evidenced by the number of cruise ships and passengers to Doha Port, is the result of close collaboration between key stakeholders representing Qatar’s tourism and aviation industries, immigration, customs and the Ports Authority, who have all worked together to create a seamless visitor experience.”
Jewel of the Seas first set sail in the spring of 2004 as Royal Caribbean’s fourth Radiance-class ship and comes in at 90,090 gross tons with a total capacity of 3,292 passengers. The ship offers a new level of luxury and entertainment with 12 passenger decks, a poolside movie screen, rock climbing wall, running track, mini-golf course, spa and fitness center, shopping, bars, restaurants, clubs and live Broadway-style entertainment shows.
The 2019/20 cruise season that kicked off on 22 October with the launch of Doha Port’s temporary terminal, is set to be the biggest yet for Qatar, due to bring a total of 248,123 passengers aboard 74 ships, showing a growth of 121% and 66% respectively, over the previous season.
Among the 74 confirmed calls this season, there are 16 turnaround calls and 9 overnight stays in Doha Port. This will give cruise visitors ample time to explore the destination’s travel, hospitality and retail promotions during the winter season, as well as a host of exciting events to choose from such as the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2019, the upcoming Shop Qatar festival in January, Doha Jewelry & Watches Exhibition in February and Qatar International Food Festival in March.
