Saudi Arabia: Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port makes history, welcomes its first cruise ship

Saudi Arabia: Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port makes history, welcomes its first cruise ship

Saudi Arabia authorities welcomed the inaugural visit of the first cruise ship to enter Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port, as the MSC World Europa arrived with around 5,000 passengers. The ship’s arrival marks a historic moment as it opens Saudi Arabia’s coastline on the Arabian Gulf to cruises for the first time. Throughout Cruise Saudi’s current cruising season, the ship will make weekly calls at King Abdulaziz Port on its seven-day round trip, with itineraries that also include the ports of Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Cruise Saudi has previously welcomed four MSC cruise ships – including MSC Splendida, MSC Orchestra, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Bellissima – to Jeddah Islamic Port and Yanbu Commercial Port to sail the Red Sea. Not only does the arrival of MSC World Europa mark the first time a cruise ship arrived at Saudi Arabia’s coastline on the Arabian Gulf, but it’s also the first time passengers disembarked at Dammam’s King Abdulaziz Port. Until this moment, the port was exclusively a commercial port. Cruise Saudi CEO, Lars Clasen, commented: “As we welcome the first cruise ship and first group of passengers to King Abdulaziz Port, we open a new and important gateway connecting Saudi Arabia to