Malta in new liner's ports of call schedule

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises of America has chosen Grand Harbour as one of its ports of call in its Mediterranean cruises programme for the coming months.

In fact, its newest cruise liner, the Seven Seas Voyager will be calling at Malta seven more times this year, Peter E. Sullivan, director of Mediterranean Trading Shipping Co. Ltd, the ship's local agents, said.

The luxurious liner was in Grand Harbour for most of the day yesterday as part of her maiden voyage with over 300 passengers, mainly British, who are on a Mediterranean promotional cruise. Most of them are people involved in the tourism sector and have been invited by the ship's owners and managers to experience the new vessel, which is only two weeks old.

Tourism Minister Michael Refalo and Transport Minister Censu Galea visited the Seven Seas Yoyager along with Malta Maritime Authority officials. They also exchanged souvenirs with the Norwegian captain, Dag Dvergastein.

The ship is the latest addition to a fleet of luxury cruise liners managed by the V-Ships Group. At 41,827 gross tons, the Seven Seas Voyager can accommodate 722 passengers and has a crew of 442.

The Nassau-registered vessel, built in 18 months at Mariotti Yards in Genoa, Italy, arrived in the morning from Naples and sailed in the evening for Catania.

Her sister ship, the Seven Seas Mariner, visited Grand Harbour last year when she was on her maiden voyage in the Mediterranean.