Valletta Harbour has been chosen as the home port for the brand new Mein Schiff 3 cruise ship, which has started a season of Mediterranean cruises.
Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis toured the ship this morning and said the homeporting decision was a vote of confidence in Valletta Cruise Port.
Mein Schiff 3 is operated by the German Tui Cruises. TUI Cruises are on course to have operated cruises for around 250,000 passengers out of Valletta between 2011 and the end of the current season.
Dr Zammit Lewis referred to recent statistics which showed an increase in the number of cruise passengers and cruise liners visiting Malta in 2014. Cruise passengers in the first three months of 2014 increased by 68 per cent compared to same period in 2013 – an increase of 15,490 passengers and 10 extra calls by cruise liners.