An American cruise line passenger was in for a surprise this morning – she became the half millionth passenger to land in Malta this year, and won a week’s stay here in a five star hotel.

Shannon Berg, from Florida, could not believe her luck when she was told the news by Chris Paris, general manager of Viset cruise terminal as she was about to disembark from the Norwegian Gem.

Just a short time before she had told her husband that she wished to have been able to spend more time here.

Mr and Mrs Berg, as well as four friends, are being given a VIP tour of Malta today and will then be back for the week’s tour.

Viset director Joe Demajo said the cruise liner business was a significant contributor to Malta’s tourism industry and one which was gaining steady momentum with more cruise liners including Malta among their ports of call.

He said that by the end of the year, Viset expected to welcome some 530,000 passengers.

Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said, who was also at hand to welcome the Bergs, praised Viset for their “remarkable achievement”.