My Holiday Expert

Costa Cruises’ newest ship, Costa Deliziosa, was launched in Dubai this week, and tourism chiefs hope it will propel the emirate’s cruising arrivals to over 500,000 in the next few years.

The ceremony (pictured) took place in front of 3,000 guests, including members of Dubai’s royal family and the ship’s 2,200 passengers. It coincided with the opening of the emirate’s new cruise terminal, which will handle 125 cruise ship calls and 325,000 passengers this year.

Hamad bin Mejren, executive director of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, described Costa’s decision to base two of its ships at Dubai this winter as a “shot in the arm” for the regional cruise industry.

With Royal Caribbean International also basing a ship there this winter, the emirate’s cruise industry is set to continue its growth.

“In 2001, we had 7,000 cruise passengers,” said bin Mejren. “Last year, we had 263,000 passengers and 80 cruise ship calls. By 2015, we expect more than 195 cruise ship calls with 575,000 passengers.”

Costa chairman and chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi underlined the company’s own growth. “We were the first company in the world to offer regular cruises from Dubai in 2006, when we carried 44,000 people. This year, it will be 150,000,” he said.

He also highlighted Costa’s new Red Sea cruises next year and its first world cruise for many years, which is planned for December 2011 and is already more than 30% sold.