MS Queen
Victoria, the luxury cruise
ship operated by Cunard
Line, arrived in Colombo on
her maiden call yesterday.
In January this year, she
set off on a stunning
105-night circumnavigation
of the globe and arrived in
Colombo from Port Kelang in
Malaysia. She sailed from
Colombo last evening,
heading towards her next
Port, Mumbai in India.
With a length
overall of 294 m (964 ft)
and a total of 16 decks,
Queen Victoria is a near
identical sister ship of the
Queen Elizabeth, which also
made her maiden call in Sri
Lanka in March 2012.
Built at the Fincantieri
Marghera shipyard, Italy,
the vessel was commissioned
by the Duchess of Cornwall
in December 2007.
The facilities on board
Queen Victoria include seven
restaurants and 13 bars,
three swimming pools, a
ballroom and a theatre.
To commemorate her maiden
call in Colombo, a ceremony
was held on board and the
vessel exchanged plaques
with the Sri Lanka Ports
Authority and its local
agents, Shipping Agency
Services Ltd.
Speaking on the occasion,
Capt. L.N. Jayasooriya of
Shipping Agency Services
said that the call of Queen
Victoria in Colombo,
following the calls of Queen
Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth,
indicated the commitment of
Carnival Corporation in
including Colombo as a
regular port of call for
their luxury cruise
vessels/liners.
He also mentioned that they
were pleased to be involved
in the important
contributions made to the
Ports Authority and the
tourism industry with these
high profile vessel calls in
Sri Lanka.
Over 1,000 passengers
travelled on excursions to
Kandy, Pinnawala, Ingiriya
and on city tours.
The ground tours were
arranged by Gemini Tours and
Travels Ltd.
(FT-01042013)