JEDDAH — In an air festivity and heralding a new era of cruise tourism, the mammoth cruise ship MSC Bellissima anchored in Jeddah Islamic Port. All the preparations and arrangements were well in place at the port to receive the largest cruise vessel ever to sail the waters of the Red Sea. The port authorities have made available integrated services for Saudi and international tourists to take advantage of cruise vacation on board the majestic and elegant looking giant ship. MSC Cruises announced recently that the MSC Bellissima, one of the line's latest ships, would sail 21 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah, the commercial hub of Saudi Arabia, between the end of July and late October. The Meraviglia-class MSC Bellissima, which first came to service in 2019, will offer three- and four-night cruises to Safaga for Luxor, Egypt or Aqaba for Petra, Jordan before returning to the Saudi homeport. According to the cruise line's press release, MSC Bellissima will be the largest cruise ship ever to sail the waters of the Red Sea. The summer sailings will add to MSC Cruises' previously announced winter 2021/22 Red Sea voyages from Jeddah starting in November. "As the tourism industry of Saudi Arabia grows progressively for its own residents and international visitors, we at MSC Cruises are looking forward to making a positive and lasting contribution as more people explore and discover the rich heritage and incredible cultural attractions it has to offer," said Pierfrancesco Vago, the executive chairman of MSC Cruises. "With our cruises this summer from Jeddah of the MSC Bellissima and a ship dedicated for the winter season in the Red Sea we are committed to serving holidaymakers with the very best cruise experiences. This, we believe, will accelerate the attractiveness of holidays at sea in the region and significantly help in the growth of tourism," he added. The MSC Bellissima was delivered in 2019 and has a wide range of environmental features and technology to reduce her environmental footprint, as well as entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. With both a 975-seat mainstage theater and an aft Carousel Lounge, the ship offers various theater shows, as well as a Grand Canyon theme for the aquapark with three exhilarating water slides, a full-size bowling alley, F1 simulator and XD cinema for guests of all ages. Children can enjoy the 700-sq.-meter Kids Club. The MSC Bellissima also features a Mediterranean-style promenade with an 80-meter LED sky screen as the social hub of the ship and a shopping gallery with more than 200 brands. The authentic Balinese MSC Aurea Spa offers 79 different body and facial treatments along with a thermal area. The arrival of the ship coincides with the beginning of the Saudi Summer Program 2021 with the theme of "Our Summer, Your Vibes." The program, launched by Saudi Tourism, was kicked off on June 24 and will run through until the end of September. It offers more than 500 tourist experiences across 11 destinations including those along the Red Sea coast. The cruise vacation will be a major highlight of the summer program.
