The 2022–2023 cruise season has started in the country with French cruise ship Le Bougainville docking at Doha Port yesterday.
Mwani Qatar made this announcement on his Twitter account, saying Le Bougainvilie’s docking marks the beginning of Qatar’s 2022–2023 cruise season.
The cruise ship — which is 131 meters long and 18 meters broad and has a capacity for 294 people, including staff members — is the first ship to dock in the said port.
Due to Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022, the start of the cruise season was pushed from its customary start in November. Three cruise ships from the MSC Cruises Group — MSC World Europa, MSC Poesia, and MSC Opera — docked in Doha and served as floating hotels during the World Cup.
Le Bougainville is part of the cruise collection of PONANT voyages. The exploration includes Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Khasab in Oman, and Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
Since its comeback in the beginning of 2021-2022, the cruise industry has fueled boom in Qatar’s tourism industry. At Doha Port, 30 cruise ships have docked during the said season. Belgium, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom are among the leading source countries of cruise ships arriving at Doha Port.
The cruise sector in the country was established in 2015, and has contributed to the country’s positioning as a sought-after location for maritime tourism in the region. The expansion of the industry, according to Qatar Tourism, also helps Qatar’s economy by increasing tourist spending and generating employment and business opportunities.
Overall, the cruise tourism in the country is reviving despite the challenges it faced over the last two years. It has met many milestones in its growth, including the number of ships and passengers docked at Qatar’s shore increasing more than six folds in less than five seasons, according to Qatar Tourism. The country’s seaports and shipping terminals are managed by Mwani Qatar. It owns and operates three commercial ports — Hamad Port, Doha Port, and Al Ruwais Port.
Doha Port, which inaugurated its grand terminal this year, has dual terminals that can accommodate two berths and up to 12,000 people a day.
In addition to seamless immigration and customs, foreign exchange services, taxi and bus stands, a duty-free shop, a café, specially designed waiting areas for cruise passengers and staff, as well as other tourist information services, the more than 24,000 sqm. terminal offers travelers the same level of service and amenities as Hamad International Airport.
The Corniche, the Museum of Islamic Art, the National Museum of Qatar, Msheireb Downtown, and the famous traditional marketplace Souq Waqif are just a few of the city’s most well-known tourist sites located close to Doha Port.
