Seychelles’ highly anticipated 2023-2024 cruise season was launched with the arrival of the newly built SH Diana late last month.
To kick off the new season, Mahé Shipping, the Seychelles shipping agent responsible for co-ordinating this year’s launch event, orchestrated a ceremony in collaboration with the Seychelles Ports Authority, the Tourism Department, and key partners such as APEX and Airtel.
As the visitors disembarked from the luxurious five-star SH Diana, they were greeted by the sound of traditional music.
During the event, Sherin Francis, the Principal Secretary for Tourism, emphasised the Department’s commitment to engaging with local stakeholders to ensure that Seychelles offered “an unforgettable experience” to the visitors expected to disembark from approximately 40 port calls, featuring a variety of cruise ships docking at Port Victoria.
“For this edition of the cruise ship season, we would like to operate differently. With the cruise ship village established within the IDC car park, we expect to improve visitor flow and ensure adequate visibility for all our licensed and registered operators.
“The cruise ship village should deter unlicensed operators and ensure service is delivered at expected levels at all times. We are counting on all of our operators; namely, tour guides, tour operators, taxi operators, commission agents and boat charter operators amongst others to collaborate with us to make this season a success,” Francis said.
SH Diana, a pride of the Swan Hellenic fleet and one of its largest ships, has a capacity of 209 passengers and 141 staff. The ship embarked on its maiden voyage in April, touring the Mediterranean’s renowned antiquity sites.
“As we enter this cruise ship season, we anticipate that many of these vessels will traverse our archipelago, providing their guests with a unique Seychelles experience. Furthermore, we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the MSC Spendida, the longest cruise vessel ever, measuring a staggering 333 metres in length, to berth at Mahé Quay. It’s worth noting that Mahé Quay measures 370 metres, making this an exciting new challenge we look forward to,” said Phillipa Samson on behalf of the Seychelles Ports Authority.
The 2023-2024 season is expected to conclude in May 2024, featuring approximately 40 calls from 21 different cruise vessels.
