Greek port expects Carnival newbuild to boost its position as a Mediterranean homeport
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) in Greece has welcomed a maiden call from Carnival Cruise Line’s newbuild Carnival Vista.
Arriving from Trieste, Italy with 3,700 passengers and 1,500 crew members, Carnival Vista will be based in the Greek port this summer to offer five Mediterranean itineraries to a total of 50,000 passengers.
To mark the ship’s inaugural visit, PPA’s general manager Stavros Hatzakos presented honorary gifts to Captain Rocco Lubrano, and also donated books for the onboard library. The ceremony was attended by Carnival’s vice president Michel Nestour, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Christos Lampridis, and representatives of customs, the Shipowners Union of Cruise & Maritime Institutions, maritime agencies and more.
"With great pleasure we welcome the Carnival Vista, which marks a new era of homeporting development in Piraeus,” said Ioannis Kouvaris, PPA’s chairman and CEO. “The PPA can serve any cruise ship in capable facilities, providing high quality services in accordance with international quality standards ISO 9001: 2008 and environmental standard ISO 14001: 2004, and is emerging as the most secure and attractive destination in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Carnival Vista’s deployment is expected to boost Piraeus’ reputation as a homeport. PPA has already carried out several infrastructure improvements at the Themistocles passenger terminal to ensure it can cater to the needs of visiting cruise lines and their guests.
These include a new air-conditioned indoor waiting area with 1,000 seats, equipment for 60 passenger check-in points, and additional passenger and luggage screening posts. The first floor of the departure hall has also been converted into a waiting room with screening facilities for crew.