Mombasa port to become homeport for American cruise vessel

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Dancers welcome cruise ship MS Nautica when it docked at the Port of Mombasa. FILE/ PHOTO.

Mombasa,KENYA:The port of Mombasa will soon get a cruise vessel using the port as its home port.

This is according to the principal communications officer at the Kenya ports Authority Hajj Masemo.

Masemo who was speaking to Baraka FM on Monday said that American cruise Ship Company Princess Cruises had agreed to bring a cruise vessel to use Mombasa as the home port once the cruise ship terminal is complete.

Masemo said they struck the deal during the cruise ship convention in Miami in 2017.

“They are willing also to bring in a vessel which will be staying in Mombasa as the home port, then it can go to the Indian ocean islands like Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles then it can finally come back to Mombasa” Masemo said.

A cruise ship terminal currently under construction at the port is slated for completion in August 2018.

The terminal will be situated on Berth’s 1 and 2 of the port and once complete, the terminal will have airport like facilities of customs offices, lounge areas, restaurants, reception areas for cruise operators and souvenir shops.

Masemo added that once the terminal is complete, they would hold a cruise ship convention in a bid to market it.

Masemo’s remark comes just a week after more than 800 tourists toured the region.

The tourists had arrived on Monday last week on an American cruise vessel Mv Silver Spirit.
So far five cruise vessels have docked at the Mombasa port since the season began in November and another vessel is expected to dock at the port later in the month.

This is an improvement from last year when on three vessels docked at the port during the season.

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