The Jewel of the Seas made its inaugural call to Doha Port in Qatar earlier this year, part of a 74-call season for the port.

Officials including Akbar Al Baker, secretary-general of QNTC and GCEO of Qatar Airways among others, were on hand to welcome the Royal Caribbean International ship.

A plaque exchange ceremony was held between local officials and the ship’s officers.

“The arrival of our first American mega cruise ship marks the beginning of a new chapter in Qatar’s cruise tourism and positions Qatar as an attractive tourist destination for visitors from around the globe,” Al Baker said.

 “The extraordinary growth in Qatar’s cruise sector, as evidenced by the number of cruise ships and passengers to Doha Port, is the result of close collaboration between key stakeholders representing Qatar’s tourism and aviation industries, immigration, customs and the Ports Authority, who have all worked together to create a seamless visitor experience,” he added.