REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SABANG -- Italian cruise liner MV Costa Victoria, bearing 2,200 Muslim tourists of various nationalities, will make a port of call in Sabang, Aceh Province, on Nov 27, an official stated here on Monday.
"We have received information that the Italian-flagged MV Costa Victoria cruise liner will dock at Sabang," Business and Investment Development Director of Sabang Port's Free Trade Zone Fauzi Umar noted while adding that the ship will depart from Singapore on Nov 25.
Although designed to accommodate three thousand passengers, the ship has onboard 2,200 Muslim tourists from around the world, Umar remarked.
The tourists availing the "Islamic Cruise" package offered by the cruise operator will vacation for five days and four nights in Sabang and Banda Aceh -- the two largest cities of Aceh Province.
The visitors are scheduled to explore several religious and cultural attractions, including the Tsunami Museum in Sukaramai, PLTD Floating Ship in Punge, and a ship docked at a house in Lampulo.
Operated by the Costa Crossieres company, the MV Costa Victoria cruise liner was launched in 1996.
In 2004, the cruise ship underwent major renovation to improve the services and safety offered to tourists during the voyage.
Umar said the visit will also coincide with the "Sail Sabang" annual event hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and local government from Nov 28 to Dec 5.
Themed "Sabang as A World's Marine Tourist Destination," the event is planned to be launched by President Joko Widodo on Dec 2.
According to the organizer, the Sail Sabang event will be hosted at four locations: the Sabang Bay or the CT3 Free Trade Zone and Port, Sabang Fair arena, Gapang resort, and the Zero Kilometer Monument of Indonesia.
As part of the ministry's Sail Indonesia agenda, the sail event was earlier held in the Morotai Islands, North Maluku Province, in 2012; East Nusa Tenggara in 2013; Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua in 2014; and Tomini, Central Sulawesi, in 2015.
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