Egypt’s West Port Said Port receives Astoria Grande on maiden call

Egypt’s West Port Said Port received the Astoria Grande on its maiden call on Monday, carrying 414 passengers and 409 crew members, as the country seeks to expand cruise tourism through its ports.

The Palau-flagged cruise ship arrived from Kuşadası, Türkiye, the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) said in a statement.

Passengers will be offered excursions in Port Said, as well as trips to Cairo and Giza to visit tourist and archaeological sites, before the ship departs later in the evening for Antalya, Türkiye, the statement said.

The vessel’s maiden call at Port Said West comes as SCZONE seeks to increase cruise traffic at its ports and improve services and facilities for cruise passengers and operators.

The Astoria Grande, owned by Goodwin Shipping Ltd., is 193 metres long and 32 metres wide, with a draft of 6 metres. It operates cruise itineraries in the Mediterranean and other international destinations.

SCZONE said it was continuing to upgrade its ports on the Mediterranean and Red seas to improve their capacity for trade, logistics and maritime tourism.

Port Said West’s location at the northern entrance of the Suez Canal makes it a potential gateway for cruise passengers visiting Egypt, SCZONE said.