SHARJAH // The luxury cruise liner the Queen Mary 2 docked in Khor Fakkan on Wednesday.
The vessel had sailed from the Jordanian city of Aqaba with more than 2,000 passengers and a crew of at least 1,000.
On arrival in the Emirates, they were greeted by UAE officials including Mohammed Mir Abdulrahman, director general of the Sharjah Department of Seaports and Customs, and Mohammed Kareem, administrative director of Port City of Khor Fakkan.
Khor Fakkan resident Mustafa Al Hamadi, a 47-year-old Emirati, said: “This is not the first time we have seen a big liner like this one – they stop here sometimes for 10 to 12 hours.”
“It’s a great opportunity for tourists and visitors to explore the historical places and unique combination of mountains and ocean in Khor Fakkan, and it’s good for profit for the city as well.
“I suggest the municipality and Ministry of Tourism focus more on such visits by providing brochures and tour guides to passengers to make it more organised.”
Abdullah Mohammed, 29, an Emirati fisherman from Khor Fakkan, said: “I love to see the liners approaching the port. The QM2 is a huge ship and my dream is to be the captain of such a big ship one day.”
After a stopover in Fujairah, the liner will make its way to Dubai on Thursday and then onwards to Abu Dhabi.
The Queen Mary 2, which cost Dh2.5 billion to build and is operated by Cunard Line, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year.
rhaza@thenational.ae
