As part of the concerted efforts of all state agencies concerned with tourism to implement the directives of the political leadership towards encouraging tourism and the instructions of Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, the Alexandria Port Authority, headed by Rear Admiral Ahmed Hawash, Chairman of the Board of Directors, received the two cruise ships Astoria Grande and MS Hamburg within 48 hours, carrying 1,703 passengers, including tourists and crews. The ship was received by a number of leaders of the Alexandria Port Authority, representing the Ministry of Transport, as well as the Ministry of Antiquities, represented by the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Promotion, the Alexandria Governorate, represented by the Regional Authority for Tourism Promotion, and the Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Administration of Alexandria Port Police. The passengers were received and their procedures were completed in a few minutes to begin their tourist program to visit the tourist, historical and cultural landmarks.The Alexandria Port Authority was keen to accompany the two ships with tugs and pilot boats and secure them since their arrival, as well as to closely monitor the movement of ships from the radar guidance tower. The Alexandria Port Authority prepared a grand reception for the two ships and tourists, including folklore shows presented by the Happy Show band and souvenirs, as part of the state’s drive to encourage maritime tourism in Egyptian ports in particular.This visit is the second in the same month for the Astoria Grande, which previously visited the port of Alexandria on March 8, 2025. It is one of the most prominent cruise ships sailing in the Mediterranean, with a length of approximately 193 meters, a width of approximately 31 meters, and a draft of 6 meters.It is noteworthy that the Palauan cruise ship Astoria Grande docked at the Alexandria Port Authority's passenger terminal at dawn on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The ship was carrying 1,243 passengers, including approximately 816 tourists, coming from the Turkish port of Kusadasi and heading after leaving Alexandria port to the Turkish port of Izmir.In the same context, the Bahamian ship MS Hamburg docked at the Alexandria Port Authority’s marine passenger terminal on Sunday morning, March 23, 2025, carrying 460 passengers, including tourists and crew, coming from Port Said and heading after leaving Alexandria to the Greek port of Syros. The ship is 144.13 m long, 21.5 m wide, and has a draft of 5.3 m.
