Photo: MTA
An ultra-luxury cruise liner designed by one of the industry’s most preeminent talents will be christened in Valletta’s Grand Harbour on Friday evening.
The Ovation is cruise liner operator Seabourn’s fifth luxury vessel, with top-end designer Adam Tihany responsible for the ship’s layout and design.
It entered the Grand Harbour at dawn on Friday morning, ahead of its christening later in the day.
Singer and actress Elaine Paige will lead the christening ceremony and serve as the Seabourn Ovation’s godmother.
Malta Tourism Authority chairman Gavin Gulia said that Seabourn’s decision to hold the Ovation’s christening ceremony in Malta was a sign of the country’s progression in the cruise and tourism sectors.
He noted that cruise linter traffic had risen by 7 per cent last year to reach 670,000 passengers.
Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi added that passengers had been increasing on a yearly basis and that Malta had welcomed 55 per cent more cruise liner passengers in 2017 than 2013.
Photo: MTA