Qatar’s Doha port expects 32 ships this season. This means over 50,000 passengers are expected to enter Doha. The MSC Fantasia will be the first “mega-ship’ to arrive in Qatar. It will dock in December with an expected 3,900 passengers and 1,500 crew-members on board. 32 ships carrying over 50,000 passengers are expected to arrive in Qatar this cruise season, which continues till April 2017. The first ship of the season is expected to dock in October 18th at the Doha Port in the heart of Qatar’s capital.
The Qatar Tourism Authority, Ministry of Interior and Qatar Ports Management Company – Mwani Qatar have jointly announced new measures to facilitate their disembarkation and entry for a seamless tourism experience. Passengers will be able to disembark within minutes and begin enjoying their on-shore excursions. Cruise passengers currently spend eight hours on average during their stops in Qatar.
A passenger manifest containing passport details of passengers and crew will be shared with immigration officials 48 hours in advance of the ship’s arrival in Qatar. This will allow immigration officials to process all relevant information and clear passengers before the ship berths.
Cruise passengers will be eligible for transit visas because of the short duration of the stay, easing their entry into the country.
