MBL News – CARNIVAL VISTA maiden call at Malta – 09.05.2016 – Malta Movements

The 2016 built Carnival Cruise Line ship CARNIVAL VISTA made a scheduled port call at Grand Harbour 8 days after she was delivered from her Italian builders , starting a maiden voyage from Trieste, Italy on a 13 day Europe Cruise that ended in Barcelona, Spain.

Greeted by a Maltese village band, CARNIVAL VISTA stayed at her berth at Pinto 1 and 2 wharves of Valletta Cruise Port with the historic In Guardia re-enactment of events during the time of the Knights of St. John, courtesy of the Malta Tourism Authority.

Various VIP guests were invited for the maiden call including United States Ambassador in Malta Ms. Glenna Kathleen Hill that was appointed in January 2016 and Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis.

By gross tonnage, she was the largest ship within Carnival Cruise Line’s fleet at that time. The ship was built by the Fincantieri shipyard of Monfalcone. The first steel for the ship was cut in late February 2014, and the keel was laid in October 2014. The Carnival Vista Coin Ceremony/Float out was done in June 2015. She was the first Carnival cruise ship fitted with ABB azipod propulsion units since the 2004 built CARNIVAL MIRACLE.

A ship tour was followed after exchange of gifts during this inaugural visit and speeches aboard including by the Tourism Minister who said in his address – “The results attained reflect the drive by all stakeholders to develop our product and promote Malta’s increasing attractiveness and popularity as a leading cruise destination in the Mediterranean, in what is a highly competitive market.

Also Mr. Stephen Xuereb, CEO of Valletta Cruise Port stated that Valletta Cruise Port has just invested €1.5 million in Forni Terminal to accommodate the increasing flows of passengers onboard the larger ships. “Improving the infrastructure on Pinto wharves 4/5 and towards Lascaris Wharf is critical to the continued growth of the industry in Valletta. We are currently working on these plans looking to the future. Special thanks go to all the personnel of Valletta Cruise Port, who together with local stakeholders relentlessly work to ensure that Malta is professional, efficient, reliable and flexible in meeting expectations on all fronts.”

At 1600 hrs she was scheduled to leave her berth bound to complete her maiden cruise. Upon her departure a gun salute from the saluting battery of the Upper Barrakka Gardens was given courtesy of Mifsud Brothers Ltd.