The United Arab Emirates moved one step closer to becoming a major player in the world of cruise holidays with the arrival of the MSC Lirica cruise liner this week.


Regarded as one of the leading luxury cruise vessels of its kind, the MSC Lirica has travelled from Genoa in Italy to a port the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi, which it will now call home.


Weighing 59,000 tonnes, the MSC Lirica was given a grand welcome by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).


ADTA chairman HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan was there to celebrate the arrival, with a spectacular fireworks display marking the occasion.


“We hope she has set a course that many others will follow,” he said at the event.


The MSC cruises vessel is set to embark on the first of 19 cruises this week, with eight day tours taking in the Arabian Gulf, as passengers take in the sights and sounds of Oman and Dubai along the way.


This arrival represents the latest development in Abu Dhabi's burgeoning plans for cruise holidays. Earlier this month, ADTA unveiled the new tented cruise port designed to cater to an increasing amount of vacationers.