Qatar has entered into an agreement with MSC Cruises for the charter of two cruise ships during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Berthed at Doha Port, the cruise liners will offer a combined capacity of 4,000 cabins and act as floating hotels during the tournament.
Chartering cruise liners for fans has long been part of Qatar’s accommodation strategy, with the country keen to offer sustainable solutions for the month-long tournament, which will kick-off on November 21, 2022.
Under the terms of the agreement, the State of Qatar will charter MSC Cruises’ newbuild MSC Europa and the 2008-built MSC Poesia.
Scheduled for delivery in 2022, MSC Europa is currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France. As the first liquefied natural gas-powered ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet, she will run on this fuel while at berth in Doha.
“The Ministry of Transport and Communications has completed the development of Doha Port to accommodate multiple large passenger ships and enable the port’s capacity to receive the largest cruise ships in the world, serving fans and visitors who come to Qatar during the 2022 World Cup,” Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transports and Communications, commented.