Fiji Ports Corporation Limited (FPCL) chief executive officer (CEO) Vajijra Piyasena acknowledged the support of key agencies while welcoming Majestic Princess on its inaugural trip to the Suva Port last week.

“FPCL conducts an excellent role in co-ordinating with key agencies like biosecu­rity, quarantine services, shipping agent and customs which made the ship arriving on schedule,” Mr Piyasena said.

“For any cruise ship to berth on time is significant. There is a need to manage time well, good co-operation and efficiency.”

Majestic Princess Captain Dino Sagani said the well-coordinated arrangements with authorities assisted them in a lot of ways.

Captain Sagani was back after 20 years making him no stranger to the capital city of Fiji.

“Visiting Suva again after 20 years ago is a breath of life,” he said smiling.

“Fiji is part of Magnificent Princess’s schedule so this won’t be her last trip here.”

The ship, after Lautoka, sailed to New Caledonia before returning to Sydney this weekend.

NUMBER OF PASSENGERS

There were 3500 passengers on board in­cluding children and infants.

“When holidays and vacation are around the corner, there are a lot of passengers on board,” Captain Sagani said.

FUTURE PLANS

“As part of our achievement, two ships are coming up for launching: Sky Princess is going to be launched in 2019 while Enchantte Princess is on 2020,” he said.

He said the two vessels are about to be completed.

Asked about how many passengers with inclusion of crews on board, he said major­ity are from Australia and United States of America compared to other countries.

Majestic Princess is the second largest cruise ship in the world and was on her in­augural South Pacific voyage .