HH Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) welcomed Cunard's newest luxury cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth on her maiden voyage to Abu Dhabi.

The ship arrived a little ahead of schedule and stayed for the whole day in Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi, allowing its 1,950 passengers to explore some of the UAE capital's many attractions.

HH Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon, Chairman, TCA Abu Dhabi and Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO Abu Dhabi Ports Company welcomed Capt. Alistair Clarke and his crew, and they exchanged commemorative plaques to mark the special occasion.

HH Sheikh Sultan commented:The arrival of one of the most magnificent vessels afloat is a landmark in Abu Dhabi's cruise industry history and one which exemplifies our cruise tourism ambitions. With two Cunard Queens expected next season, we recognise and appreciate this company's confidence in our destination and promise its elite clientele that will have even more to see and do when they return.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi added: ˜We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious luxury cruise liner to Abu Dhabi, it demonstrates the increasing popularity of Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination for discerning travelers.

˜Abu Dhabi has a special combination of culture, heritage and exciting entertainment and Zayed Port's city centre location means that visitors can get the most out of their visit with easy and quick access to many city attractions

The Queen Elizabeth is the last of the ten scheduled first time visitors in the current cruise season, a season that has seen a record number of maiden calls arriving at the city centre port.

A maiden voyage marks the first time a ship visits a port. It is customary to present the ship with a plaque to mark the special occasion, as a gesture of friendship and good luck, often the plaque is then displayed in a public area so that crew, visitors and passengers can see all of the places around the world that the ship has travelled.