Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has signed an agreement with MSC Cruises to charter two cruise ships to accommodate fans during the 2022 World Cup.
The cruise ships, which have a combined capacity of 4,000 staterooms, will act as floating hotels during the tournament. They will be berthed at Doha Port, giving fans a view of the West Bay skyline. Chartering cruise ships for fans has long been part of Qatar’s accommodation strategy for the month-long tournament, which will kick off on November 21, 2022.
In a written statement His Excellency Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transports and Communications, said that the Ministry has completed the development of standards to facilitate access to Qatar’s transportation system, in addition to providing an information portal on mobility and applications that visitors and fans will be able to use during the tournament.
Under the terms of the agreement, Qatar will charter MSC Cruises’ MSC Europa and 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, the ship will run on this fuel while at berth in Doha in order to reduce emissions. The ship also has advanced waste and water treatment systems, in addition to a range of environmental technologies for cleaner air emissions and minimized environmental footprint.
In addition to floating hotels, Qatar’s other accommodation options will include hotels, apartments and fan villages.
In 2022, the cruise ships will be served by shuttle buses, which will take fans to Qatar’s transport infrastructure, including Doha Metro, from where they will be able to access stadiums, fan zones and other attractions.
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