A cruise ship called Crystal Symphony is expected to berth in Honiara on the Sunday January 29 (next Sunday).

Crystal Symphony is a luxurious 50-kilotonne cruise ship and can accommodate 922-guests.

The cruise ship is best described as one of the most spacious cruise ships at sea.

Crystal Symphony has already left Sydney on Friday last week and is now heading for her first stopover at Alotau – the capital city of Milne Bay Province, southeast of Papua New Guinea.

She will also visit Kiriwina Island, and Rabaul in Papua New Guinea before heading to Honiara.

She will then leave Honiara for Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia before heading back to Sydney, Australia.

According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 12 cruise ships are expecting to visit the country this year.

Last year, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mr Andrew Nihopara said the country’s Cruise Ship Industry is picking up momentum last year as a result 12 Cruise Ships are expecting to visit the country this year.

He said four out of twelve cruise ships have confirmed their itineraries to visit Gizo, Western Province.

Mr Nihopara said the Ministry has allocated grant support to Gizo Cruise Tourism project to help Western Province in their preparation for the visiting Cruise Ships.

He said outlook of cruise shipping is very encouraging this year as Cruise Ships will visit the country every month this year.

Meanwhile Mr Nihopara said Tourism Development Programme will continue to support the Cruise Ship sector this year in terms of basic Cruise infrastructure support and more importantly the tour product development.

He stressed that collective support is crucial in effort to continually increase and enhance the portfolio of attractions activities and historical sites for visitors including cruise passengers and at the same time increasing the product for the country’s general market which are coming into the country through flights.