The newly upgraded Benoa Port in Nusa Dua continues to break records. This time, it welcomed the largest cruise ship ever to dock in Indonesia—the Anthem of the Seas. The 348-meter-long vessel arrived in Bali with 5,829 people on board, including crew members.
Addressing the controversial topic of high-quality tourism, Bali Governor Wayan Koster commented on the event:
“This is part of a strategy to develop more profitable tourism, as passengers on this cruise ship are affluent travelers.”
Prasetyo, Strategy Director of Pelindo, the company managing the port, highlighted the preparations required for the arrival of the 168,666 GT cruise liner.
“A modern disembarkation and boarding system was put in place, including an advanced mobile gangway, which significantly improved passenger access on and off the ship,” he explained.
“This is an important milestone for us, as it confirms Benoa Port’s readiness to become an international cruise hub.”
The captain of Anthem of the Seas, Tony Christian, praised the infrastructure and services at Benoa Port, stating that everything was handled professionally.
The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship stayed in Bali’s waters for two days. It first anchored at Celukan Bawang Port in the northern part of the island before making its way to Benoa Port. After leaving Bali, the 16-deck vessel will continue its journey to Lombok (West Nusa Tenggara) and Singapore.
Just last week, Benoa Port hosted three large cruise ships simultaneously, made possible by a recent expansion of the dock. The pier now measures 500 meters in length, with a channel and basin depth of 12 meters.
Sources: antara, travelweekly
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