Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) has welcomed Cunard's newest luxury cruise liner, Queen Elizabeth, on her maiden voyage to Abu Dhabi last Thursday. The ship arrived a little ahead of schedule and stayed for the whole day at Zayed Port, Abu Dhabi, allowing its 1,950 passengers to explore some of the U.A.E. capital's many attractions. Sheikh Sultan and Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports Company, welcomed Captain Alistair Clarke and his crew, and they exchanged commemorative plaques to mark the special occasion. 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." Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said, "We are delighted to welcome such a prestigious luxury cruise liner to Abu Dhabi, which demonstrates the increasing popularity of Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination for discerning travellers. 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 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.