Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, celebrated the official opening of Abu Dhabi’s new cruise terminal, flying in more than 650 guests for the inaugural voyage from the facility at Zayed Port.

In conjunction with MSC Cruises, Etihad Airways has created a special Fly-Cruise package for travelers from around the world to experience the splendors of luxury cruising around the Gulf. MSC Cruises’ ship, MSC Musica, serves the region for the 2015-2016 cruise season, which commenced on Dec. 13 and runs till April 3.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s destination management company, Hala Abu Dhabi, is also providing eight tours to MSC Cruises guests that can be pre-purchased online or bought on board the ship. The Abu Dhabi shore excursions and tour experiences will all be delivered by qualified guides.

Peter Baumgartner, chief commercial officer at Etihad Airways, said: “The new cruise terminal at Zayed Port represents our shared vision alongside our local partners to position Abu Dhabi as a world-class transport hub.”

“Cruising is an exciting and fast growing sector of the travel industry and we look forward to helping develop this segment further with the expansion of our services from the brand new cruise terminal in Abu Dhabi,” he added.

Many of the ground services will also be handled by Etihad Airways and Hala Abu Dhabi.

Additionally, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) has placed 15 check-in counters at the cruise terminal where the airline will provide check-in services, allowing passengers to proceed directly to immigration and customs.

MSC Cruises, the world’s largest privately-owned global cruise line, is offering week-long cruises from Abu Dhabi with ports of call including Khor Fakkan (UAE), Muscat and Khasab (Oman) and Dubai.

Located at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port, the new terminal covers 8,000 sqm and houses all key passenger facilities, retail outlets and a cafe.