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Discover Qatar postpones whale sharks expedition cruises to 2022

Discover Qatar, the destination management division of Qatar Airways, postponed its first expedition cruise series, 'Whale Sharks of Qatar by Sea,' until 2022.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

February 19, 2021

1 Min Read
CRUISE Ponant Blue Eye Photo L Patricot
The cruises would have made full use of Le Champlain's Blue Eye underwater viewing loungePHOTO: L. PATRICOT/PONANT

'The safety and well-being of our customers is always our highest priority and due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we believe this is the most responsible decision to take,' Discover Qatar said, adding that it 'very much' intends to operate the program in 2022.

The eight- and 10-night adventure cruises, which were scheduled from March 24 to May 7, would have sailed aboard Ponant's 170-passenger Le Champlain.

Access to restricted marine zone

Qatar is home to one of the planet's largest aggregations of whale sharks. Each year, hundreds congregate in the Al Shaheen region, a restricted marine zone off the northeast coast, from April to September. Those on the expedition cruises will be among the first to see whale sharks in these restricted waters.

'We are working closely with our partner Discover Qatar for programs in future years as we think the region is very appealing for small-ship luxury cruisers,' Ponant's Hervé Bellaiche, chief sales, marketing and communication officer, told Seatrade Cruise News.

 

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About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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