The Ports of Monaco are hosting the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports’ (MedCruise) 35th General Assembly at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort to begin today, October 29th, and to last until Saturday, October 31st.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco will attend the opening ceremony, as the Principality’s heads of state will welcome more than 100 delegates to the event. Delegates representing approximately 40 MedCruise ports from the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Atlantic, and several Mediterranean ship agencies associated with MedCruise, will convene to meet with their invited guests, several executives of major cruise lines, such as Carol Marlow of P&O Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Roberto Martinoli and Steve Bock, MSC Cruises’ Luigi Pastena Silversea´s Amerigo Perasso, V-Ships’ Roberto Giorgi, Star Clippers’ Mikael Krafft, and Costa Cruise´s Elisabetta de Nardo.

While MedCruise delegates convene their closed-door meeting this morning, the cruise line guests will inspect the Ports of Monaco facilities and will visit the Grand Casino and the wine cellar of the Hotel de Paris, one of the most important treasures of the Principality. The afternoon will continue with private round table discussions among the ports and the cruise lines to confront their mutual challenges, such as berth reservations, congestion, best practices for cruise ports and environmental impacts. The Ports of Monaco will invite participants to a Gala Dinner at the Sea Club in Le Méridien Hotel.

On Friday, October 30th, the cruise line executives will present to the ports on their cruise lines’ needs and future plans. Business-to-business meetings will be arranged between MedCruise members and the cruise line guests in the afternoon. The day will end with a farewell dinner at La Brasserie de Monaco.

On Saturday October 31st, 2009 guided tour in Monaco is planned for the port and associate member representatives and their families and a visit to the Villa Kerylos & the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.

Gibraltar is represented in Med Cruise.