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OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PRESS RELEASE
(for immediate release – Thursday, February 14, 2008)
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Office: (684) 633-4116 - Fax: (684) 633-2269 - Cell: (684) 731-8989
Lt. Gov Ipulasi welcomes cruise ship Amadea,
“contributes to our economy”
click for more pictures
 (UTULEI) – Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia today welcomed German cruise liner “Amadea” on its very first visit to American Samoa.
Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi, in a brief ceremony this morning onboard the 633 foot-long vessel, expressed his sincere thanks to Captain Hubert Flohr for including American Samoa as a destination on its 140 day sail around the world.
“We are very grateful and honored that you have made this historic call to the Port of Pago Pago. Thank you for believing in us as an ideal destination for your spectacular ship ‘Amadea.’ We want to thank you for coming, even if it is for only half a day. We are very happy and proud that you have visited our shores."
Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi said the Amadea’s inaugural visit to the Territory could be the beginning of a successful partnership.
“It is our hope and prayer that this is the start of a great relationship between American Samoa and this beautiful ‘Amadea,’ and your parent company – Phoenix Reisen,” said Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi. “We appreciate your visit today because you and your wonderful 591 passengers are contributing to our economy. And we thank you and all the other cruise liners for your support. When you all come to visit, it is a great windfall for our local businesses. We offer you our friendly people, a very nice port and harbor, and a safe and secured island community that appreciate you and your visit and will gladly make you feel at home.”
Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi presented Captain Flohr with an ava bowl and an American Samoa Centennial Book. In return, a souvenir gift of the Amadea was presented by Captain Flohr to Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi.
Those in attendance at the welcoming presentation included Mrs. Elisapeta Sunia, Port Administration Director - Matagi Ray Mailo McMoore, Deputy Director of Commerce - Lelei Peau, Tourism Director - Virginia Samuelu, and newly crowned Miss American Samoa – Fa’asilitama’ita’i Shanette Pualani Tilo.
The Amadea, a 4-star, 5-deck cruise liner with a crew of 281, departed this afternoon for Tahiti, with stops in and Bora Bora, Christmas Island - Kiribati, Honolulu, Long Beach CA before sailing through the Panama Canal on the way to New York. There will be stop in the Azores, then through the Mediterranean Sea to Nice, France before the Amadea completes its around the world tour in Bremerhaven, Germany on April 24th.
The local agent for Amadea is Harbor Maritime.
---americansamoa.gov---
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