MaltaPost p.l.c. have announced that on the occasion of the first visit to Malta of the Cruise liner MSC Splendida on the 15th of July 2009, MaltaPost p.l.c.’s Philatelic Bureau is issuing a second set of 4 stamps in the maritime series, entitled "Cruise Liners." This collection follows the first set which was issued in November 2008. Together with the stamps MaltaPost will also issue a Maximum Card bearing the image of the MS Splendida to compliment this set.

The stamps reproduce five world class liners that visited the Valletta Grand Harbour. The liners are MS Seabourn Pride, MS Brilliance of the Seas, Costa Magica, Costa Atlantica and MS MSC Splendida.

The MSC Splendida, to be christened by Sophia Loren, MSC’s godmother, during a grand celebration on July the 12th 2009, in Barcelona shall enter Malta’s Grand Harbour for the first time on the 15th of July 2009.

The stamps were designed by Fabio Agius, from MaltaPost p.l.c.’s and carry a face value of Euro 0.37, Euro 0.68, Euro 0.91 and Euro 2.00. The stamps are 44.0 mm by 31.0 mm in size with a perforation of 13.9 x14.0 (comb). All stamps are offset printed on Maltese Crosses watermarked paper by Printex Limited and are available in sheets of 10.

On this occasion, the Maritime issue including the Maximum Card in cancelled format will also be available for sale on the 15th of July at the Valletta Waterfront in the vicinity of the MSC Splendida Quay. The cancelled Maximum Card may then be obtained from MaltaPost’s Philatelic Bureau from the 18th of July.

The stamps and the mint Maximum Card will be on sale from the 15th of July 2009 at all MaltaPost branches, from the MaltaPost mobile van and from the Philatelic Bureau at 305, Triq Hal-Qormi, Marsa MTP 1001, telephone 2596 1740 or email: philately@maltapost.com.

Additional information is available on MaltaPost website www.maltapost.com.