The ship will remain in the city state's downtown Port Rashid facility to serve as a tourist magnet alongside a proposed maritime museum and an expanding cruise ship terminal complex, officials said Monday.
One ship which has become a major tourist attraction is the Royal Yacht Britannia, which has been permanently moored on the Leith waterfront in Edinburgh.
The MCA warned it would be a few weeks before people saw a noticeable difference in the appearance of the ship, which has proved a popular tourist attraction.
In Benin, Togo, Ghana and Senegal it is clear that the tourist authorities want very much to develop and encourage cruise ship visits beyond the handful they currently receive annually.