Dubai Cruises
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All you Need to Know
by Travel Journalist Phil Davies
As the world’s newest cruising hotspot, Dubai combines the mysteries of the desert with ultra-modern resort and shopping complexes.
Everything about the Emirate is mind-boggling – the most luxurious hotel, the tallest tower, the biggest resorts – you name it, and Dubai exceeds all expectations.
Incredible man-made islands, theme parks, sports zones, fabulous restaurants catering for all tastes and some of the world’s most luxurious hotels add up to a must-see destination that is changing by the day.
Future plans include a theme park twice the size of Florida’s Walt Disney World resort, the Great Dubai Wheel even bigger than the London Eye, the world’s largest hotel complex with 51 hotels including the 6,500-room Asia-Asia Hotel due to open in 2010.
And for cruise lovers, the famous QE2 will become a floating hotel in Dubai at the end of 2008.
No wonder the Emirate has become an attractive starting point for cruises in the region, with easy air access from a number of UK regional airports with a manageable flying time of around seven hours.
Arabian Gulf cruises will take you to other United Arab Emirates as well as Oman, Bahrain and occasionally Iran and Yemen.
A typical eight-day fly/cruise from Dubai will feature calls in Muscat (Oman), Fujairah and Abu Dhabi (both United Arab Emirates) and Bahrain.
Costa Cruises was the first company to offer a cruise itinerary in the Arabian Gulf with a ship based in Dubai.
The Italian line Costa is doubling the number of ships based in the area with Costa Romantica and the Costa Europa both departing from Dubai until March.
Other cruise companies call in Dubai as part of longer itineraries to offer a range of shore excursions, combining the world famous Burj Al Arab hotel with the Al Fahidi Fort, a visit to the spice market and the gold souk.
Other trips allow you to sand-ski in the desert, then ski on snow at the indoor SKI Dubai winter sports area. Or take a boat trip to admire the amazing artificial islands, 'The Palm' and 'The World'.
Downtown Dubai is a multi-cultural metropolis with modern banking and business districts, large hotel complexes, high-rises, luxurious mansions, palaces, shopping centers, golf courses, long sandy beaches, and heavy traffic.
Although ultra-modern, Dubai also boasts traditional Islamic architecture which can be found in the beautifully restored Sheikh Saeed Palace, in the Bastakiya quarter with its quaint houses built of clay and coral, on the lively Dubai Creek with its water taxis (called Abras), in the Mosques, Souqs, at the fish market, and at Dhow Harbour.
Peter Deilmann Cruises is amongst other cruise lines with itineraries which call at Dubai.
Shore excursions include a safari over the Dubai sand dunes in a four-wheel drive buggy, a flight over the metropolis, taking in the minarets and mosques and beyond to the golf courses and green fields and artificial islands off the coast.
Peter Deilmann Cruises offers a two-hour boat ride around the islands of The Palm giving splendid views over the city’s skyline.
Or take a visit to the town of Sharjah, visible just beyond Dubai’s city limits, which developed from a small seaport on the Gulf 50 years ago to a modern metropolis with flower beds, palm shaded boulevards, shimmering lagoons, and impressive Islamic architecture.
Guests visit the city centre, residential neighbourhoods, the splendid Koran Circle, Archaeological Museum and Mosque, and the lovely restored old town with coral houses built by the wealthy pearl merchants of old Sharjah.
Do’s and Don’ts of Dubai Cruising
DO try and spend at least a day and night pre or post cruise in Dubai. The hotels and restaurants are quite amazing.
DO go shopping when in Dubai. There’s just so much to buy.
DO consider a flight upgrade. As there is so much competition on routes to Dubai, it is worth considering flying in style and comfort.
DON’T forget sun protection as the heat can be intense even outside the peak summer months.
DON’T expect everything in Dubai to be finished. It may seem like a permanent building site but there’s still lots to see and do.
DON’T assume everything in Dubai is expensive. Yes, there are pricey places to east and drink but at the same time many more are of high quality and extremely reasonable
09 Dec 2008
09 Dec 2008
09 Dec 2008
