ARABIAN NIGHTS
Middle East Cruises
The Middle East is now squarely on the cruising map with a number of leading cruise companies basing their ships in the Persian Gulf, says Sara Macefi eld
longer voyages or repositioning cruises for ships sailing through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal en route to Asia or returning from the Far East to the Mediterranean. Stops at surrounding countries such as
U
Egypt and Jordan, with their wealth of ancient treasures and cultural attractions, provided popular ports of call for lines including P&O Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Voyages of Discovery, Seabourn and Silversea. However, the Persian Gulf (or Arabian Gulf as it is often called) did not really feature on the cruise industry radar until Dubai’s expansion as a tourism powerhouse. Add to this, the Gulf’s hot, dry climate
at a time when most Northern Hemisphere countries are shivering in the icy grip of winter, plus the steady improvement in air access, and a new winter sun cruise spot was born.
In The Lead Costa Cruises was the first to take the iniative with a debut season of cruises from Dubai, which were an undisputed success, prompting the company to add a second ship. Two years ago, the Italian cruise line underlined its commitment to Dubai by naming its newest ship, Costa Deliziosa, in a glittering ceremony in the emirate –
50 April 2012 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
ntil five years ago the Middle East region tended only to feature in itineraries as part of
In the winter of 2008/09, Royal Caribbean
International decided to grab its own slice of the market by basing a ship there too, marking
the US line’s first official foray into the Middle East region.
MSC Cruises is another line to
realise the region’s potential, moving into the Persian Gulf this winter with MSC Lirica. However, in something of a departure from the other companies already operating there, MSC opted to base its ship in Abu Dhabi after signing a deal with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, claiming it would give MSC more exclusivity and an unrivalled opportunity in the Persian Gulf. Next winter MSC plans to increase
capacity by swapping MSC Lirica for its larger sister ship MSC Opera. RCI also plans to replace Brilliance of the Seas in 2013 with Serenade of the Seas. While the Persian Gulf has witnessed
the most dramatic growth, cruises along the Red Sea coast have also risen with lines including Azamara Club Cruises, Spirit of Adventure and Fred. Olsen offering sailings, while Thomson Cruises bases a ship there in winter.
the first such event to take place in an Arab port. It also coincided with the opening of Dubai’s gleaming new port facility.
The Red Sea boasts a variety of ports that lead to some of Egypt’s most
famous sites, along with the ancient city of Petra in Jordan; Eilat in Israel; and the Sinai
Peninsula which lays claim to some of the best diving
waters in the world and popular resorts
such as Sharm el Sheikh. The Highlights
Most sailings through the Persian Gulf tend to be one-week rotations from Dubai or, from this winter, Abu Dhabi, with calls including the emirate of Fujairah, plus Muscat and Khasab in Oman. Previously, Bahrain appeared on itineraries, but the state’s recent troubles have ruled it out of bounds as far as cruise lines are concerned for now. So what is there to do and see? While the mountain and desert scenery brings its own beauty, there is little variation between the destinations. But the chance to soak up the
evocative Arabian culture offers cruise passengers a different experience, be it shopping for precious jewels in the gold souks; bumping over sand-dunes on an
Left, from top to bottom: Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Jordan; Costa Classica in Dubai;
The Temple of Luxor; Costa in Dubai. Right, clockwise: Abu Dhabi opulence; Costa Deliziosa and cultural Oman
Selling Tip Direct regional flights
from the UK position the region for pre- and post-cruise stays
MSC CRUISES
MSC CRUISES
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