Dubai question for Anne (Jayayeff)

[mef_57]

11 minutes ago, CruisingFox27 said:

That's what the link stated but I can't find any other information. 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5097/

Carnival doesn't cruise that region.  It was Celebrity....but I did see the CC entry (had to look 3 times for it though)

I still can't find any back up on any of it either.  It would be nice to have a little news bite about it.  

I am due to sail from there in April and arrive in Venice...so would appear to be a double whammy, but MSC isn't making anything clear.

Good luck. 

 

[CruisingFox27]

My apologies, I knew it began with a C 😏

 

Lots of discussion on board but still no official update. 

[vizslapup]

1 hour ago, mef_57 said:

Carnival doesn't cruise that region.  It was Celebrity....but I did see the CC entry (had to look 3 times for it though)

I still can't find any back up on any of it either.  It would be nice to have a little news bite about it.  

I am due to sail from there in April and arrive in Venice...so would appear to be a double whammy, but MSC isn't making anything clear.

Good luck. 

 

I was booked in a Celebrity cruise leaving from Dubai on April 1. We received the email from Celebrity yesterday morning saying that our cruise was cancelled because the cruise port in Dubai was closed to cruise ships. 
 

Good luck. I hope your cruise line let’s you know soon what is happening. It is possible the embarkment and Disembarkment port will be changed ; this is all assuming that there are not more port closures.

 

The Celebrity cruise that I was booked for that was cancelled was a different situation: we were the last cruise before a scheduled dry dock to do the revolution. They could not afford for someone on our cruise to potential get sick and the ship be quarantined.

[Jayayeff]

37 minutes ago, vizslapup said:

I was booked in a Celebrity cruise leaving from Dubai on April 1. We received the email from Celebrity yesterday morning saying that our cruise was cancelled because the cruise port in Dubai was closed to cruise ships. 
 

Good luck. I hope your cruise line let’s you know soon what is happening. It is possible the embarkment and Disembarkment port will be changed ; this is all assuming that there are not more port closures.

 

The Celebrity cruise that I was booked for that was cancelled was a different situation: we were the last cruise before a scheduled dry dock to do the revolution. They could not afford for someone on our cruise to potential get sick and the ship be quarantined.

I believe the correct notification should be that the port of Dubai was closed to the Celebrity Constellation not all cruise ships.   I was in the vicinity of Port Rashid earlier today and there were 4 cruise ships at the terminal (RCI, Costa, Mein Schiff and Norwegian).  
 

I have heard two interpretations of the status of the UAE ports but haven’t been able to verify either.  The first was that the port is only taking cruise ships that have been sailing in UAE waters, the other is that it is open in line with general UAE entry restrictions, i.e. that it is closed to any cruise ship coming from a country on the current ‘restricted entry’ list.  This I believe was the issue with the Celebrity ship as it had arrived in Mumbai short before their announcement of the Indian port closures yesterday morning, and was then unable to return to Dubai because India had been added to the restricted countries list.     At the present time the ports of Doha and Bahrain are closed to all cruise ships but the UAE ports and Muscat seem to be open subject to restrictions so I would suggest the only people who can confirm whether your cruise will be affected by changes, or cancelled, is the respective cruise line....

 

Anne...

[vizslapup]

6 minutes ago, Jayayeff said:

I believe the correct notification should be that the port of Dubai was closed to the Celebrity Constellation not all cruise ships.   I was in the vicinity of Port Rashid earlier today and there were 4 cruise ships at the terminal (RCI, Costa, Mein Schiff and Norwegian).  
 

I have heard two interpretations of the status of the UAE ports but haven’t been able to verify either.  The first was that the port is only taking cruise ships that have been sailing in UAE waters, the other is that it is open in line with general UAE entry restrictions, i.e. that it is closed to any cruise ship coming from a country on the current ‘restricted entry’ list.  This I believe was the issue with the Celebrity ship as it had arrived in Mumbai short before their announcement of the Indian port closures yesterday morning, and was then unable to return to Dubai because India had been added to the restricted countries list.     At the present time the ports of Doha and Bahrain are closed to all cruise ships but the UAE ports and Muscat seem to be open subject to restrictions so I would suggest the only people who can confirm whether your cruise will be affected by changes, or cancelled, is the respective cruise line....

 

Anne...

I’m even more disappointed then if that is the case, and they cancelled it because of the current cruise went to India.

The letter from Celebrity said  that UAE was no longer allowing entry to cruise ships: not that it was ship specific 

[mef_57]

15 minutes ago, Jayayeff said:

I believe the correct notification should be that the port of Dubai was closed to the Celebrity Constellation not all cruise ships.   I was in the vicinity of Port Rashid earlier today and there were 4 cruise ships at the terminal (RCI, Costa, Mein Schiff and Norwegian).  
 

I have heard two interpretations of the status of the UAE ports but haven’t been able to verify either.  The first was that the port is only taking cruise ships that have been sailing in UAE waters, the other is that it is open in line with general UAE entry restrictions, i.e. that it is closed to any cruise ship coming from a country on the current ‘restricted entry’ list.  This I believe was the issue with the Celebrity ship as it had arrived in Mumbai short before their announcement of the Indian port closures yesterday morning, and was then unable to return to Dubai because India had been added to the restricted countries list.     At the present time the ports of Doha and Bahrain are closed to all cruise ships but the UAE ports and Muscat seem to be open subject to restrictions so I would suggest the only people who can confirm whether your cruise will be affected by changes, or cancelled, is the respective cruise line....

 

Anne...

This makes sense to me.  Thank you for checking it out and giving us a from the ground perspective.

 

[ShaunDxb]

1 hour ago, vizslapup said:

I’m even more disappointed then if that is the case, and they cancelled it because of the current cruise went to India.

The letter from Celebrity said  that UAE was no longer allowing entry to cruise ships: not that it was ship specific 

 

Yeah it definitely is ship-specific, Port Rashid isn't closed to cruise ships, as Anne said, there were 4 in port today

[ken98230]

Here is the only other mention I could find.

 

https://splash247.com/uae-suspends-all-cruise-ship-operations/

 

I would think UAE closing to all cruise ships would be bigger news than just two mentions.  

[CruisingFox27]

We had an announcement from the Captain last night to advise all UAE ports are closed, we will not go to Abu Dhabi. However, we've been given special permission to dock in Dubai. 

[Jayayeff]

1 hour ago, CruisingFox27 said:

We had an announcement from the Captain last night to advise all UAE ports are closed, we will not go to Abu Dhabi. However, we've been given special permission to dock in Dubai. 

 

I see the MSC Spendida is docked this morning in the space that the Costa Diadema was in yesterday, and the Costa ship is now offshore but going who knows where!!   This is still a mystery as I've scoured all local sources and whilst all local authorities have been excellent to date with Coronavirus related updates the port closures is still a complete mystery...  I also noticed that the Jewel of the Seas has gone nowhere since embarking passengers yesterday, and the German ship Mein Schiff 5 is also still in its same location.  All these in addition to 3 ships that were 'evacuated' from SE Asia to Dubai and Port Rashid is beginning to look like a cruise ship parking lot!!!!   I counted 6 this morning plus the Costa Diadema sailing just offshore....

 

Anne...

[Jayayeff]

6 hours ago, ken98230 said:

Here is the only other mention I could find.

 

https://splash247.com/uae-suspends-all-cruise-ship-operations/

 

I would think UAE closing to all cruise ships would be bigger news than just two mentions.  

 

You, and I, would have thought so but I still can't find anything 'official' and the local authorities have been excellent here with regard to any travel restriction updates since the virus crisis started.  It appears to be true, and the number of ships docked either at the cruise terminal or more remote locations in the port is ever increasing.

 

Anne..

[Jayayeff]

On 3/10/2020 at 10:19 AM, Jayayeff said:

 

You, and I, would have thought so but I still can't find anything 'official' and the local authorities have been excellent here with regard to any travel restriction updates since the virus crisis started.  It appears to be true, and the number of ships docked either at the cruise terminal or more remote locations in the port is ever increasing.

 

Anne..

 

Further to the above, it is confirmed the Federal Transport Authority for the UAE has suspended all cruise ships from entering UAE ports until further notice - however long that may be.   Several left Dubai en route to either Abu Dhabi or Sir Baniyas Island yesterday but they are back in, or sitting offshore from Port Rashid this morning..  No sure what happens now as the berths at the cruise terminal are all full and there are 3 other cruise ships that came in empty from SE Asia berthed at more remote parts of the port...

 

Anne..

[mef_57]

Hello Anne. I hope all is well with you after these months of a world turned on its head.

I am venturing back to trying and organize time in Dubai again after a cancelled cruise in April. I have rebooked similar for April 2021, but accommodation pricing and hotels themselves have changed dramatically. I can no longer justify the increased prices for lodging around BK and the Mall.  I was looking for pricing for a group of smaller hotels in Burj Dubai, but I can't seem to find them. I have scoured these posts, as I thought they had been referenced here - but to no avail.  They were small traditional style guest houses...4 on the same website, with one being in Naif area. No maps with hotels brings out any name that rings a bell.  By any stretch of luck, do these ring a bell to you? 

I haven't yet purchased airline tickets, (which is a good thing as the cruiseline dropped my cruise and moved booking to one with a different final port) so unsure whether I will arrive 830 am. or 8:30 pm, Friday April 9th. It appears that this may fall during the UK Easter Break, and Ramadan starting Monday April 12.  I board ship April 10, but we do not depart until April 11 5pm.

From this thread, I can draw from some recommendations.  Alternatively, if I want to go back to BK area, do you have any opinion on the Towers Rotana and the ease of getting to the Mall area or port from there?

thank you.

[sddsddean]

I can help with the very last bit of your post. Towers Rotana is just across the road from a Metro station (air con footbridge to the station is 100 yds from the hotel) and its one stop to the BK and mall (bear in mind its a good 5-10 minute walk in a air con footway to the mall), or stay on the metro for 5 stops to get to the Mall of the Emirates. If you are there for more than a few days, get a silver NOL card at the airport for use on all public transport...its cheap! We even used the metro to get to our hotel from the airport and you could too to the Towers Rotana. Getting to the port is easy...grab a cab! Cheap and plentiful! Have fun (if you manage to get there!), its  a great place.

 

Simon

[mef_57]

4 hours ago, sddsddean said:

I can help with the very last bit of your post. Towers Rotana is just across the road from a Metro station (air con footbridge to the station is 100 yds from the hotel) and its one stop to the BK and mall (bear in mind its a good 5-10 minute walk in a air con footway to the mall), or stay on the metro for 5 stops to get to the Mall of the Emirates. If you are there for more than a few days, get a silver NOL card at the airport for use on all public transport...its cheap! We even used the metro to get to our hotel from the airport and you could too to the Towers Rotana. Getting to the port is easy...grab a cab! Cheap and plentiful! Have fun (if you manage to get there!), its  a great place.

 

Simon

Thanks Simon. This is helpful.

I don't arrive until almost 9pm after a full day flying from Canada, so I won't be using the metro from the airport. I had hoped I could get to the BK area in time to catch the last fountain show but I might be cutting it fine. Alternatively, I would use the next day to mid afternoon to poke around the area, then get to ship, check in and spend the rest of my time around Burj Dubai. Alternatively, I would stay in BD area and metro to BK for a few hours. Last year I had a great room booked with window viewing of BK and fountain show but now that room is priced at $500Cdn. I can't justify that so looking for affordable but near.  The Tower might work.

Thanks.

[Jayayeff]

On 7/12/2020 at 5:07 PM, mef_57 said:

Thanks Simon. This is helpful.

I don't arrive until almost 9pm after a full day flying from Canada, so I won't be using the metro from the airport. I had hoped I could get to the BK area in time to catch the last fountain show but I might be cutting it fine. Alternatively, I would use the next day to mid afternoon to poke around the area, then get to ship, check in and spend the rest of my time around Burj Dubai. Alternatively, I would stay in BD area and metro to BK for a few hours. Last year I had a great room booked with window viewing of BK and fountain show but now that room is priced at $500Cdn. I can't justify that so looking for affordable but near.  The Tower might work.

Thanks.

Simon is spot on with regard to the Towers Rotana and the metro information.   I remember you asking about B&B’s in Old Dubai previously but don’t remember the details either!!  However, I would stick with known hotels and transport etc. in these time of heightened health and safety requirements.  Whilst, Covid-19 is now under control here and the vast majority of activities have now reopened, the Naif area of Deira is what is classed as highly populated and at the height of the Covid crisis here was completely locked down for several weeks due to rapid spread and high numbers of cases.   I know April is still a long way off but who knows what restrictions and precautions we will still be living with then, for now I can only advise around the current situation and I’d say future hotel rates are just a shot in the dark at this stage.  Many hotels were, or still are, either closed or being contracted for quarantine purposes, and those now open to guests are mainly attracting local residents taking staycations as they can’t travel overseas for summer vacations and Dubai only opened to visitors a week ago.... I’d say any listed 2021 hotel rates are very ‘fluid’ and could well change between now and April - my advice would be book where you want to be but don’t prepay so you can keep an eye on the situation and change your booking closer to the time if you need to....
 

Anne..

[mef_57]

4 hours ago, Jayayeff said:

Simon is spot on with regard to the Towers Rotana and the metro information.   I remember you asking about B&B’s in Old Dubai previously but don’t remember the details either!!  However, I would stick with known hotels and transport etc. in these time of heightened health and safety requirements.  Whilst, Covid-19 is now under control here and the vast majority of activities have now reopened, the Naif area of Deira is what is classed as highly populated and at the height of the Covid crisis here was completely locked down for several weeks due to rapid spread and high numbers of cases.   I know April is still a long way off but who knows what restrictions and precautions we will still be living with then, for now I can only advise around the current situation and I’d say future hotel rates are just a shot in the dark at this stage.  Many hotels were, or still are, either closed or being contracted for quarantine purposes, and those now open to guests are mainly attracting local residents taking staycations as they can’t travel overseas for summer vacations and Dubai only opened to visitors a week ago.... I’d say any listed 2021 hotel rates are very ‘fluid’ and could well change between now and April - my advice would be book where you want to be but don’t prepay so you can keep an eye on the situation and change your booking closer to the time if you need to....
 

Anne..

Hello Anne. Nice to hear from you. Thanks for the information of how things are in Dubai at present. Because of my work, I read the WHO reports daily, but it is such a big picture, it is somewhst surreal and we compare it to our local lives. Canada has managed well, and my city numbers are lower than the major cities with denser populations and less space to distance so I may be guilty of sanitizing the risks in order to hope for future travel. 

One challenge for travellers is learning about a city's hot spots, but now you describe Naif, I can see how it is highly populated. The souks would be denser and harder to manage distancing given the tighter quarters. (YouTube videos are such great resources) I'll have to check that out again closer to time, since I wanted to spend time in that area one day of my time there.

Otherwise, I have a refundable reservation at a Sofitel near the Burj.  I'll keep watching pricing of my preferred hotel and room as we go along and I'll clearly have to get a city update before final payment.

Thanks again.

 

[Jayayeff]

On 7/12/2020 at 12:41 PM, sddsddean said:

I can help with the very last bit of your post. Towers Rotana is just across the road from a Metro station (air con footbridge to the station is 100 yds from the hotel) and its one stop to the BK and mall (bear in mind its a good 5-10 minute walk in a air con footway to the mall), or stay on the metro for 5 stops to get to the Mall of the Emirates. If you are there for more than a few days, get a silver NOL card at the airport for use on all public transport...its cheap! We even used the metro to get to our hotel from the airport and you could too to the Towers Rotana. Getting to the port is easy...grab a cab! Cheap and plentiful! Have fun (if you manage to get there!), its  a great place.

 

Simon

 

Hi Simon,

 

I thought of you this morning when I saw a news report that the first pod went onto the Ain Dubai (Dubai Eye) in the past few days.... It looks very lost all on it's own at the top of the structure - if I can download a photo later, I'll post one for you!! 

 

Anne...

[sddsddean]

Thanks Anne. Hopefully it will be finished by the next time we get to Dubai...whenever that is!

 

Simon

[Jayayeff]

2 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Thanks Anne. Hopefully it will be finished by the next time we get to Dubai...whenever that is!

 

Simon

That’s 1 on, only another 47 to go!!!!
 

 

Maybe finished in time for Expo, which is now due to open in October 2021...

 

Anne..

[drsel]

That’s 1 on, only another 47 to go!!!!

Hi Anne, will Abu Dhabi and Dubai ports be open for Cruises from 19th October 2020?

 

[Jayayeff]

On 8/30/2020 at 5:36 PM, drsel said:

Hi Anne, will Abu Dhabi and Dubai ports be open for Cruises from 19th October 2020?

 

 

I saw a news report about a week or ten days ago that stated Dubai Ports were working on reopening to cruise ships for the 2020/21 season (usually late October or early November through to April/May) but haven't seen an actual confirmation.  I haven't heard anything about Abu Dhabi but I would have though that is unlikely as they are still only allowing citizens or residents entry not visitors...  If I see anything official about either port I'll post it here...

 

Anne..

[drsel]

But after mid October there are direct flights to Abu Dhabi also

[drsel]

Costa Diadema is supposed to be the first Cruise sailing from Abu Dhabi on 19th October and again on 23rd October

[Jayayeff]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

But after mid October there are direct flights to Abu Dhabi also

I’m pretty sure that is a provisional date as there has been no official announcement to date of when Abu Dhabi will be open to visitors.  There are flights into Abu Dhabi now but only for returning citizens or residence visa holders.   Dubai is open to citizens, residents and visitors (under certain restrictions) but they cannot travel between Dubai and Abu Dhabi...

 

Anne