Best Mass Market Cruise from/to Dubai

[SelectSys]

I am interested in seeing Dubai as part of a pre or post cruise stay. Any ideas on the best mass market lines serving Dubai? I would assume these would be mainly winter departures.

[mountainmare]

The only one I know is Costa. They offer 7-night Dubai, Oman, Bahrain Jan-March and in 2008 Feb24 and March29 a 16-night Dubai Suez Canal that ends in Italy.

These don't show up on the US website, they are on the UK website--or tell your TA to look at the Exotic Winter book ---not the regular Winter 2008 book.

Pricing is very resonable.

[Smiles3usa]

Not many "mass market" lines serve to Dubai. Holland America, this year, has a segment on its world cruise from Dubai to Rome (18 days), but it is sold out. Perhaps the same segment will be available in 2008. And Oceania has a 27 day cruise this November from Rome to Singapore which includes an overnight in Dubai, but again, that cruise is sold out. Cunard's Queen Victoria has a number of cruises that visit the area, but I am not sure if I would categorize those ships as "mass market." Costa, as noted above, also has a number of ships in the area.

 

As the area grows in popularity, I'd expect to see the number of cruise ships visiting the area increase. I suspect that Princess, which always seems to be the vanguard for the newest and more interesting itineraries, will have ship(s) in the area in the next few years.

[SelectSys]

Thanks, this confirms my intuition and quick searches. I did see the Costa ships. They seem a bit dated in terms of ammenities compared with some of their newer builds. I guess the market is just getting started.

 

I really am looking for an excuse to go to Dubai for a few days and check out the all the excess.

[suekay]

My friend and I have just returned from a week long cruise out of Dubai on Costa Classica. The ship was not up to the standard of Royal Caribbean, Princess, P&O etc but was fine as an overnight taxi. The itinerary is excellent.........how else could you visit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Fujairah and Oman in one week at such low cost and so conveniently? I'd certainly recommend it, and would like to do it again. I wouldn't recommend Costa for the "cruise experience" but would put up with it for the itinerary

[SelectSys]

My friend and I have just returned from a week long cruise out of Dubai on Costa Classica. The ship was not up to the standard of Royal Caribbean, Princess, P&O etc but was fine as an overnight taxi. The itinerary is excellent.........how else could you visit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Fujairah and Oman in one week at such low cost and so conveniently? I'd certainly recommend it, and would like to do it again. I wouldn't recommend Costa for the "cruise experience" but would put up with it for the itinerary

 

I looked at the Costa web site and the ship did seem a bit dated. What was the passenger mix like? What did you do in Oman & Fujairah?