Sometimes called the Manhattan of the Middle East, Dubai has set out to become the region’s cruising and tourism hub.
It hosted more than 400,000 cruise passengers in the 2012-13 season and is joining forces with Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, and neighbouring Oman to invest millions of dollars in cruising infrastructure over the next few years.
By mid-2014, Dubai’s cruise terminal will be able to handle five ships simultaneously. Abu Dhabi is building a new terminal that will accommodate three or four ships at a time and is also developing facilities on the islands of Delma and Sir Bani Yas for cruise passengers.
Oman is planning to build a new terminal at Muttrah, one of three ports open to cruise ships.
The idea is to capitalise on the amazing monuments and fascinating history of the area to create an array of itineraries that will ignite the local market and appeal to everyone else.
As more of our readers head over to Dubai, we help you on your journey with a list of 15 things to do in the city, which features in the Autumn edition of Cruise Passenger magazine.
Here’s a quick look at our recommendations:
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For the full destination report, pick up a copy of Cruise Passenger magazine, Autumn edition with Queen Mary 2 on the cover from your local newsagent.