Cruises on the ship uae oman qatar. Cruises from Dubai, Persian Gulf. Where do cruise routes start?
What you can see on a cruise from the UAE
During sea cruises from the UAE along the Persian Gulf, you can visit ports such as Muscat, Salalah, Doha, Aqaba, Ashdod, Haifa, Mumbai, Mangalore, Cochin, Colombo, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Mormugao, Al Khasab, Al Manama , Khor Fakkan, Eilat. The most popular destinations Tourists from all over the world have cruises from Dubai along the Persian Gulf, no less interesting and exciting routes are cruises along the Indian Ocean and cruises to Singapore.
A cruise by sea from the UAE is much more convenient than traveling by land, since tourists travel on a 5* floating hotel and find themselves in a new port of the UAE or another Arab country every day. A cruise around the UAE and Oman is much more economically profitable than staying in a hotel, since very often the ship spends several days in the port of Dubai or Abu Dhabi and serves as a 5* floating hotel with an all-inclusive food and entertainment system, which allows while living on the ship, visit beaches, tourist attractions, shopping centers in Dubai or other cities. Hotels on the shore do not offer such a food system. Very often, cruise companies or cruise tour operators offer cheap cruise packages or have seasonal sales of cruise tickets, and also make special offers on cruises in the Persian Gulf. It is always possible to purchase a cheap cruise from the Emirates on a special offer. The duration of cruises is very diverse: from mini-cruises to around the world cruises, which begin and end in one of the seaports of this region.
Cruises from the UAE to the Persian Gulf allow you to get to know several countries of the Persian Gulf at once. For example, in Doha (Qatar), you can go on a jeep safari through a real desert and visit a traditional Bedouin camp. In Aqaba (Jordan) excursions to the famous Petra are offered - ancient city with gigantic buildings carved right into the rocks. Moreover, Aqaba is magnificent resort on the Red Sea. At the Heritage Village in Fujairah (UAE), it will be interesting to see traditional Ayala dances and get acquainted with ancient Arab crafts.
When to go on a cruise to the countries of this region
The climate of the Gulf countries is mild and sunny with high temperatures in summer and moderate winters. Cruise companies begin the cruise season in this region in November. The best period for cruise travel in the Persian Gulf is from November to March. During these months, the Gulf countries are no longer as hot as in summer months, and warm enough to swim and lounge on the beaches. Largest number inexpensive tours cruise companies offer different durations in December-January: this option, like cruises on South-East Asia, is considered an excellent choice to escape from the Russian winter into summer. By the way, beach holiday in the Gulf countries it will be quite comfortable even in the winter months, and this is generally the best time for sightseeing.
On cruises from the United Arab Emirates to the Persian Gulf in November and April, you can only go on ships of luxury and premium cruise companies - these cruises cost a little more, but offer significantly more interesting routes, for example, cruises from the Emirates to Singapore.
It is also interesting to go on a cruise to the Gulf countries for New Year or Christmas. New Year's cruises in this region are some of the most popular routes, including the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.
Which liners go on cruises from the UAE
A number of standard, premium and luxury cruise lines operate itineraries in this region. Cruises from Abu Dhabi and Dubai from cruise companies such as Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises. Exclusive and very interesting routes are offered by premium and luxury companies - Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. The difference between cruises from different companies is in the routes, cost and level of service. If standard cruises in the region include visits to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Muscat, Doha and some other ports, then premium and luxury cruise liners visit such attractive places as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bali , Seychelles (Mae and Praslin), Maldives (Male Island), Mormugao (Goa) and even the African ports of Mombasa (Kenya), Zanzibar (Tanzania) and Maputo (Mozambique). Long cruises from the UAE to Europe are also very popular.
The Russian tour operator Cruise House offers cruises from the most popular sea cruise companies of different classes: standard class, premium class and luxury class, as well as cruises on the Ultra All Inclusive system. The Cruise House offers not only to buy a cruise ticket to any ship, but also to arrange a full cruise package with transfers, flights and excursions with discounts of up to 15% compared to if you choose a cruise separately.
We were there from 11/29/13 to 12/15/13.
Holidays at the hotel "FUJAIRAH LE MERIDIEN AL AQAH BEACH RESORT" 5* from 11/30/13 to 12/08/13.
Cruise on "Costa neoRiviera" 4* in the UAE and Oman from 08.12.13 to 15.12.13.
Cruise route: Dubai (UAE) - Dubai (UAE) - Muscat (Oman) - Muscat (Oman) - Abu Dhabi (UAE) - Abu Dhabi (UAE) - Dubai (UAE) - Dubai (UAE).
As always, having begun preparations in advance for the next vacation, scheduled for early December, after some deliberation we chose the United Arab Emirates. Good weather, comfortable hotels, interesting sights and plenty of active entertainment- all this thoroughly confirmed the correctness of our choice. We did not go on our new trip alone, but, like a year ago, to the Caribbean in the close company of our best friends: Elena and Eduard.
PREPARATION.
I would like to immediately thank you for useful information in the UAE Doppelsauger (Saratov) and Veronica (Kazan), as well as our wonderful travel agent Anna for her assistance in preparing the trip.
So, we purchased plane tickets to Dubai on our own using a limited special offer from Ukraine International Airlines (UIA). The price tag was tempting, don’t fall - 5170 rubles off the nose for a round trip flight, albeit with an hour and a half connection at Boryspil airport (Kyiv). So as not to return to this issue, I will share my impressions of this flight right away. In principle, there are no serious complaints about it, except for the fact that one of our friends’ suitcases did not fly to Moscow. Unfortunately, he got a little stuck in Kyiv, which caused serious unrest in our ranks, adding a small fly in the ointment to our vacation full of Arabian honey. Two days later, the prodigal suitcase was delivered straight to my home address without incident, thereby turning the last page of our eastern wanderings. In general, as it turned out, the problem with luggage on this particular UIA flight is not new, be careful, keep your luggage receipts until the end of the trip! Otherwise, the Ukrainian airline did not disappoint; small Boeings 737-400, 737-800 and 737-900 flew strictly on schedule. In-flight meals no worse than that of Russian air carriers, and the service in general is the same.
It was decided to spend the first week on the Indian Ocean at the 5* Le Meridien hotel, considered the best in the emirate of Fujairah. Next on our program was an eight-day cruise on the Costa neoRiviera in the UAE and Oman. Most tasty price for this cruise (598 euros for an inside cabin for two, taking into account all taxes and port fees) we managed to find thanks to the efforts of our chief search engine Eduard on the German website Kreuzfahrten.de, where, without thinking twice, we booked ourselves two adjacent cabins in the middle of deck 8 . Having sorted out the cruise, we started to apply for visas. Then it turned out that we need not an ordinary, but a double-entry visa to the UAE, since, having gone to Oman, where a visa is not required, the Costa neoRiviera will return to the Emirates again, and this will be a repeated crossing of the border for us. IN visa center arranged everything in at its best, and in about ten days everything Required documents sent us an email, completely opening the way to mysterious world Arab East.
Following the beaten path of our “Turovites”, we purchased tickets for the Burj Khalifa Tower and the Aquaventure Oceanarium and Water Park at the Atlantis Palm Hotel via the Internet on official websites. This is really more profitable than buying tickets directly on the spot.... But the website of the Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi water park issued tickets without a fixed date, valid for only 7 days from the date of purchase. Therefore, we bought them while we were in Fujairah, and luckily got into the promotion of 4 tickets for the price of 3.
Then the question arose with transfer to our sky-high “Le Meridien”. We weighed it. We studied it. Taking into account the night landing, a taxi will cost 100-120 dollars one way. We thought. It’s decided, let’s rent a car! Through the website we order the same UIA from the Mitsubishi Lancer rental office "Dollar". Price 136 euros for 9 full days. Receipt upon arrival at Terminal 1 of Dubai Airport. Taking into account the fact that we arrived 3 days earlier than our friends, and thus had the opportunity to meet them with honor at the airport, the benefits of renting were considerable. In order to feel completely confident on the country’s ultra-modern road junctions, we rented a navigator from the Dollar. It’s not a cheap pleasure ($10 per day), but I really didn’t want to fray my nerves on vacation.
The long-awaited day of departure has finally arrived. All the worries, preparations, conversations are behind us. Let's sit down on the path and hit the road!
Domodedovo Airport - Kiev Boryspil Airport - and now our small-sized Boeing is moored to the pipe of the First Terminal of Dubai International Airport. The city is in the middle of the night, more precisely around half past three in the morning. Local time coincides with the Moscow one, so there is no particular discomfort felt, and besides, I managed to sleep a little on the plane. Together with the people we overcome all the airport labyrinths of halls and corridors, go through passport and customs control, we get our luggage and, having filled up with fuel at the duty-free, we taxi the "Dollar" rental car to the counter. A smiling Arab gentleman, having received our voucher for a five-door Mitsubishi Lancer, began to check out. International and Russian driving licenses are ok. Credit card with volume number and owner's surname are normal. The deposit amount for the car and the navigator were successfully blocked. All necessary documents have been signed and the keys have been received. Accompanied by the manager, we go out to the parking lot. The silver unit is already waiting! The final touch is to inspect the appearance for mechanical damage, enter it into the protocol and record the fill level of the tank. It took no more than half an hour to do everything, and now the odometer is counting down the first kilometers of Emirati roads, which, by the way, accumulated as many as 900 during the entire trip.
DUBAI - FUJAIRAH.
To the hotel "Le Meridien" 5*, located in the north of the emirate of Fujairah on the shore Indian Ocean, the path is not short, about 140 km. Check-in is at 14-00. Accordingly, there is nowhere to rush. We enjoy admiring the pre-dawn landscapes of the rocky desert spreading around, framed on the horizon by the sharp-angled mountains of Jabal al-Hajjar, from behind which the hot Arabian sun is about to rise. Sunrise found us at the pass. Indescribable beauty! Having descended from the mountains, we enter the capital of the emirate of the same name - the port city of Fujairah. Modern high-rise buildings made of glass and concrete, a huge snow-white mosque, an ancient, battered fort and a wide embankment - a place for public festivities, the city has something to boast about to its guests. We will return here again, but for now the road leads us further along the coast of the Indian Ocean to the Le Meridien hotel, located forty kilometers north. It's not so picturesque outside the window. Cozy coves framed by palm groves are constantly replaced by rows of huge oil tanks, emphasizing the country’s belonging to the world leaders in the production of “black gold”.
Emerging around another mountain bend, we finally saw the snow-white tower of our hotel with blue trim. In a valley surrounded on one side by mountains and on the other by the ocean, it rose like a lonely iceberg in the depths of the sea. The neighboring hotels "Rotana" and "Miramar", completely lost in the lush greenery of palm trees, appeared directly on the approach to "Le Meridien".
Despite our early arrival, the reception staff treated us with understanding and kindly provided us with the standard we were entitled to on the eighth floor.
I’ll tell you more about our stay at the hotel and about Fujairah in general later in a separate review, but for now I’ll just note that, in principle, we really liked everything.
After the lapse of three days, exactly on the 42nd anniversary of the UAE Independence Day, we made a night car rally to the Dubai airport to pick up our friends: Eduard and Elena, who arrived on the same night UIA flight as us. We left early and with a good amount of time to spare. The roads of the emirates are well lit at night and practically deserted, so we expected an easy pleasure walk through half the country. However, as it turns out, adventure awaits us around every turn. When there were 60 kilometers left before Dubai, the car, at full speed and completely unexpectedly for us, burst into a veil of impenetrable fog, thick as condensed milk. The first impression was that we stupidly flew into a white wall, but for some reason we didn’t crash against it, but found ourselves in weightlessness and soaring in the clouds like birds, then I thought maybe it was a sandstorm, but when we opened the windows we were convinced: there was no wind, and it wasn’t the sand turned everything around into milky shores, and simple fog, only of extraordinary density!
We turn on the hazard lights, fog lights, high beams, reduce the speed to 20-30 km/h and still see how my wife is worried, intensely peering at the white wall right in front of the car. Visibility is at most 4 meters. The inner voice of self-preservation demands to stop and wait out the unexpected elements, but we no longer have time for this. The roadsides are not visible, only the light of the nearest street lamp of the road lighting mast slightly breaks through the fog and that’s all...
As we approach Dubai, the situation, fortunately, changes for the better. First we begin to see two lanterns, then three, five, and now only a light haze whitens the night sky.
Our guys have already arrived and, not finding us at the appointed place, are sending worried SMS. Meanwhile, we are already nearby, sending back a laconic “Wait!” and literally twisting into the turns of another ultra-modern multi-lane interchange on the approaches to the airport. Finally it happened. This is the long-awaited meeting! Having hugged and kissed, we lead our friends to the car, vying with each other to talk about our road adventures. What will happen on the way back? It’s not for nothing that they say - it’s good with two, but with four it’s even better, even more fun, even the fog that has once again surrounded the car is no longer a hindrance to us! True, to our joy, it was already pretty exhausted and did not thicken less than “three lights”, allowing us to keep a significant 60 km/h on the speedometer.
The days of rest flew by unnoticed in the magnificent "Le Meridien" 5*; in our common opinion with our friends, the hotel did not disappoint expectations and gave wonderful days of rest, full of sun and sea. Now our path lay back to Dubai, to the cruise terminal of the port of Rashid, where the cruise ship of the Italian company "Costa Cruises" - "Costa neoRiviera" 4* - was already waiting for us at the berths. And we didn’t have to wait long, arriving at the place by three o’clock in the afternoon. The departure of the liner is scheduled for 13:00 tomorrow and there seems to be no need to rush, but we have Internet tickets for the Burj Khalifa at 16:00. We quickly check in our luggage without entering the ship. We are rushing towards the Dubai Mall and the tallest tower in the world!
DUBAI. BURJ KHALIFA. DUBAI FOUNTAIN. DUBAI MALL.
Having overcome, with the help of a navigator, albeit only the third time, the intricacies of the 24-lane Sheikh Zayed Road interchanges, we finally park on the fifth level of the Cinema parking zone of the Dubai Mall. We arrived at the entrance to the tower (LG level) forty minutes late, although they swept through the halls of the shopping center like a hurricane. Fortunately, there were no consequences for being late. At the reception desk, our printout was easily exchanged for four coveted tickets and sent to the queue for the high-speed elevator.
About the most high tower in the world (828 m, 163 floors) a lot has already been written and yet. Construction lasted 6 years and cost the Emirates $1.5 billion. In just a year the money was recouped. The explanation here is simple: the glory of the tallest building in the world allowed already at the first stage of construction to sell space for $40,000 per square, in addition, the observation deck "At The Top", located at an altitude of 452 meters (124th floor), is very popular among tourists , bringing in considerable income.
American architect Adrian Smith used the principle of a “vertical city” - floors are arranged in blocks designed for different functions. The tower accommodates 900 apartments, a five-star Armani hotel with 304 rooms, the highest restaurant in the world "At.mosphere" (442 m, 122 floor), 35 floors devoted to offices, a huge underground parking. The skyscraper has 57 elevators, on one of which our company took off at a speed of 12 m/s. observation deck"At The Top" to admire the panoramic views of the city. We stayed there for two hours, it suddenly got dark and Dubai opened up with one of its brightest facets: fireworks of city lights flowing in knotted ribbons of roads, in numerous skyscrapers, fiery candles resting against the night sky. Beauty!
Having left the tower and once again finding ourselves in the Dubai Mall, we decided to wander around its boutiques a little and try Mexican cuisine in the huge food court.
Of course, we did not miss another powerful attraction located right next door - the Dubai Fountain. Every 30 minutes every day from 18:00 to 23:00 there is a magical performance of water, sound and light! The height of the fountain's jets sometimes reaches 150 meters, and the system of movable nozzles allows you to spray water in the most bizarre way, creating unique light and music compositions, of which there are over a thousand in the fountain's arsenal!
For the last time I took a breeze on my own sparkling lights night Dubai, we arrive at the airport. It's time to return our rental Mitsubishi "swallow" to its rightful owner. The car did not disappoint and proved to be quite economical and very quick. Now we have to exchange the “wheels” for the “propellers” of the cruise liner, suddenly changing the earth’s firmament to the water element. Departure tomorrow, exactly at 13:00, but already over dinner at the ship's restaurant "Cetara" we unanimously decide to stay on the ship the next day, devoting it to studying the infrastructure of "COSTA neoRIVIERA" 4*, where I am pleased to invite you, dear friends!
"COSTA neoRIVIERA" 4*. DEPARTURE.
All aboard 12:30.
The ship was built in 1999, renovated in 2013.
Class Standard. Home port Genoa (Italy).
Tonnage 48200 tons. 14 decks. Pitch stabilizers.
Ship captain Andrea Bardi.
With a length of 216 meters, this is one of the smallest ships in the Costa Cruises fleet. Crew 670 people, passengers 1600 people.
This is our third time on a cruise and we always take interior cabins. So, believe me, we have something to compare with, if there was something to compare. Complete identity is obvious, there are differences only in the color scheme of the cabins, and a TV, a refrigerator, a safe, a hairdryer, an air conditioner, beach towels and other useful household items are available in the cabin in full, even the layout is the same. In a word, swim and enjoy life!
"Costa neoRiviera", although a small ship by today's standards, is seriously equipped - a very beautiful "Ravello" theater, where luxurious show programs take place in the evenings, and this is exactly what Costa cruises are famous for, I would even say that it is their main hobby. Also - casino "Saint Maxime", disco, spa center "Portovenere", gallery of boutiques, library, several bars, night club, swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzis, solarium and photo gallery "Cannes", where you can casually see your photo, and, even moreover, buy the copy you like....
Meals on board full board- breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, all kinds of snacks throughout the day, a buffet for night owls, as well as coffee, tea and water in the buffet restaurant. According to the "a la carte" system, there are two main restaurants on decks 5 and 6, "Cetara" (breakfast, dinner) and "Saint-Tropez" (dinner), respectively, " Buffet" pulls on the "Vernazza Buffet" - this is almost all the food, except for dinners, and right there on the same deck 11 he is helped by "Monterosso Pizzeria" (fresh pizza) and "Manarola Grill" (grill - sausages, hamburgers, etc. .). Visiting restaurants is free; due to the ship's incomplete occupancy on our cruise, traditional timed meal changes were cancelled.
Both the quality and variety of the dishes themselves made the most pleasant impression on us! Beautifully decorated, and most importantly, deliciously cooked! Bravo!
All alcohol on board is paid for, but there is a way to reduce your costs a little by purchasing a so-called “package” at any restaurant or bar on the ship, which entitles you to a certain wholesale discount. The choice of “packages” is quite rich and allows you to take the optimal set of drinks, including alcoholic ones. If I'm not mistaken, we settled on this - 6 bottles of wine + 7 bottles of water. It turned out profitable. We ordered a bottle for every dinner to increase our appetite and improve our overall tone!
At exactly one o'clock in the afternoon, almost all the passengers of our ship, clinging to the balconies of the suites and the railings of the upper decks of the Costa neoRiviera, traditionally said goodbye to Dubai. Music was playing, the liner gave a long blast of whistles and slowly moved away from the pier, everyone waved scarves and caps to each other, and what not - just with their hands. This is such an old cruise tradition. We also waved, and not just like that, but with our native Russian tricolor, which has been with us on many trips and brought good luck everywhere!
The last skyscrapers and towers of futuristic Dubai, shrouded in a light haze, have melted over the horizon. The cruise has begun! “The meeting continues, gentlemen of the jury. The ice has broken!” the unforgettable Ostap would have said if he had been standing next to us on the deck and he would have been absolutely right, but he was not with us and therefore these words, without knowing why, I said. .....
MUSCAT (OMAN). The first day.
"HAY AS SARUJ" BEACH. NATIONAL PARK "AL QURM".
Arrival at the port 09:00. Night on board.
Basking in the rays of the morning Arabian sun, our yellow-tube "Costa" leisurely moored at the Sultan Qaboos port of the capital of the Sultanate of Oman - colorful Muscat.
Surrounded by a dense wall rocky mountains The snow-white, green city looks very picturesque. Having breakfast on the open 11th deck and looking down on all this beauty, we involuntarily fall under its charm, unnecessarily delaying the process of disembarking. And now, finally, we are already at the exit from the port, attacked from all sides by overly “shy” Omani taxi drivers, making our way to the nearest city blocks. Our goal is exchange. Dollars are also in use, but it is still more profitable to use local rials. Rate 1 OMR = 2.6 $. Having acquired Omani money, we take a taxi from the parking lot right next to the Corniche Muttrah embankment and go to the beach.
The beach "HAY AS SARUJ" in the Al Qurm area, considered one of the best in Muscat, is located about 20 minutes drive from the port.
Its huge territory is not particularly landscaped; there are no umbrellas or sunbeds. Essentially typical" wild beach"The sand is fine, very pleasant to the touch, but unfortunately, not a very attractive grayish shade. After wandering a little along the deserted shore of the Indian Ocean, we spotted a nice place near a small grove coconut trees. Hanging over the beach with their lush crowns, they invitingly beckoned our bodies heated in the sun with their life-giving shadow, promising comfortable coolness. It's finally time to take a swim!
The water in the ocean turned out to be very warm, but not very transparent, some kind of slightly greenish tint, indicating the presence of large quantity plankton. To get to a depth even chest-deep, we had to move 150 meters away from the shore, and here we found an unusually flat, child-like entrance to the water.
In December, it gets dark quite quickly in these latitudes, but our plans still include National Park“Al Qurm”, so at about three in the afternoon, having collected our simple beach belongings, we hit the road. Dear, of course, we admire the city. I like Muscat! Lots of flowers, greenery, amazing cleanliness and well-groomed surroundings. The original oriental architecture is pleasing to the eye; the building of the New Royal Opera alone is worth it! A palace, and nothing more!
When we finally got to the place, it was slowly starting to get dark.
And it’s not that Al Qurm National Park is particularly famous for anything; I even suspect that there are few tourists who have been to Muscat and visited it for at least a short visit. But in vain, there is, without exaggeration, something to see here. Firstly, a most picturesque man-made waterfall, secondly, a huge amphitheater looking at an artificial, absolutely round reservoir, ringed by a massive, I would even say pompous, embankment with a dozen belvederes in oriental style along the perimeter. If it were not for the slight swampiness of the lake, the complex would look very, very impressive. In addition, the guidebook told us about a color and musical fountain launched here in 1995 in honor of National Day, but unfortunately, it works quite rarely and we were not destined to admire it.
We also managed to discover in the park a completely life-size Arab settlement of the 17th - 18th centuries with a small impregnable fortress at the head.
In general, we barely made it to dinner at our dear Costa, unexpectedly also getting stuck in a traffic jam (where there are traffic jams!) on the way back to the port.
MUSCAT (OMAN). Second day.
HISTORICAL CITY. MATRAKH MARKET.
All aboard 12:30.
The early departure encouraged our early disembarkation into the city. In addition to exploring the center of Muscat, we also planned a visit to the ancient Matrah market, or locally called Souq Matrah al-Qadim, located near the port, which sells almost everything: from spices to jewelry.
So, just ten minutes by taxi and we are there, in front of us is the Al Alam Palace, translated as the Palace of the Standard, one of the six residences of Sultan Qaboos, the ruler of Oman. Built in 1970 in neo-Islamic style with elements Indian architecture, it has become a symbol of modern Muscat. The palace is used by the Sultan to receive honored guests and meetings with heads of state, so it is not possible to admire its interior decoration, but you can take a photo with it in front of the front gate! With its other façade, al-Alam faces Muscat Bay, surrounded on both sides by cliffs crowned by powerful forts that first appeared here in the 16th century. If you stand facing the palace and your back to the ocean, then on your right will be Fort Mirani, and to the left of it, at a distance of 800 meters, is Fort Jalali. The forts look very impressive and almost impregnable; at one time they were armed with batteries of heavy guns, the power of which was experienced by the ships of the Turkish and Portuguese invaders.
Having had enough of the beauty historical center Muscat, we are moving closer to the parking lot of our ship in the Muttrah area. The name "Matrah" is an abbreviation of Makyan Khatt Arrihal, that is, "place of caravan camping." The Corniche Muttrah embankment, curved in a majestic arc, makes a great impression; it seems to outline the harbor of the main port of Muscat, named after Sultan Qaboos (Mina Qaboos). Here, in addition to the cruise ships and elegant old buggies and dhows scurrying back and forth, His Majesty's yacht Fulk al-Salamah, a former amphibious landing ship in service with the Royal Oman Navy, built in Germany in 1987, is moored. The ship is equipped with apartments to accommodate guests, and there is a helipad and hangar at the stern! The yacht "Fulq al-Salamah" often accompanies another favorite of the Sultan - the yacht "Al Said". Founded in 2006, it occupied the second largest place in the world, now it is third, but nevertheless produces a very impressive impression. Both yachts were in port and, of course, captured as a souvenir by your humble servant.
Above the far end of the embankment, a powerful defensive structure seems to grow out of the rocks - Fort Mutrah; behind it begins the territory of Riyam Park with a White observation tower in the form of a huge, traditional Omani, round incense burner, but we won’t go there anymore. We will devote the remaining time before departure to the wonders of the eastern market. There are several passages leading to Souk Matrakh from the embankment. We enter through the main one, designed in the form of a gazebo tower with a dome. Before us is a typically Arab market with narrow covered galleries. What's missing here! Spices, antiques, silver and gold items, national clothing, souvenirs, incense, coffee, weapons, fabrics, furniture... Surprisingly, many sellers, in addition to English, are able to communicate a little in Russian. They bargain willingly, trying not to miss such overseas “rich” guests, hung with bundles and packages like us! But the rials have finally ended, and with their end it’s time for us to say goodbye to the hospitable Sultanate of Oman! All aboard, "Costa neoRiviera" will not wait for latecomers!
ABU DHABI (UAE). The first day.
SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE. PALACE OF THE EMIRATES.
Arrival at the port 14:00. Night on board.
Being in Abu Dhabi and not visiting the amazing beauty and scale of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is an unaffordable luxury for every self-respecting traveler!
Therefore, as soon as our “Costa neoRiviera” gave up in the Abu Dhaba port of Zayed and threw its battered gangway onto the pier, we, without wasting time, set off to this, I’m not afraid to say, Wonder of the World! We're going by taxi again, otherwise there's no way out of the port at all. Payment by meter cost us 52 dirhams, which is about $14. For four it turns out to be inexpensive.
The mosque, opened in 2007, is named after the 17th Emir of Abu Dhabi, the founder and first President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. His ashes rest right there, near the walls of the temple. The building itself has some kind of enchanting, bewitching beauty. Snow-white 107-meter minarets, domes, elegantly shaped columns, numbering more than a thousand, artificial reservoirs lined with dark tiles, marble floors shining in the sun, decorated with colored mosaics, are simply overwhelming with their unreal elegance. Having had enough of admiring appearance temple, we go to explore its depths.
To visit the interior of the mosque, the beauty of our beloved women had to be slightly hidden (if this is at all possible, it seems they have only become even more beautiful) with black abayas with hoods, rented, so that they would not inadvertently overshadow the delights of oriental architecture.
According to the Muslim tradition, the interiors of mosques are decorated quite ascetically, but here the Arab architects managed to outdo themselves by decorating the floor in prayer hall a magnificent Iranian carpet with a record area of 5627 m2 and a weight of 35 tons, and a huge chandelier made of colored Swarovski crystals, ten meters in diameter! From the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque we take a taxi to the western end of Corniche Rd., to the building of the Emirates Palace Hotel Palace Hotel 5*), opened in 2005 by Kempinski and owned by the Abu Dhabi government. This one of the most luxurious hotels in the Middle East cost the sheikhs 3 billion dollars! And no wonder, it was built not just to surprise, but to downright stun its guests. The fifth floor is reserved for presidential suites, and the eighth floor is allocated personally for the heads of the Gulf states.
With the leisurely pace of seasoned tourists, we enter this nest of luxury and glamor. The first one who greets us inside is the ubiquitous huge portrait of Sheikh Zayed, then, in the huge foyer sparkling with gold and Swarovski crystals, we see a huge Christmas tree, decorated with the latest Christmas fashion! In short, the entire first floor turned out to be a unique museum in luxurious interiors. There is a whole gallery of paintings, all kinds of exotic sculptures in glass cabinets, and exquisite flower arrangements. To complete the picture, the girl, playing the cello, creates the musical background of this entire orgy of wealth.
Since we were still at the hotel, we decided to visit the local toilet on the “path”. And it’s not in vain, I must say, that the establishment turned out to be very elegant, everything was in marble and gilding.
Before heading to the ship, we walked a little around the city at night, admired its bright lights, felt the beating of its heart, pulsating in the streams of cars and people on its streets.....
ABU DHABI (UAE). Second day.
WATER PARK "YAS WATERWORLD".
All aboard 17:30.
We only regretted one thing, it took too long to get ready on the ship, we should have arrived right at the opening, at 10:00, it would have been an hour or two more time to get away!
The Yas Waterworld water park is located on the artificial Yas Island, the eastern outskirts of Abu Dhabi, next to the unique Formula 1 track "YasMarinaCircuit", the Warner Brothers Amusement Park, Ferrari Park and the futuristic concert venue Du-Arena.
This water park, which opened in 2012, is considered the largest in the Middle East, with 43 breathtaking water attractions, which are very compactly assembled into one single unit with the Jebel Dana tower in the center. At the top of the tower is an eight-meter-diameter white pearl, the calling card of not only the water park, but the entire Yas Island. "The Lost Pearl" is an Arabic legend that has become the leitmotif of the park's attractions. Just like a young Arab girl is trying to find the legendary pearl, so we, traveling from hill to hill, go through more and more new tests with her, finding the joy of victory over ourselves and our fears!
How will you like the 550-meter suspended slide "Bandit Bomber", a rollercoaster-style attraction laid across the entire territory of the water park with a set of dashing turns and sharp steep drops?
In a word, we had a blast, fortunately there were surprisingly few people that day. It so happened that we probably haven’t been to water parks for a hundred years and have already forgotten how beautiful and useful this active form of recreation, full of adrenaline and joyful emotions, is!
DUBAI, UAE). The first day.
OCEANARIUM "THE LOST CHAMBERS". WATERPARK "AQUAVENTURE WATERPARK".
Arrival at the port 08:00. Night on board.
At the very top of the unique artificial island of Palm Jumeirah rises the inimitable Atlantis. Five-star hotel-fairy tale, hotel-dream! There are many wonders in his vast domain, but today we are only interested in two of them. Oceanarium and Waterpark!
First of all, we go to the aquarium, the name of which can be translated into Russian as " lost World". It’s easy to guess that this is the sunken Atlantis with its fantastic, truly unearthly civilization. And we are here, at the bottom of the ocean! Before us are not aquariums, but like porthole windows into a mysterious world full of unusual inhabitants depths of the sea. Mysterious twilight halls, strange-looking aliens sculptural compositions, subdued music full of cosmic motifs - all this leaves a very vivid, memorable impression! It's total immersion! It’s very atmospheric, especially when, as happened with us, there were only one or two visitors.
Now comes the most famous water park in Dubai, located right next door. "Aquaventure waterpark" - water adventures begin! Caught up in the cycle of modern water attractions, only in the late afternoon we carved out half an hour for swimming in the Persian Gulf and a photo shoot against the backdrop of the world-famous hotel "Burj Al Arab" 5* or simply Parus.
Tired but happy, with our voices slightly hoarse from shouting, we decide to complete the experience by taking a ride on the Dubai metro. We take a taxi to the nearest red line station "Nakheel". Then we don’t go underground as usual, but rather take the elevator up a couple of floors and find ourselves on the platform. The metro in Dubai is automatic, in other words, without a driver! The runs between stations are short. By the time we got to our place, we had passed 13 stops, and we were already tired of driving because we weren’t used to it. Moreover, it was crowded with people, like in Moscow during rush hours. Overall we got the idea....
DUBAI, UAE). Second day.
LANDING.
Flight home from International airport We arrive in Dubai at 15:30, so taking advantage of the hospitality of the ship, we enjoy ourselves by the pool to the fullest. The suitcases have been packed since the evening and are languishing in the cabin. And we had a good breakfast and lunch, walked around the most favorite corners of the ship, traditionally threw coins into the waters of the Persian Gulf, took photos for memory against the backdrop of Dubai and did not notice how the time had come to leave our beautiful “Costa neoRiviera”.
Everything started spinning, spinning with terrible force - disembarkation, taxi, airport, duty free, transfer in Kyiv, takeoff, landing.....Moscow! Here we are at home! The holiday was a success! A curtain!
P.S.
I was thinking about cruises. Why are they so popular? Why are we drawn to the sea again and again? Yes, there is not much time to explore the cities, but the impressions of what you see are brighter, fresher or something. And most importantly, in essence, a cruise is also a journey, only in very, very comfortable conditions and by sea. The ship goes from port to port, maybe it stays on the open sea for several days, or, on the contrary, it can stay in some port longer and that’s great! This is adventure! The constant movement attracts, and the romance of the sea adds additional flavor to your vacation! A cruise is a whole event, it does not break into individual countries and cities included in its route, but is perceived as a single, fantastically pleasant link in a series of everyday life, fitting into the memory in one of the most honorable places....
Derive a universal formula have a nice rest It’s almost impossible, all people have different tastes and needs, but we developed it for ourselves personally. It appears in the title of the review. And it has everything: the beach-culinary feast of the Le Meridien hotel, and the nighttime ribbons of UAE roads shrouded in thick fog, and the ultra-modern urban landscapes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which appeared in the desert like a mirage, and the romance of a sea cruise, shrouded a mysterious veil ancient East, and splashes of joy and fountains of adrenaline in “crazy” water parks, and fantastically beautiful mosques and palaces, surpassing their fabulous counterparts from “1001 Nights” in luxury, and the sun, and the sea, and friendship, and love.........
The Middle East, the Persian Gulf, cruises from Dubai - this is exactly what the most romantic and discerning traveler dreams of. Ancient culture, Arabian treasures, an amazing atmosphere of luxury and chic excite the imagination.
Gulf cruises 2016-2017 will open up new dimensions of luxury and splendor sea travel. The subtle and mysterious East, beckoning with its wealth, special culture, incredible color, framed by the depths of the sea looks even more captivating.
A Middle East cruise is an ideal option for sophisticated travelers who crave the most sensual pleasures in an atmosphere of absolute comfort. There is nothing more amazing than the opportunity to escape from a dusty metropolis, buried in snow or slush, into a world of golden sands, majestic palaces, and bizarre customs.
Using the example of the United Arab Emirates, you can see how ancient culture and special oriental exoticism are intertwined with ultra-modern luxury, comfort and an ultra-modern lifestyle.
Pearls of the East
The starting point of the majority sea promenades is Dubai. Cruises on the Persian Gulf will allow you to enjoy the splendor of the ancient and mysterious Arab world. The ultra-modern cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sir Bani Yas and the spectacular Muskan, Al Fujairah in Oman will surprise and prove that the East can be many-sided and unpredictable.
Sunny Cochin, Mangalore, Mumbai, Al-Khasab will captivate you with their crazy colors, amazing architecture, and vibrant traditions. Beautiful dunes intertwine with ancient oases, bustling bazaars and delightful mosques. Sea cruises from Dubai will help you look at the most luxurious cities in the region from a new perspective.
Main attractions
A cruise from Dubai along the Persian Gulf will allow you to discover the region of the most captivating fairy tales and touch the magical and mysterious soul of the East. The Arab world is unique because it is not the sights and architectural complexes that make a city famous. Here, any city or village in itself is a “bait” for tourists and a treasure of the Arab people.
Dubai is known as the city of treasures. Antiquity and modernity are intertwined together. The city shines with futuristic skyscrapers, amazes with artificial island formations, luxurious hotels and unique entertainment complexes. A tourist is not destined to get bored here.
Cruises from Dubai will allow you to get acquainted with fashionable Abu Dhabi, where incredible amount green gardens, beautiful fountains, modern architectural complexes, vibrant old markets and attractive shopping centres. In El Khasab you can enjoy the beauty of the local fjords, admire green oases and original architecture. The maximum number of luxurious palaces, mosques and antiquities of the Ottoman heritage is concentrated in Muscat.
Benefits of cruises in the UAE
Sea cruises from our company are a unique opportunity to appreciate the culture of the Arab world and enjoy the most exclusive pleasures offered at the best resort locations in the world. We have done everything possible to ensure that your holiday is truly oriental fairy tale became unforgettable, and every day spent on the cruise ship was filled with enchanting impressions and new emotions.
- Cruises with up to 75% discount
- Free consultations
- All shipping companies
- Guarantee best price
Customer Reviews
UAE Cruises
In the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula lies a beautiful and cozy state - the United Arab Emirates.
For a long time, the UAE has attracted travelers with its marvelous nature, fabulous beauty, developed infrastructure, promising exciting and vibrant adventures and a lot of positive emotions. The Emirates captivate with their oriental exoticism and at the same time offer travelers unusual holiday — .
Do you dream of visiting the country of Arab sheikhs, the tallest skyscrapers in the world, visiting best hotels planet, make purchases in the best jewelry workshops and stores, indulge in shopping in huge shopping centers? You should book a sea cruise to the Emirates now to enjoy interesting journey on a cruise ship to the shores of the United Arab Emirates
Portal site is pleased to invite Russian tourists visit the land of endless sandy beaches, gardens blooming in the middle of deserts. The most exciting cruises around the Emirates will turn into an adventure for you, the memory of which will remain for many years.
Sea cruises are the best way to get to know the UAE
A rich and eventful program awaits everyone who decides to go on sea cruises with Dreamlines. Traveling on a modern liner, you can get to know the United Arab Emirates better. Sea cruises will allow you to get to know the culture and history of each emirate better, and learn better about the amazing customs and traditions of these places.
What awaits you on a cruise around the cities of the UAE? The fabulously beautiful Fujairah, which amazes the imagination with its infinitely beautiful, pure sea beaches, traditional Arabic architecture and the hospitality of the local people. - an emirate that tourists themselves call New York's Manhattan, and which is surrounded by the greenery of beautiful gardens. Ajman is a place where travelers can enjoy peace and quiet, as well as appreciate the sights of the ancient center and local museums. – a place that offers a lot of entertainment for children and adults: from horse riding alpine skiing before visiting theme parks, of which, by the way, there are several here. Umm Al Quawwin is an emirate where amazingly delicious seafood dishes are prepared, where local residents managed to preserve the centuries-old traditions of their ancestors.
Dreamlines invites you to the Emirates!
The Dreamlines portal offers you exciting cruise routes on modern ships. A variety of entertainment, delicious cuisine, the best conditions for water sports - all this will allow you to forget about boredom and make your trip on a cruise ship eventful and interesting. You have the opportunity, with the help of the site’s specialists, to book seats on comfortable new generation liners. Dreamlines will make your dreams of a beautiful trip around the United States come true. Arab Emirates into reality!
- Cruises with up to 75% discount
- Free consultations
- All shipping companies
- Best Price Guarantee
Customer Reviews
Gulf Cruises
Persian Gulf located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, and cuts deep into the land. There are 8 countries on its shores and each is special in its own way. The best way to see them is to go to Gulf cruise. You will get to know the rich region, spend sunny days on best beaches, you will experience this unique fusion of centuries-old traditions and modern luxury. And you will get all this in one comfortable travel on a ship without tiring transfers from one hotel to another!
What to see in the Persian Gulf?
It can easily be called the most visited country in the region. The emirate amazes with its palaces, gardens and an entire island of entertainment. On artificial island Yas is home to the Ferrari theme park and the Formula 1 race track. – this is the concentration of entertainment, shopping, beaches and all other tourist benefits. Business card the emirate has become unimaginable high skyscrapers, for example, the Burj Khalifa, which is 828 meters high. Sharjah is the complete opposite of Dubai. This emirate is called cultural capital countries. There are no bars, you cannot wear revealing clothes, but there are many theaters, museums and markets.
Bahrain- This Island state, famous for its natural beauty. It offers nature reserves, untouched deserts, protected archipelagos and clear seas. It is in this country that there is an amazing “tree of life” - an acacia tree that has stood in the desert without water for several hundred years.
Another stop on Gulf cruises is Qatar. Tourism in this country is developing rapidly, but is not yet as popular as in the UAE. Prices and, accordingly, shopping there are much more attractive.
Oman is a unique eastern state that has preserved its Arab identity, but at the same time has a high standard of living. Oman is very interesting excursion programs, telling about rich history countries and demonstrating picturesque nature.
In addition to the listed countries, in the Persian Gulf there are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq.
Gulf Cruises
Most of this route starts in the UAE and calls at ports such as Manama, Doha, Muscat, and Al Khasab. For the convenience of tourists, various duration options are offered from 3 to 33 nights.
Cruise companies
You will find the largest number of offers from MSC, Costa and Azamara. Their modern cruise ships equipped not only with everything you need, but also with casinos, theaters, swimming pools, entertainment complexes, spas and much more.
