Sea Cruises from Middle East
Unknown to many, Middle East offers an array of choices for sea cruise.
These cruises operate from November to April. Some operate in the Gulf of Oman / Arabian Gulf and cater to cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha etc. Other cruises go all the way to the Red Sea, cross the Suez Canal and onward to the Mediterranean Sea. These cruises cater to southern Europe including Rome, Naples, Athens etc.
Cruises are great for folks travelling with friends and families. There are many activities and entertainment options on board. Food is aplenty although the quality varies. And there is a bit of site-seeing thrown in.
Let us look at the various cruises which operate in Middle East. You may click on each cruise name to see pictures, deck plans and other information.
Seabourn Ovation
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Athens
Duration – 20 nights
Months – April 2019,
Price – $$$
Other cities – Sir Bani Yas Island (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Muscat (Oman), Salalah (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Suez Canal, Ashdod (Israel), Haifa (Israel), Santorini (Greece), Athens (Greece)
Regent Seven Seas Navigator
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Rome
Duration – 20 nights
Months – April 2019,
Price – $$$
Other cities – Fujairah (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Salalah (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga (Egypt), Jerusalem (Israel), Haifa (Israel), Heraklion (Greece), Sorrento (Italy), Rome (Italy)
Crystal Espirit
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 10 nights
Months – November, December,
Price – $$$
Other cities – Khasab (Oman), Muscat (Oman), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Doha (Qatar),
Costa Diadema
This ship follows two separate itineraries
Port of Entry – Dubai (some dates begin in Abu Dhabi)
Port of Exit – Abu Dhabi (some dates ends at Dubai)
Duration – 7 nights
Months – November, December, January
Price – $
Other cities – Muscat (Oman), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Doha (Qatar)
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 14 nights
Months – December,
Price – $
Other cities – Muscat (Oman), Khasab (Oman), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Doha (Qatar)
Azamara Quest
This ship follows two separate itineraries
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 11 nights
Months – November 2019,
Price – $$
Other cities – Khor Fakkan (UAE), Muscat (Oman), Manama (Bahrain), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Athens
Duration – 17 nights
Months – March
Price – $$
Other cities – Salalah (Oman), Safaga (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan), Alexandria (Egypt), Athens (Greece)
MSC Bellissima
This ship follows two separate itineraries
Port of Entry – Abu Dhabi
Port of Exit – Abu Dhabi
Duration – 7 nights
Months – November
Price – $
Other cities – Muscat (Oman), Khasab (Oman), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Dubai (UAE)
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 7 nights
Months – December, January
Price – $
Other cities – Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Bahrain, Doha (Qatar)
MSC Lirica
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 14 nights
Months – November
Price – $
Other cities – Muscat (Oman), Khasab (Oman), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Bahrain, Doha (Qatar)
Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Dubai
Duration – 7 nights
Months – December
Price – $
Other cities – Abu Dhabi (UAE), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Muscat (Oman)
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Rome
Duration – 16 nights
Months – March
Price – $
Other cities – Khasab (Oman), Muscat (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Rhodes (Greece), Athens (Greece), Naples (Italy), Rome (Italy)
Norwegian Jade
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Rome
Duration – 22 nights
Months – March
Price – $
Other cities – Abu Dhabi (UAE), Khasab (Oman), Salalah (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Safaga (Egypt), Haifa (Israel), Lilmassol (Cyprus), Rhodes (Greece), Kusadasi (Turkey), Piraeus (Greece), Naples (Italy), Rome (Italy)
Celebrity Cruises Constellation
Port of Entry – Dubai
Port of Exit – Rome
Duration – 15 nights
Months – March
Price – $
Other cities – Muscat (Oman), Aqaba (Jordan), Rhodes (Greece), Athens (Greece), Katakokan (Greece), Rome (Italy)
Places to Visit
Here are some of the things you can do for your day-trips at various off-beat stops
Safaga – Many cruises stop here for 2 nights. This is so that you can see the Great Pyramids, Sphinx, Valley temple etc. If you cruise is stopping only for one night, consider taking a day-flight to see these sites.
Sir Bani Yas Island – This is part of emirate of Abu Dhabi. There are three resorts operated by Anantara in this lovely island. There are excellent beaches and wildlife to make this a very exotic holiday.
Salalah – While Salalah is best visited during the Khareef (monsoon) season, other months of the year will bring cooler temperatures. You can still enjoy a lovely drive between cliffs and sea as well as a traditional souq.
Aqaba – This is the closest port to visit Petra, which is about a 2 hour drive. You should definitely consider a day-trip
Khasab – A quaint town in Oman having a fort and a lovely coastline.
Bottomline
If you want to pack a lot of sites in a short-trip, cruises are not ideal. Most of the sites mentioned above can be easily accessed by a combination of air and road travel.
However, these excursions definitely cater to a segment. Perhaps, the leisure traveler would would like to come back to the same room everyday – even though it might be small.
