Brand new Seabourn Ovation to cruise from Dubai during 2018 Arabian Gulf cruise season

Seabourn Ovation, the newest cruise ship in the luxury cruise line Seabourn’s fleet will cruise from Dubai twice in 2018 following her inaugural summer cruise season in Europe and her re-positioning from Asia.

The ‘Encore-class’ cruise ship, with a passenger capacity of 604 and a gross tonnage of 40,350, is a sister ship to Seabourn Encore, the current flagship of the fleet and the lead ship in the Encore class.

This will be the second year running that Seabourn Cruise Line have deployed a brand new cruise ship to Dubai, underscoring the growing prominence of the Middle East as a winter cruise destination.

Seabourn Ovation will cruise from Dubai on December 4th, bound for Singapore, although this 18-night cruise can also be booked as a 32-night grand voyage that combines her Dubai to Singapore cruise with her Singapore to Hong Kong cruise as well.

For Middle East cruise passengers that want to cruise aboard Seabourn Ovation from Europe to Dubai, she will depart Athens on a 20-night ‘Empires of the Sun’ voyage on November 14th.

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The cruise itinerary for the Athens to Dubai cruise on November 14th, 2018 is as follows (courtesy Cruise Timetables): Piraeus (Athens), Greece (14 Nov d1700); Nafplion, Greece (15 Nov 0700-1700); Agios Nikolaos, Crete (16 Nov 0900-1900); Haifa, Israel (18 Nov 0800-2300); Ashdod, Israel (19 Nov 0700-1500); Suez Canal (20 Nov); Eilat, Israel (22 Nov 0700-1800); Salalah, Oman (28 Nov 0700-1400); Muscat, Oman (30 Nov 1000-2000); Doha, Qatar (02 Dec 0800-1800); Sir Bani Yas, United Arab Emirates (03 Dec 0800-1700); Dubai, United Arab Emirates (04 Dec a0700).

The cruise itinerary for her Dubai to Singapore cruise on December 4th, 2018 is as follows: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (04 Dec d1700); Sir Bani Yas, United Arab Emirates (05 Dec 0800-1700); Muscat, Oman (07 Dec 0800-1800); Mumbai, India (10 Dec 0800(+1)1800); Mangalore, India (13 Dec 0700-1600); Cochin, India (14 Dec 0800-1800); Pulau We, Indonesia (18 Dec 0700-1500); Phuket, Thailand (19 Dec 0800-1700); Penang, Malaysia (20 Dec 0900-1800); Singapore (22 Dec a0700).

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The 32-night cruise from Dubai that includes the Singapore to Hong Kong leg includes these ports of call: Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand (25 Dec 0800-1800); Ko Kood, Thailand (26 Dec 0800-1700); Sihanoukville, Cambodia (27 Dec 0700-2000); Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (29 Dec 0900(+1)1600); Da Nang, Vietnam (01 Jan 0800-1800); Halong Bay, Vietnam (03 Jan 0700-2000); Hong Kong, China (05 Jan a0700).

Seabourn Ovation will sail five of these 14-day voyages between Singapore and Hong Kong. These itineraries will feature the line’s popular Caviar in the Surf beach parties at Ko Kood in Thailand, an overnight stay at Ho Chi Minh City and an extended day at Halong Bay in Vietnam, allowing for optional excursions to Hanoi.

The season will also include a 14-day voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore visiting China, the Philippines, and Kota Kinabalu (Borneo) in Malaysia, providing options for appealing 28-day combo or butterfly cruises with the Vietnam/Thailand voyages.

The ship will then depart Singapore on a 22-day voyage to Dubai via Myanmar, India and Oman, followed by a 20-day voyage from Dubai back to Europe, arriving in Athens to begin the 2019 Europe cruise season.

Shaun Ebelthite

Founder and editor of Cruise Arabia & Africa. I try to create the best news and information specifically for cruise passengers taking cruises to and from Dubai (where I live) and South Africa (where I was born). You can contact me at shaun(at)cruisearabiaonline.com.

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