AIDA Cruises has called the opening of the new Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal a proud moment for the Dubai cruise season amid the 2020 Dubai Expo.

AIDA Cruises was the first cruise line to carry passengers to the new cruise terminal on a man-made island between the Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters Island in the heart of Dubai’s tourist area.

AIDAbella arrives at the New Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal

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“We are excited and proud to bring AIDAbella, the ninth ship back into service, offering our guests voyages in the Orient in winter 2021/2022 and specifically to Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal located in this wonderful seafront district,” said Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises.

“A special highlight of this year’s cruise season is the World EXPO 2020,” he added.

The Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is nestled within the Dubai Harbour development adjacent the Palm Jumeirah and in close proximity to Dubai’s landmark tourist attractions.

It was developed by Carnival Corporation and Shamal Holdings and will be the cruise company’s regional hub, serving all its ships cruising to and from Dubai annually.

Carnival Corporation is the largest cruise company in the world, it owns nine global cruise lines, including AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises, which are both homeporting in Dubai for the current 2021/22 cruise season.

The new cruise terminal is located in the heart of new Dubai

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The Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal is the largest, standalone dedicated twin cruise terminal centre in the Eastern hemisphere, capable of serving two ships simultaneously on its more than 900-metre quayside.

Dubai’s 2021-2022 season, which commenced in October and runs until March next year, is expected to welcome 126 cruise ship calls and more than 500,000 cruise visitors, of which 150,000 will embark and disembark at Dubai Harbour.

The terminals offer a wide array of amenities and services for passengers and crew – from ample seating areas to washrooms, currency exchange outlets, ATMs, cafes, retail outlets, Duty-Free, dedicated parking, taxi stands and much more.

All facilities are wheelchair accessible and complimentary WIFI is enabled for passengers and crew to stay connected.

Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal can process 3,250 passengers per hour with streamlined immigration and customs screening processes, and dedicated access routes for passengers and crew, facilitated by Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges.

“We have successfully navigated our way out of the unprecedented global challenge and have set our sights on leveraging the momentum that is accelerating across sectors including tourism to position Dubai as the world’s most preferred and visited destination,” said Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing.