Seabourn is joining the Dubai to Singapore cruise line-up for 2023, with a 16-night voyage visiting 8 ports, including Sir Bani Yas Island here in the UAE, two ports in India and iconic Phuket in Thailand.
The cruise departs December 7th, 2023 and is part of a longer 30-night cruise that also includes a roundtrip from Singapore visiting Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur and other destinations in Southeast Asia.
That two-week itinerary coincides with Seabourn Encore’s shoulder season homeporting in Singapore until March, 2024, when she’ll sail back for Europe via Dubai.
Seabourn Encore
The 16-night Dubai to Singapore cruise starts at US$7,530 per person sharing a Verandah Suite, and is part of the cruise line’s Suite Life Event, with savings of up to 15% on ocean voyages and up to 25% on expedition voyages, with a 15% deposit for select 2023 and 2024 sailings.
The United Arab Emirates is strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, which is why these Dubai to Singapore cruises are so popular each year, and both cities have capitalised on the traditional trading routes from Asia and the Far East to Europe, which are even more significant today than they were hundreds of years ago.
Dubai Marina.
Dubai and the wider UAE is unique in its embrace of the Western world and offers visitors opulence and splendor with five-star hotels, beach resorts, massive malls, such as Dubai Mall, the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa) and even an indoor ski slope in the desert, as well as an experience of the ancient nomadic Bedouin lifestyle through desert safaris.
The first port of call after Dubai is Sir Bani Yas Island, a natural island off the coast of Abu Dhabi that was turned into a nature reserve in 1971 by the founding President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The island has been occupied for centuries though and there are over 40 archaeological sites. One of the oldest is a Nestorian Christian monastery dating from 600 AD. Over half the island is dedicated to the Arabian Wildlife Park with 13,000 rare, free-roaming wild animals.
Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE
After a day at the beach or among nature on Sir Bani Yas Island, passengers aboard Seabourn Encore will spend a day at sea cruising for Mumbai, one of the largest cities in India, renowned for its contrast between the old and new. It’s a kaleidoscopic mixture of intriguing people and incredible places, where within a block or two you can find modern skyscrapers, ornate Victorian buildings, and bustling bazaars, or ancient cave sculptures on Elephanta island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Seabourn Encore spends another day at sea cruising down the coast of India for Kochi (known as Cochin during its colonial period), a vibrant city situated on the southwest coast of the Indian peninsula, in the scenic state of Kerala.
Cochin, India
Kochi has one of the finest natural harbors in the world and for centuries was the centre of the spice trade, and as a result mariners from the Middle East, China and Europe have all left their mark during the centuries. Kochi’s diverse past is reflected in its steep-roofed bungalows, colonial buildings, spice and antique shops, its cathedral, palaces and synagogue.
This is the last port call in South Asia before Seabourn Encore heads out into the Andaman Sea cruising for Sabang, a cozy town on the Indonesian island of Pulau Weh with a sleepy yet charming old colonial atmosphere. The town is dominated by huge trees that the Dutch once imported from Suriname and features charming local restaurants and coffee shops (serving traditional Acehnese coffee), as well as excellent beaches for snorkelling.
Phuket, Thailand
Phuket, nestled in the balmy Andaman Sea waters, lies 536 miles south of Bangkok and is an overnight sail from Sabang. The island has a rich and colourful history as a rubber trade hub, but in recent history has become renowned for its stunning white-sand beaches, sapphire blue seas, exotic marine life and lushly forested hillsides.
After Phuket, Seabourn Encore calls in Langkawi, the principle port among the 90 islands making up the Langkawi group 20 miles off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. With a population of just 30,000 this is a quiet, unspoiled port call for getting up close with nature.
After one more day at sea, Seabourn Encore arrives in Singapore on December 23rd, 2023. This city, founded as a British trading colony in 1819, is an independent island-state, and one of the world’s most prosperous and modern countries.
With ultra-modern skyscrapers, a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences, and plethora of experiences from historical and cultural sites to adventures within the island’s rainforests, or shopping at its world class malls, Singapore is a dynamic city rich in contrast and colour.
Categories: Middle East Cruise News, News
