Norwegian Cruise Line ‘thrilled’ to be sailing first-ever cruise season from Dubai

Norwegian Dawn has arrived in the UAE to commence her first-ever cruise season in the Arabian Gulf, sailing alternating week-long itineraries between Dubai and Doha, with each city swapping places as the homeport.

Norwegian Dawn sails her first cruise of the season from Dubai on December 13th, calling in the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi, its offshore cruise destination island Sir Bani Yas, as well as Manama in Bahrain before arriving in Doha, Qatar.

The ship will then do a turnaround in Doha, where new passengers will board for the identical itinerary in reverse back to Dubai. There will be three of these alternating itineraries, before Norwegian Dawn departs Doha on January 3rd, 2024 bound for Mauritious and eventually Cape Town, South Africa.

In a statement, Norwegian Cruise Line expressed its optimism ahead of the start of its debut cruise season in the region.

“We are thrilled to be introducing Norwegian Dawn to Gulf waters,” said Gary Anslow, Head of UK & IrelandBusiness at Norwegian Cruise Line. 

“At NCL, we pride ourselves in delivering the best holiday experience and providing endless opportunities for our guests to explore the world,” he added.

The last of Norwegian Dawn’s Dubai/Doha cruises will also include a port call in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, while the repositioning voyages to Africa will feature port calls in the Seychelles, Kenya, Madagascar, and Tanzania.

Norwegian Dawn will spend the South African summer sailing roundtrip itineraries out of Cape Town, before repositioning to the Mediterranean for the Northern Hemisphere summer.

Norwegian Dawn is scheduled to return to the United Arab Emirates in late 2024 for a second season in the region, sailing much longer itineraries of 14 to 16 days from Doha and Dubai to Port Luis, Mauritius.

A sister to the Norwegian Star, the 2002-built vessel can carry up to 2,200 guests at double occupancy. She features 11 dining options including the Aqua and Venetian dining rooms, Garden buffet, and specialty restaurants like Bamboo, Cagney’s steakhouse, and Le Bistro French restaurant. 

Up top there are 3 pools, a fitness center, and a spa, while entertainment options range from the Stardust theater and Dawn Club casino to kids and teens centers.

Additional facilities include a variety of bars and cafes, a basketball court, a jogging track, and shopping gallery.