Several major international cruise lines are preparing to conclude their 2024/25 sailings from Cape Town, with a series of repositioning voyages scheduled through May and early June.
MSC Cruises is adapting its regional product in terms of food, entertainment, and language, but a fully halal kitchen remains a challenge.
Jacobs Media will launch Connections Cruise Arabia, a dedicated B2B cruise summit for the Arabian Gulf, amid rampant growth in the local cruise industry.
President of Explora Journeys Anna Nash on why the Arabian Gulf is ready for ultra-luxury cruising as the line prepares to homeport in Dubai for 2026/27.
Cruise tourism in the Middle East is undergoing a quiet transformation. Once treated as a seasonal stopover for repositioning voyages, the Arabian Gulf is now steadily becoming a destination in its own […]
Costa Cruises is nearing the end of a sweeping fleet transformation plan that includes ship modernisation, new itineraries, and fleet optimisation, with the upcoming refit and refurbusgment of Costa Serena, while its […]
The former Celestyal Crystal is sailing towards Oman following nearly two years laid up in the Eastern Mediterranean, with her future uncertain. The vessel, recently renamed Sun Bright, was removed from the Celestyal Cruises fleet […]
Short cruises are becoming the region’s most effective tool for attracting new-to-cruise customers. With weekend itineraries tailored to GCC travellers’ lifestyles, operators are building a new source market in the Middle East.
As instability persists in the Red Sea, cruise lines are absorbing losses by avoiding the Suez Canal and sailing without passengers via South Africa—raising questions about the long-term viability of rerouting and […]
Viken Group has announced a new cruise yacht concept named REI, a 196-metre vessel designed as part of the company’s strategy to develop sustainable and technically advanced cruise yachts.
MSC Cruises will redeploy its flagship MSC World Europa, its largest ship and the class leader of the World Class vessels, to the Arabian Gulf for the 2026/27 winter season after Dubai delivered the […]
Celestyal Cruises has described the Arabian Gulf as one of the most exciting emerging cruise markets in the world, following a successful inaugural winter season that exceeded expectations and prompted the deployment […]
MSC Cruises and Emirates have extended their long-term strategic partnership to enhance the fly-cruise experience for passengers, supporting Dubai’s position as a global cruise hub.
AROYA Cruises has announced that it welcomed more than 92,000 passengers in its first four months of operation, including 38,000 during Ramadan, as the Saudi-owned cruise line concludes its debut season in the Red […]
Emirates and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises have announced a partnership to offer combined luxury cruise and air travel packages with greater connectivity for cruise passengers.
Royal Caribbean International will hold auditions in the UAE next month seeking new talent across the fleet to perform for more than 115,000 guests who fill its theater spaces each night aboard […]
The launch of AROYA Cruises, the first cruise line tailored specifically for the Arabian and wider Middle East cruise market, marks a significant step for Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to compete globally as a […]
Carnival Cruise Line has outlined its strategic growth plans over the next five years with the introduction of an Innovation Itinerary focused on three pillars: sailing the most fun fleet at sea; […]
Just days after TUI, the parent company of the UK-based Marella Cruises, confirmed that it was considering a newbuild order for the line, Fincantieri has confirmed an order worth more than 2 […]
As international travel rebounds, cruise tourism is emerging as a major contributor to economic activity, drawing more attention to its ability to drive retail spending and shape traveller experiences across the region.
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