Qatar’s participation in the Cruise Arabia Alliance has been suspended, according to an official with the Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing Department, while all cruise departures scheduled from Doha during 2017 have […]
Qatar cruise departures dropped as UAE cuts diplomatic ties and closes maritime border
MSC Cruises put Royal Caribbean on notice with new ‘World Class’ mega ships
MSC Cruises has confirmed an order with STX France for the construction of two gargantuan 200,000-gross ton LNG-powered mega cruise ships that will compete directly with Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class fleet.
Katherine Jenkins to perform special concert aboard Queen Mary 2’s Dubai cruise in 2019
The Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins has been hired by Imagine Cruising, which has its Middle East office in Dubai, to perform a special concert aboard Queen Mary 2 for her April 18th […]
Holland America Line launches fly-cruise specials for Middle East cruise market
Holland America Line, represented in the UAE by Discover the Word, has announced a Middle East cruise special called Ready Set Sail, with savings of up to AED3,500 on cruises booked between […]
Jebel Ali Pilot gives inside story on crane collapse at UAE port
A pilot with extensive knowledge of berthing operations at DP World’s Jebel Ali Port has told Cruise Arabia & Africa that the collapse of a STS crane following a collision with a […]
Princess Cruises go mad for South Africa with three SA ports on epic 111-day world cruise itinerary
Princess Cruises has announced an epic 111 day full world cruise that will visit 41 destinations, 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and 27 countries on five continents in 2019, and underscoring the […]
Indian cruise visitors to Dubai grow by more than 20% during 2017 cruise season
India is fast becoming one of the largest source markets for Middle East cruise tourism after Europe and the United States, with overall growth of 40% in the number of Indian’s that […]
Celebrity Cruises targets Middle East passengers with fleet wide Halal food
Celebrity Cruises will now be offering Halal meals on-board all ships in its fleet, according to Lakshmi Durai, CEO of Travel Matrix, which represents Celebrity Cruises Middle East.
Fully ‘remastered’ Queen Mary 2 cruises from Dubai to end 2017 cruise season
Marking the highlight and the official closing of the 2016/17 Middle East cruise season out of Dubai, Cunard Line’s fully renovated flagship Queen Mary 2 paid a glittering visit to the city, […]
SHIP REVIEW: Queen Mary 2 ‘remastered’ before and after tour
Cunard have emphasised from the start that this dry-dock would be a total overhaul of the ship, a ‘back-to-the-drawing-board makeover’ that would essentially make her a new ship for loyal guests of the line.
Details of Crystal Symphony refit and renovation announced ahead of South African cruise
The luxury cruise ship Crystal Symphony is returning to the South African cruise market in 2018, but she’ll be cruising from Cape Town with a host of new amenities and features following […]
SHIP REVIEW: Crystal Symphony and Serenity refit
Visual concepts of brand new suites, dining venues and guest services have been unveiled for Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ahead of the ships’ most comprehensive makeovers to date.
South Africa’s favourite cruise ship MSC Sinfonia shares Cape Town harbour with Cunard Queen
MSC Cruises and Cunard Line shared Cape Town harbour last week, with Queen Elizabeth and MSC Sinfonia in port simultaneously on April 20th.
Newly refitted Silver Whisper cruises from Dubai
Silversea Cruises newly renovated cruise ship Silver Whisper has paid a visit to Dubai, cruising from the city for Greece to begin a series of European cruise itineraries in April.
Cruise tourism injects more than R100-million into Cape Town’s economy
South Africa’s primary cruise tourism destination, Cape Town, is midway through its busiest cruise season on record, with Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde saying that the sector is driving growth in the […]
SHIP REVIEW: Le Lyrial of Ponant Yacht Cruises
French cruise ship Le Lyrial is the complete package for those seeking intimate luxury aboard a cruise ship that feels like a private megayacht.
Newly renovated Queen Victoria to cruise from Cape Town in 2019
When Cunard’s second-youngest cruise liner Queen Victoria arrives in South Africa on April 12th, 2019, she will be almost a brand-new ship, at least when it comes to all her interiors.
Celebrity Cruises bookings from Dubai more than double in 2017
Celebrity Cruises Middle East, represented in the region by UAE-based cruise specialists Travel Matrix, has announced that sales for its Dubai cruise itineraries aboard Celebrity Constellation have increased by 138% during the […]
MSC Cruises deploying larger and newer MSC Musica in South African cruise market for 2019
Despite reservations over the current unstable political and economic outlook for South Africa, MSC Cruises has committed to sending MSC Musica to the South African cruise market for the first time in […]
Cruise Industry: How do you build the first go-kart race track at sea?
The world’s first full-scale shipboard racetrack is now on the water, in a project which has brought the best out of German karting technology specialist, RiMO Supply and Dutch decking specialist, Bolidt […]