Do you want to make your summer holiday unforgettable? Well, cruise holidays are undoubtedly one of the best options. They are different from the international holidays. Cruise holidays offer unique experiences with their all-inclusive amenities. So, UAE travelers are now choosing cruise holidays instead of flying to a different country. Besides, international cruises from Dubai are quite versatile. While some offer unique experiences, others are excellent in terms of luxury and inclusiveness.
UAE Travelers Embrace Cruises for Summer Adventures
As per a study, most families from GCC and the UAE are booking cruise holidays. Their preferred holiday regions include Europe, the Far East, and the Caribbean. Besides, their holiday duration lasts anywhere between three and four days. Cruise holidays are more common amongst families than singles.
Efficient Tourism offers exclusive yet inexpensive international cruises from Dubai. From world-class amenities and guided on-shore tours to delectable cuisines, you get everything in one. So, book now for a relaxing summer holiday.
One of the spokespersons of Celestial Cruises mentioned that the demand for cruise holidays has significantly increased. It homeported from Abu Dhabi to Doha for the first time from December 2024 to March 2025.
Janet Parton, Regional Vice President of Business Development, said, ” Our target was to complete 60% occupancy, but our cruises were already full. The response was overwhelming. Besides, we are already receiving bookings for the next season.” She also added that GCC follows the tendency of the ‘late booking’ pattern. So, most travelers reserve the last-minute seats.”
Luxury Cruises
The luxury cruises are seeing a surge in demand. Lakshmi Durai, the CEO of CruiseXplore, said, “There are various reasons behind choosing the luxury cruises. Almost everyone loves traveling and looks for unique encounters. She also added, “Luxury cruises have smaller ships, which makes it easy to navigate through the destinations that larger ships cannot access. Besides, they offer boutique experiences to pamper the guests.”
Saleh Mohamed from Elevate Cruises explained clearly why luxury cruises have high demand. “They are small in size and can accommodate a handful of people. Moreover, they are all-inclusive.” He added, “Last year, the Tauck Cruise was quite successful. It is a small yacht with a capacity of 160 passengers and 200 crew for a personalized experience. Furthermore, there were 15 travel experts to accompany the guests during the excursion. Hence, the luxury cruise liners work out of the box to offer incredible experiences and services to all.”
The Cruise Tourism & Yachting Lead of DET, Saud Hareb Almheiri, said, “Luxury travel cruises are a growing trend, globally and locally.” Besides, travelers are realizing that luxury cruises are versatile. It offers mind-blowing onshore excursions or exploring different ports. A normal cruise ship sometimes carries 6000 passengers, which means everyone has to queue to use the facilities. So, luxury cruises are always great.”
Value for Money
Cruising experiences are always value for money. So, as per Saud, “People can explore multiple destinations within a short period. Besides, there are no hassles of flying or packing and unpacking multiple times.”
Lakshmi also added, “Cruises are quite affordable compared to land holidays. Cruise packages have various inclusions. For example, you will get Wi-Fi, all meals, entertainment onboard, unique excursions, and more. So, if you break down on a per-night basis, you will find out that a land vacation costs much more. Therefore, cruise vacations are becoming more popular.”
Experiential Cruises
A cruise that gained much popularity in the region is the Hurtigruten experiential cruise. It is a 130-year-old Norwegian cruise and is famous for the luxurious experiences it offers.
Lakshmi mentioned that cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic Circles are quite popular. About 100 people sail on these cruises. Besides, they have expedition experts to take the guests to explore the poles.”
Saleh added that a new cruise has been launched from Saudi Arabia (Aroya Cruise). It is becoming popular for serving halal food, prayer rooms, and shisha decks. He also mentioned that this particular cruise targets the Muslim audience.
