PortDubaicruiseshipscheduleshowstimetablecalendarsofallarrivalanddeparturedatesbymonth.Theport'sschedulelistsallships(inlinks)withcruisesgoingtoorleavingfromDubai,PortRashid-DubaiHarbour,UAE.Toseethefullitineraries(portsofcalldatesandarrival/departuretimes)andtheirlowestrates–justfollowthecorrespondingship-link.
DubaiisaPersianGulf(ArabianSea)cruiseport,theUAE'slargestcity(populationaround3,4million)andEmirateofDubai'scapital.Since2020,thecityhastwocruiseportswith3passengerterminals-twoTerminalsinPortRashid(MinaRashid,operationalsince1972)andtwonew(2020-opened)inDubaiHarbour(PalmIslandCruiseTerminals).
Dubaiistheworld'sonlycitywithcruiseportsandterminalsoperatedbyagovernment(UAE'sDepartmentofTourism).Thisprovidesextraattentiontoeverypassenger,alongwithenhancedtravelexperiencesincludingcertifiedtourguides,aswiftentrysystem(novisaissues),premiumtransportation.
JebelAliandDubai'sPortRashidareinterlinkedviaahighway.
PCFC(Ports,Customs&FreeZoneCorporation)isaDubaiGovernmentorganisation(2001-established)underwhichumbrellaworkseverallocalcompaniesandentities-DubaiCustoms,JAFZA(JebelAliFreeZone),DubaiPortsAuthority,DubaiDevelopmentAuthority(Licensing&Monitoring),DubaiMaritimeCityAuthority.
DPWorld(2005-founded)isaholdingformedbymergingDubaiPortsInternationalandDubaiPortsAuthority.DPWorld(currentlyrankedtheworld'slargestcargoportoperator)specializesinmaritimeservices,supplychaincargologistics,andmanagementofportterminalsandfreetradezones.
In2016,DubaiandotherUAEcitiesintroducedanew(multi-entry)visasystemallowingcruisepassengerstovisitvariousUAEtourdestinationswith1permit.Previously,UAEvisaswereonlyfortouristsarrivingandleavingthecountryonacruiseship.Thenewmultiple-entryvisasallowtouriststoflytoDubaiAirport,embarkoncruisevessels(MinaRashid)andtraveltoAbuDhabiandotherPersianGulfportswithasinglevisa-ratherthanobtaining2or3separatevisas.ThenewUAEvisasarealsocheaper(AUD59)incomparisontoDubai's96-hoursvisa(AUD44).
InJanuary2017wassignedanexclusivecontractbetweenthecity'sRTA(RoadsandTransportAuthority)andDPWorld(MinaRashidterminals'ownerandoperator).BythisdealareprovidedtaxiservicesforpassengertransportationbetweenthecityandthenewterminalHamdanbinMohammedatPortRashid.RTA'sservicesincludebothtaxisandVIPlimousinestogreetdisembarkingcruiseshiptourists.Thetaxicorporationhas5000+cabs.Its2015annualreportshowed47+milliontaxitripsserving~94millioncustomers.
Intheperiod2014-2017,theporthandledaround1,9millioncruisetouristsvia489vessels.DuringPort'sfirstseason(2013-14)werehandled93callsand320,000passengers.
Duringseason2016-2017(OctoberthroughJuly),PortRashidhadscheduled156cruiseshipvisitsandhandled625,000passengers.Thiswasa15%increaseoverseason2015-16(134shipcalls).Thenumberofdisembarkingpassengerswasover625,000(18%increaseoverseason2015-16).Forcomparison,during2006-2007,thecruiseportwasvisitedbyaround105,000passengers.Thesteadyannualgrowthof16-18%issupportedbyanincreasingnumberofvisitorsfromIndia.Theirnumbergrewby25%(2015-2016)andby30%(2017-2018).Currently,Indiaisthecruiseport's14thsourcecountry(followingcountrieslikeGermany,Italy,UK,USA).
Toboostberthbookings,forOctober(2018)andApril(2019),DPWorldreducedcruiseportchargesby50%.Duringseason2018-19,PortDubaihandled~725,000cruiseshiptourists,and~825,000inseason2019-2020.
Inlate-November2020,DPWorld'sPortMinaRashidwonagainthetitle"World'sLeadingCruisePort"atWTA-WorldTravelAwards2020.Theporthasreceivedthisprestigiousawardfor13successiveyears-since2008.
FollowingtheCOVIDcrisis,duringseason2021-2022,PortDubaireceived98cruiseshipcallsand338697tourists(passengerspluscrew),andexpectedinseason2022-230,9+milliontourists.
OnSeptember18,2017,DPWorldLtdannouncedthatthecompanyenteredintoagreementstopurchaseMaritimeWorldLLC(soleownerofDubaiMaritimeCity)forUSD180million.DPWorldalsoacquiredDrydocksWorldLLCforUSD225MormadeatotalcapitalinjectionintoDubaiportofUSD405M.
DubaiMaritimeCityisaworld-classfacilityandindustrialbusinesszoneinaprimelocation(adjacenttotheMinaRashidport).MaritimeCity'smainbusinessisitscommercialandindustrialpark(sized2,3km2/1mi2)locatedonanartificialpeninsula.TheparkprovidesEconomicZonesWorldadditionallandasanalternativetothecongestedJebelAliFreeZone(locatedatthecity'sfarwesternend).
DrydocksWorldisaleadingcompanyspecializinginshiprepairsandoperatingtheMiddleEast'slargestshiprepairyard.Theshipyardalsohascapabilitiesfornewbuildsandvesselconversions.DrydockswereintegratedintoP&OMaritime-DPWorld'sfully-ownedmaritimeservicessubsidiarycompany.
InJuly2018,DPWorldandZhejiangChinaCommoditiesCityGroupsignedanagreementtoconstructTradersMarket(build-uparea3km2)atJebelAliPortFreeZone.ThenewfacilityisinJafzaSouth(adjacenttoDubaiExpo2020)andisdividedbytradesectors(includinghouseholdgoods,buildingmaterials,foods-beverages,cosmetics-healthcare,energy-power,engineering-technology).
In2017,ChinawasrankedDubai'snumberonetradingpartner,withtotalannualtradeforFY2017AED176,5billion(USD48billion).
Dubai'sMinaRashidportisanartificiallymadecommercialseaportopenedin1972.In1978,itwasexpandedto35berths(mostlyusedbycontainerships).Theportisequippedwith9gantrycranes(cargocapacity1,500,000TEUs).HeredockgeneralcargoandRoRovessels,cruiseshipsandluxuryyachts.
TheTerminal'sareawasinitiallysized3450m2(37130ft2),increasedto30,000m2(323,000ft2)in2020-21,whenthesecondterminal(atDubaiHarbour)wascompleted.
PortDubai,alongwithitscruiseterminalalsohasacargoshipterminal(DubaiMaritimeCity)anddrydockfacilities(DubaiDrydocks)formarinevesselrefurbishmentsandrepairs.Thecruiseportisaccessiblethewholeyearround-24/7,365daysayear.
In2020wascompletedthenewDubaiHarbourCruisePort&Marinaproject(readmoreintheTerminalsection).
FollowsalistofdestinationsvisitedbycruiseshipsleavingoutofDubai:
SInce2020,DubaiCityhastwocruiseportsandall4cruiseterminals.ThePortislocatedapprox15km/9mi(north,25-mindrivedistance)fromDubaiAirport(DXB)andapprox37km/23mi(south,30-mindrivedistance)fromAlMaktoumAirport(inJebelAli).ItiseasytouseataxitransferbetweenthePortanddowntown.
DubaiHarbourisownedandoperatedbyShamalHolding(investmentfirm),whichalsomanagesJumeirahZabeelSaray(beachresort),SkydiveDubaiandDeep-diveDubai,KiteBeachDubai,XDubai(adventureandextremesports),DubaiFilm(movieproductionandrentalhouse),andotherentertainmentattractions.
OpenedinOctober2020,DubaiHarbour'stwonewpassengerterminals(akaPalmIslandCruiseTerminals)havecombinedfloorarea27,870m2(300,000ft2/twoequally-sizedbuildings),totalQuayWalllength910m(2950ft),totalPierlength910m(2985ft,whichallows2largestshipstobeberthedsimultaneously),Pierwidth28m(92ft),ShippingChanneldepth12,5m(43ft),ShippingChannelwidth300m(984ft),TurningBasindiameter540m(1770ft),Bollards(TeeHeadtype,capacity200tonseach),fourPassengerBoardingBridges.
BothTerminalsarecompletewithentertainmentvenues,leisurespaces,premiumretailshoppingareas.ThenewcruiseshipterminalsinDubaiHarbourareapprox30km(20mi)fromtwointernationalairports(DubaiInternational,andAlMaktoum/akaDubaiWorldCentral)orjust30-mindrivedistancefromthecruisedocks.
DubaiHarbour'stwoterminalsarewithberthingcapacity3mid-sizedships(simultaneously)and13,200passengers(atatime).TheprojectwasviapartnershipwithShamalHoldingLLC(2016-founded,Dubai-basedInvestmentcompanywith8subsidiaries).
DubaiHarbourislinkedwiththecity'stransportnetwork(directlyconnectedwithitsroadgridandmonorailsystem).
SmallershipsandsuperyachtsmayalternativelydockatDubaiHarbourMarina-thelargestandmostadvancedleisureboatingfacilityintheregionofMiddleEast-NorthAfrica.Themarinahastotalcapacity1100(boatslots/berths)andcanaccommodatesmaller-sizedshipsandmega-yachtswithmaxLOAlength160m(525ft).
ThenewMarinaisdividedintothreeareas-HarbourMarina,BayMarina,andPalmViewMarina.
Allmarinasarefittedwithwastewaterandpowerconnections,fuelingstations,storagefacilities,wastedisposal,foodandbeverageoutlets,buggyservice.
ThebuildingisinoldArabicstyle.DubaiCruisePortterminaloffersfacilitieslikeATMmachines,apostoffice,duty-free,aninformationcenter,souvenirshops,internetaccess,currencyexchange,businesscenter,coffeeshop.Eachhour,touristscanuseCityCenterandMercatoMallfreeshuttles.
Dubai'snewcruiseshipterminalHamdanbinMohammedislocatedatPortRashid(passengerandcargoport).Thecomplexisconsideredoneoftheworld'stop5luxurycruiseportstodockat.
Thenewterminalwasinauguratedin2015.Itistheworld’slargestcoveredcruisefacilitywithadailypassengercapacityof14,000.Fortheperiod2015-2020,theHamdanbinMohammedterminal'sbusinessgrew55%.Topdailyperformanceswerereportedin2015(4linerswith~20,000passengers+crew),2017(5linerswith~24,000passengers+crew),2019(6linerswith~35,000passengers+crew).
Annually,0,5+millioncruiseshiptouristsvisitDubaiCityviaPortRashid'sterminals.Thecomplexhasasfacilitiescoffeebarlounge,mini-mart,deli(lunchrestaurant),premiumshops(souvenirs,watches,jewellery,electronics),postoffice,businesscenter,currencyexchangeoffice,ATMs,conciergetourservices(toassistdaytoursinDubaiCity).AmongtheservicesofferedattheterminalarefreeInternet(andWi-Fi)and2freeofchargeshoppingshuttlebuses(1toMercatoMall,1toCityCenterDrive)leavingfromtheterminal'sstationeachhour.
DHCT-DubaiHarbourCruiseTerminalisanewportdevelopmentprojectwhichstartedinJanuary2017andwascompletedin2021.Amongtheattractionsthatthenewcomplexfeaturesareanewbuilding(totalarea150,000ft2/13,935m2,maxpassengercapacity6000)andDubaiLighthouse(height4380ft/135m)housingaluxuryhotelandfeaturinganobservationdeck.
ThisisDubai'snewest(second)cruiseterminalfacilityforwhichconstructionwascontractedMeraas(holdingcompany,subsidiaryofDubaiHolding/ownedbythecountry'sruler/Sheikh).Thisway,theportbecametheworld'sfirstevertobuild2newterminalssimultaneously,withcombinedannualcapacity1,2millionpassengers.Asalocation,DubaiHarbourconnectssomeofthecity'smostfamousneighborhoods.
DubaiHarbourisonKingSalmanStr,betweenJBRWalk(shopping/diningpromenade)andPalmJumeirah(thefamousman-madearchipelago).Thenewcomplexcoversatotalareaof~1,9km2(0,72mi2).Theprojectincludedthecruiseportterminal,alargeshoppingmall(0,33km2/0,13mi2),ayachtmarina(capacity1400berths),3xhelipads,aneventsarena,aswellasresidentialandofficebuildings,hotelsandshops.
DubaiLighthouse'sfacadeisusedasascreenforHDvideoprojectionsandlightshows.Theresidentialcomplexincludesbothhighandlowbuildings,aswellaswaterfronthousesandvillas,numerousretailshops,cafesandrestaurants.
AdjacenttoPortRashidareDubaiDrydocksandDubaiMaritimeCity.However,there'saplanallcargoshipoperationstobemovedtoJebelAliPort(byMarch2018)leavingPortRashidasadedicatedcruiseshipterminal.TheplanalsoincludedpartoftheporttobereclaimedbyNakheel(Dubaireal-estatedeveloper)tocreateanurbanwaterfrontcomplexhousingover200,000residents.
In2019wasinauguratedtheDubaiFerryservicelinkingdowntown'sAlWajehaAlMaeyahMarineTransportStationnearDubaiMall(oneoftheworld'slargestandmost-visitedretailshoppingdestinations)withDubaiMarinaMall(ownedbyEmaarMalls,subsidiaryofEmaarProperties).Theferrycrossingtimeis~80min(one-way),withcomplimentaryshuttleserviceprovidedtoDubaiMallandback.TicketsarepricedAED68,25(USD18,6)peradultandAED52,5(USD14,3)forkids5-12yearsold.