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Exploring Dubai on a Cruise

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Sam Jewel

Often nicknamed as a land of superlatives – tallest buildings, largest shopping malls, highest restaurant, and tallest performing water fountain – Dubai has always been a favorite among tourists across the world. Ideally located in the Middle Eastern country of The United Arab Emirates, the city is well accessible by large cruise ships. With 5-/7-nights round-trip itineraries from Dubai to other cities in the Arabian Gulf, cruisers often get around 24-36 hours to spend in Dubai. Take a look at how best to spend that time.

Dubai’s Cruise Terminal at Mina Rashid is a large modern port with tourist-friendly services like shuttle bus service to the city, tour operator outlets, a café & a restaurant, a few retail outlets and free Wi-Fi.

Proximity to most parts of the world has increasingly made Dubai a perfect destination for winter cruises. With its modern skyscrapers, barren sand dunes, traditional heritage sites, and extraordinary landmarks, the city offers plenty to people with varied tastes.  If you’re one for adventure as well as culture, don’t miss a bumpy ride in a 4-WD vehicle. See the red sunset along the golden dunes before heading to a desert camp for a pinch of the Arab culture. 

If you enjoy cruise tours, step onto a Dhow – a traditional Arab boat, which now offers a ride along the Creek separating old and new Dubai complemented with buffet dinner and some live entertainment. A cruise along the Marina sets your boat amidst the tall well-lit skyscrapers. These make for perfect celebration gifts or even the venue for a proposal. 

No visit to Dubai is complete without going to the Burj Khalifa. The indoor and outdoor observation decks on the 124th of the tallest building in the world offer breathtaking sights of the city. If heights don’t scare you, you could even head to the 148th deck where you can actually see the curvature of the earth. If you pick a Sunset time slot to visit the Burj Khalifa, you’ll probably be able to see the tallest dancing fountain from the top. But if you’d rather feel the light spray against your face, head to Promenade at the adjacent Dubai Mall. The largest in terms of area, the mall itself is a sight to behold and you’re bound to spend a few hours here. 

For someone who enjoys theme parks and activity centers, Dubai has no dearth of them. Take your pick from IMG Worlds of Adventure, Legoland, Bollywood Park, Wild Wadi, Green Planet or Kidzania to name a few and the many outdoor parks that the city proudly showcases. If that’s not enough, the neighboring Emirate of Abu Dhabi houses Ferrari World and Warner Bros. World as well. The best part – a bunch of these parks are indoor so they’re great even in the sweltering heat.
While in Dubai, you might also want to take a drive along the Palm Islands to see those man-made islands as well as one of the most luxurious hotels on the island – Atlantis the Palm. 

There are many ways to move around in the city. Buses, metro, boats, taxis – choose your transportation and get around to seeing all that you can in the limited time. 

Author Bio: Kalpesh is an avid traveller and vouches for Dubai as a cruise destination. He thinks it’s a perfect start/stop point for those cruises along the Gulf and can’t wait himself, to get to the top of the Burj Khalifa for that exhilarating view.

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Sam Jewel
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