Carnival Corporation celebrated the official opening of Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal with Shamal Holding, following their strategic partnership signed in 2018 to develop the new cruise port. With the arrivals of Costa Firenze and AIDAbella from the company’s Italy-based Costa Cruises and Germany-based AIDA Cruises brands, respectively, the opening was also marked by two passenger cruise ships visiting the Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal for the first time, coinciding with the start of the cruise season and the ships’ homeporting seasons from Dubai.
As the region’s first dedicated, twin-terminal cruise port, Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal can simultaneously accommodate two large cruise ships. The facility spans over 1.3 million square feet and includes two purpose-built terminal buildings. The terminals are equipped with four bespoke Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges that can simultaneously support the full turnaround of the largest class of cruise ships.
The cruise terminals, which are part of Dubai Harbour development, offer a range of amenities and services, including currency exchange outlets, ATMs, cafes, retail outlets, duty-free shops, ample seating areas, washrooms, dedicated parking and taxi stands. The facilities are designed to be fully accessible for all visitors. Complimentary Wi-Fi is enabled for passengers and crew to stay connected.
Dubai Harbour’s accessible location is coupled with a range of living, retail and hospitality choices, and comprehensive berthing facilities to comprise the region’s distinct lifestyle offerings—including experiences such as Dubai Harbour Yacht Club, Dubai Harbour Pier Club, Dubai Harbour Marinas, Skydive Dubai and Zero Gravity.
As a gateway to the Arabian Gulf cruise destinations such as Oman and Abu Dhabi, Dubai has been a popular destination for the company’s Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises brands, which first began operating from Dubai in 2006. In late November, AIDAbella at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal, began the first regular cruise passenger operation for the new terminals and the start of the ship’s winter season. Additionally, Costa Firenze’s arrival in Dubai on December 16 marked the start of the ship’s season from Dubai, where it is homeporting for the first time, through March 2022.
Six brands from Carnival Corporation—AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (U.K.), Princess Cruises and Seabourn—will visit the new cruise terminal by 2023 and, in total, the six brands are expected by then to make 90 calls to the twin-terminal cruise port.
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