Royal Caribbean Announces Dubai Sailings

Last week, Royal Caribbean announced that the Brilliance of the Seas will be based out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for a series of 7-night sailings between January and April, 2010.

Dubai is an increasingly-popular vacation destination, with man-made attractions, from casinos to snow skiing in the desert, along with some of the most opulent hotels in the world. In fact, it's the future home of the Queen Elizabeth II. While it's just emerging as a destination for North Americans, it is a well-known playground for those in other parts of the world.

These sailings will be the "immersion" sailings, similar to the ones Royal Caribbean operates in Asia, Latin America and England. While they'll be marketed in the US, their primary focus will be more locally-based and regional passengers, rather than those from North America. It's their effort at expanding the brand, without creating additional "brands" and gives them more flexibility in best utilizing their fleet as demand and preferences change.

There is one major caveat if you're considering this destination, and it's one which has not yet been addressed by Royal Caribbean or Dubai - passports. Currently, the UAE routinely doesn't permit entry if the passenger has previously been to Israel and has Israeli stamps in their passport. Whether or not the UAE will issue a waiver for cruise line passengers is an open question. However, if you are considering this destination, and also have or will travel to Israel, I suggest you go as many travelers to the Middle East have had to do for years - apply for a duplicate passport for use in Israel only. You can get a duplicate for that purpose, and you should state that reason on your application. It's a pain, but due to political concerns in the region, one I highly recommend to ease your travel across borders.

Dubai Building Second Cruise Terminal

Huh? Where you may ask? Why should I care?

Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is one of the fastest-growing travel destinations in the world. Most travelers come from Europe, not from America, but this is likely to change as this destination grows and matures and Americans look for new destinations.

As a cruise port, Dubai is relatively new. However, 2 years ago, Costa announced they were going to base a ship there (marketed to Europeans) in the winter months. It was a huge success, quickly selling out all its sailings. A second ship was added for this year and it's proving to be just as popular. It's expected that 165,000 passengers will sail through Dubai this season, and that number is expected to grow to 350,000 by the 2010 season.

Why is this important to you? It's another example of the growing importance of the European cruise market. More and more cruise line resources are going to serve this market, and it's expanding the areas of the world where you can cruise. While not many Americans are yet exploring these areas in the winter, I expect that to change over the next few years. In addition, expect to see a growing percentage of the newbuilds going to the European brands instead of the US market.

Finally, if you thought Dubai sounded familiar, this is where, after November 2008, you will have to go to see the Queen Elizabeth II. One mega resort there has purchased her to be a permanent attraction.

There's big money in Dubai, as they seek to diversify beyond oil revenue, and are intentionally growing their tourist base. Amazing hotels, theme parks and other attractions (including casinos) are being built. Keep an eye on it for the future!