Miami of the Middle East? Dubai’s pitch to winter cruisers

CNN — In the depths of midwinter in the northern hemisphere, minds can drift to sunlit beaches in faraway lands. MSC Cruises If you build it… Costa Cruises – a leading Italian operator – dispatched its flagship cruise liner the “Costa Diadema” to Dubai for the first time this winter. Mina Rashid received a third terminal in 2014, and a 25 billion dirham expansion project will see a new marina installed along with new shipping berths and luxury leisure attractions including a “Venetian piazza.” The 186-hectare Dubai Harbour project, due to open next year coinciding with Expo 2020, will feature two of the most advanced cruise terminals in the region, according to developer Meraas. Cruise tourism could appeal to visitors who might otherwise be deterred by the high costs of Dubai, according to industry analyst Shaun Ebelthite, who runs the “Cruise Arabia” news site. “But tourists who want to come and see the major attractions like Burj Khalifa…might not necessarily be able to afford a week in a hotel in the city and all the extra costs.” “But if they can spend less to see more cities and have more experiences in the region aboard a cruise ship, it becomes a more enticing proposition.” The analyst adds that Dubai is well-placed to attract winter visitors from Europe as the city boasts “one of the best winter climates in the world with warm, sunny days and cool nights that make for perfect cruising weather.” The new Dubai Stopover Pass could enable short-stay visitors to see attractions such as the Burj Khalifa.