Dubai: The standing joke in the Arab world is: “if you don’t go to America, America will come to you”. America is coming this summer, as Walt Disney’s Cruise line is returning to the Mediterranean region, carrying with it some of the most fascinating American figures. Inspired from the vivid imagination of Walt Disney World, the figures on board will be Mickey and Minnie mouse, Goofy, Woody, Tigger, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and Donald Duck Family – just to mention a few.
“Due to the high popularity of the previous itineraries and the regular requests from our guests, we decided to bring the Disney Magic back to Europe for unique sailings,” said Julien Munoz, International Sales and Marketing Director for Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line.
“From June 1, 2013, the Disney Magic will return to Europe, treating families to the best of the Mediterranean with plenty of new twists to its itineraries,” he told Gulf News in an email interview.
“This product is unique and is specialised for families. The families in the Middle East would love it,” said Jean-Marc Murre, Director of International Sales at France-based Disney Destinations International.
Arab travel industry experts share a similar view, and expect these cruises to be popular among the Arabs, especially Muslim families.
First, “because these [cruises] are something new,” said Ahmad Al Rais, Business Development Manager at Dubai-based Al Rais Holidays. “Moreover, ‘halal’ food will be served on the ship. The nice thing about these [family] cruises is that there is no gambling, and this is something suitable for the [conservative and religious] Emirati, Gulf and Arab families.”
Family tourism is the most prominent tourism for the Gulf region, he explained, adding that the cruise will allow its guests to visit a new city every day.
According to Al Rais, the public interest in cruises, in general, has been growing in the past few years among honeymooners and families alike. Before Disney cruise line, some families have already taken the cruises in the Far East region of the globe, visiting attractive destinations including Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Tourism anaylsts believe Walt Disney would be looking to get their fair share of the cruises market.
“They would have to be competitive with other cruise shops,” said Peter Goddard, Managing Director of TRI Hospitality Consulting in Dubai. “Anyone who would consider going on a cruise for one week or long would look into alternatives and Disney would be one of them,” he told Gulf News, adding that the share of Walt Disney in the market would depend on their “unique selling propositions”.
For Middle Eastern tourists, meanwhile, there is a need to expand the knowledge in such trips, which is where companies offering these cruises need to play a great role, according to Goddard.
“In the Middle East and the Gulf region, marketing is mainly word-of-mouth,” Al Rais said. Citing an example, he said that he has succeeded in convincing a family to go on the cruise trip by just telling them about his own experience.
Disney cruises first came to the Mediterranean in 2011, but was suspended last year. While no reason was given for the suspension, it is anticipated that it is related to the economic crisis in Europe.
The entertainment elements on the cruise include a closed and an open movie theatre, showing movies produced at Walt Disney Studios, a nursery and a club for teenagers.
Other components include a fancy restaurant, a Broadway-style musical telling classic fairy-tales, many of which were produced by Disney, such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mermaid, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
“This is something you won’t find anywhere else. There is always something fun to do for everyone,” said Damien Vayne, Press Relations representative at Disney Destinations international in Paris, in charge of the Middle East and North Africa region.
