Dubai: Dubai Harbour on Thursday welcomed its first passenger cruise ship AIDAbella with 1,200 passengers and 600 crew members on board. This marks the start of the cruise season at Dubai Harbour and the official debut of the region’s largest twin cruise terminal centre in the East.
Dubai is expected to welcome 126 ship calls and over 500,000 cruise visitors in 2022. More than 150,000 passengers are expected to visit Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal in its first season.
“This marks the beginning of a new era for the cruising industry in the UAE, and further elevates Dubai Harbour’s position as an extraordinary seafront district in the region,” said Abdulla Binhabtoor, Chief Portfolio Management Officer, Shamal Holding.
The terminals ensure streamlined immigration and customs screening processes, and the dedicated access routes for passengers and crew, facilitated by Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges, allow uninterrupted flow between the ship and the terminal. “We are excited to bring AIDAbella, the ninth ship back into service, offering our guests voyages in the Orient in winter 2021-22 and specifically to Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal,” said Felix Eichhorn, President of AIDA Cruises.
AIDA is the market leader in the German cruise market and operates 13 cruise ships, including the first ever LNG propulsion cruise ship built.
