May 9th 2009
Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas will return to Dubai in 2011 for a second program after its inaugural 2010 season. The 2011 season will comprise nine seven-night roundtrips from January through March 2011, visiting ports on the Arabian coast with an overnight in Dubai at the beginning and end of each cruise. A four-night cruise-tour extension is available. Bookings are now open.
Available for both the 2010 and 2011 itineraries, the new four-night “Arabian Explorer” cruise-tour extension offers a more thorough exploration of Dubai and the emirates of Raps Al Khaimah and Fujairah, the latter being the only emirate on the Gulf of Oman. Cruise-tour guests will be escorted by a tour director and will travel to sand dunes, mountains, mosques and villages. Other highlights include camel racing and a sunset dinner at a Bedouin camp sandwiched between an overnight in Dubai.
The seven-night cruise includes calls at Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Mina Sulman, Bahrain; and Muscat, Oman. New for the 2011 season are two 12-night “Dubai & India” roundtrips, departing on March 28 and April 9, which will include the ship’s maiden port calls at India’s Mumbai (Bombay), Goa (Mormugao) and Cochin. Shore excursions include four-wheel drive excursions into the Dubai desert and through Abu Dhabi’s Al Khatim desert, riding Royal Arabian horses in Bahrain, snorkeling in the Indian Ocean at Fujairah; high tea at an Abu Dhabi palace; and exploring Muscat’s souk, sultan’s palace and Portuguese forts. From January through April 2010, the line offers 13 seven-night sailings. Also on the 2010 season roster are 14-night repositioning cruises between Barcelona and Dubai via the Suez Canal, departing Jan. 4 and April 19. For more information, call us or email
mike@firstclasscruise.com