Dubai marks historic arrival of six international cruise liners in one day

The terminal dealt with over 60,000 cruise passengers, as they handled all processes for the smooth arrival of TUI Cruises' Mein Schiff 5, Pullmantur Cruises' Horizon, MSC Cruises' MSC Lirica, Jalesh Cruises' Karnika, as well as the maiden calls from Costa Cruises' Costa Diadema and Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas.

Throughout the upcoming season, the city will go on to receive five cruise vessels in a single day on 10 additional occasions and six cruise vessels in a single day twice during the season.

Since its inauguration in 2014, Mina Rashid's Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal has received over 2.3 million visitors, marking a 172 per cent increase towards the end of 2018. In April, Mina Rashid was recognised as the Middle East's Leading Cruise Terminal Award for the 12th consecutive time at the World Travel Awards 2019, along with WTA's prestigious World's Leading Cruise Port Award for 11 years in a row since 2008. The terminal is currently undergoing a programme of expansion to improve its capabilities, with plans to introduce an excellent recreational area that will symbolise Dubai's rich cultural heritage, as well as providing improved berthing services for private yacht owners looking to make Dubai a home for their vessels.

Mohammed Abdul Aziz Al Mannaei, CEO - P&O Marinas and executive director, Mina Rashid, said: "December 29 is a memorable day for Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal and marks a new peak performance for us in a season of double digit increase in tourist traffic. The flawless handling of more than 60,000 cruise visitors on a single day testifies to the operational efficiencies we've put in place. Welcoming six cruise ships simultaneously also reflects the immense trust that cruise operators place in our capabilities. At Mina Rashid, we constantly invest in enhancing the services and support systems for today's fleet of ultra-modern cruise vessels. Our aim is to help build on the increasing popularity of luxury cruise tourism and strengthen Dubai's position as the cruise hub of the region. This is what Mina Rashid is being continuously developed for."

Hamad Bin Mejren, SVP of Dubai Tourism, said: "With the arrival of six leading international cruise liners to Dubai on a single day, we are delighted to celebrate this historic occasion for the city. As testament to the emirate's position as the leading hub for cruising in the region, this milestone is a sound reflection of how far Dubai has come on its journey to becoming the preferred destination of choice for international cruise travellers and cruise operators alike. As we increase momentum, and continue our efforts to raise the bar even higher for the city's cruising industry, the support and collaboration we receive from our stakeholders will be paramount to our sustained success and will allow us to ensure that we are able to provide enriching, world-class services to cruise visitors from across the globe."

The 2019/2020 cruise season is expected to welcome more than 200 ship calls, with an estimated one million cruise visitors visiting Dubai. The season will also see increased efforts to promote cruise tourism in the region by the Dubai Cruise Committee which is comprised of leading industry partners; Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), DP World UAE Region, operator of the Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal, Emirates Airlines, The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai, and Dubai Customs.