Emirates will closely work with TUI Cruises to offer dedicated flight options that closely align with upcoming cruise schedules, ensuring a smooth transition from air to sea for its customers. The airline will also explore enhanced transportation solutions between Dubai International (DXB) and Port Rashid, leverage insights to improve services on the ground, and provide dedicated support teams for cruise passengers.
In addition to coordinated operations and exploring marketing synergies, the partnership will focus on developing exclusive luxury packages and experiences that showcase the best of Dubai and the region’s TUI Cruise programmes.
Wybcke Meier, CEO, TUI Cruises, said: “For more than ten years, we have been calling at Dubai with the Mein Schiff fleet to give our guests the opportunity to discover the world of the Orient with us. Dubai is not only an important turnaround port, the destination and the region offer what Mein Schiff guests want: a mix of metropolises that are constantly evolving, wonderful beaches and special insights into the culture.
“With Emirates, we are working successfully with an airline that gives our guests this vacation feeling right from the start.”
TUI Cruises will deploy two ships for the upcoming season to Port Rashid. Each ship can accommodate more than 2,500 passengers. Customers have the choice of two programmes, one with embarkation and disembarkation in Dubai, featuring GCC destinations like Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The other itinerary includes Asian points such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
AIDA CRUISES
Emirates will explore a number of opportunities with AIDA Cruises for joint marketing, operational alignment and strategic planning around flight schedules from across its network, in addition to enhanced transportation solutions between Dubai International Airport and Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal.
The partnership will continue to focus on sharing relevant data and insights to improve service delivery, providing dedicated support teams for cruise passengers, and facilitating a smooth check-in process at Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal. The airline will also dedicate capacity for the next two seasons to ensure continued momentum to meet the demand for cruise packages to Dubai.
AIDAprima has been operating to Dubai Harbour since 2021 and can accommodate up to 3,200 passengers. This season, passengers embarking and disembarking from Dubai can look forward to diverse itineraries that include destinations like Muscat, Doha, Sir Bani Yas and Abu Dhabi.
Last year, Emirates transported nearly 400,000 cruise passengers to Dubai. The city welcomed over 166 ships during the last cruise season. The city expects an increase of 23 per cent cruise passengers for the upcoming season.