Dubai Cruise 28th March and a goodbye to Splendour

Hi all

We have not long returned from the 28th March Dubai cruise on Splendour of the Seas and I wanted to share some thoughts rather than a review for anybody considering for the next season with Vision of the Seas (I think).

A little bit about us, we are a forty something couple with a six year old son from the UK. We booked a junior suite and are Emerald and got our first badges and top tier party invite on the cruise :)

Why we chose a Dubai cruise

We genuinely just fancied something a bit different. Dubai, Oman and Abu Dhabi ticked this box. After a long break since our first Caribbean cruise when we were single, we have since taken a lot of European cruises in a short period now as a family. Time for a change, and this was very much a change in a good way from what we have experienced previously.

Leading up to the cruise we were quite anxious with what was going on around the world and especially here in Europe. No need to have worried on that front, a bit more on that later.

A smaller ship also appealed for the trip, our recent European cruises have been on the larger Freedom, Voyager & Quantum class.

Pre cruise hotel stay

This is where it got a bit interesting with Royal Caribbean. We booked the Maydan Hotel for two nights pre cruise direct with RCI. Its outside of main Dubai and based in the horse racing track, I thought it would be interesting.

After booking I discovered that the Dubai World Cup House race was being held (richest race in the world) the day we were due to arrive. Some searching on the hotel website and I discovered hospitality in hotel restaurants overlooking the course was starting at equivalent $4500.00 for the evening so I wasn't sure where our $200.00 room booked with RCI would sit with this :confused: and presumably sky high corresponding room rates.

Sure enough the call came from Royal "problem with booking, hotel won't honour etc etc" so we were moved to the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. In fairness a fantastic hotel and I added myself a night before this at the Arabian Courtyard in old Dubai (or less new, depending on how you look at it :p) and this was a very good choice. I can't recommend enough splitting your time between old and new Dubai, you will miss so much just going straight to the five star skyscrapers if you choose a hotel stay as well.

In two full days we managed a cultural tour in old Dubai (recommended), Dubai Marina, Souk Madinat, Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates. Three full days would have been better but with a central hotel like the Marriott close to the Metro two days was fine. Taxis are cheap and safe.

The 'old girl' Splendour of the Seas

Yes a little tired around the edges, but she went out in style. Staff were also fantastic. I really liked it was a smaller ship, I felt we weren't a slave to the cruise compass rushing here there and everywhere like we were a bit on Anthem. Hopefully this makes sense, there was plenty going on but for this trip the destination took centre stage and rightly so. We enjoyed the less frenetic pace of the smaller ship.

Passenger make up - us Brits were the highest number. This felt strange as I don't think this has happened before even on our departures from Southampton. USA folks were the second highest followed by Canadians, a fair effort as I am guessing your flight time is 13 - 14 hours?

The rest of the mix was pretty much from every European and Asian country, it made for a great atmosphere and some really interesting conversations in the bars. Its what travel is all about.

The cruise was very formal, I would guess that both formal nights resulted in 90% tuxs, suits and evening dresses. We liked this and although I'm new around the forum I at least know to swerve this subject so thats all on this :)

Excursions

For the first time we booked all of them through Royal, price compared to European excursions was good. They were excellent, we did a general tour in Khasab, Oman and general tours and mosque tours in both Muscat and Abu Dhabi. Absolutely excellent all of them, genuinely saw some amazing things and warmed to the guides. Another first was a general Dubai tour and airport drop off at the end of the cruise. We thought this would be a bit of a damp squib being the end of the holiday but it was a highlight.

Overall thoughts

Absolutely loved Dubai, loved the old and the new. Really liked experiencing different cultures. Having not been to the middle East before even the experience of being woken at 5am by the call to prayer whilst we were in the Arabian Courtyard hotel was an experience.

Ok we are cheating a bit as we were experiencing it as tourists and returning to a cruise ship at night but I would absolutely recommend this cruise if you are considering for the next season.

As I mentioned above we were anxious about going after booking, very anxious. We needn't have worried, we didn't have any concerns for our well being whilst there. We were always met with great courtesy and respect and it was perfectly safe.

Certain things though with the region don't sit well with me regarding views on the role of women in society and same sex relationships. I think if you go you will experience the courteous and respectful society, which I very much appreciated, and you will also experience the two previous negatives I mentioned. Overall though I thoroughly recommend you consider the trip.

We loved the smaller Royal ship, it offers something different to the larger ones. We would also return to Dubai with RCI in heartbeat, fantastic itinerary and holiday.

The only negative I experienced on the trip is a bit of a strange one. Our stateroom was on deck 8 and we had to walk past the future cruise desk from the centrum to get to it. I experienced an elderly English couple being brow beaten and aggressively pushed to sign up for a cruise. I stopped and listened and the issue concerned the price apparently being cheaper for the couple before the sales lady (not the Future Cruises Manager) applied some sort of 30% each passenger discount and OBC. She was not happy they were questioning this and couldn't seem to explain the overall price to them and its not anything I have ever experienced from RCI staff. This was the only negative all trip :(

Enough from me, I purposely made this a 'thoughts' rather that a practical review but if anyone does want any specific info please let me know.

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Thank-you, enjoyed the report very much. I also agree about the smaller ships feeling "less frenetic", and more relaxing.

Thank-you, enjoyed the report very much. I also agree about the smaller ships feeling "less frenetic", and more relaxing.

Your welcome, its helped me a bit with my post cruise blues :)

Lovely review. I may think about a Middle East cruise in the future.

Lovely review. I may think about a Middle East cruise in the future.

Thank you, I appreciate those kind words on my review.

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Many thanks for your review. I'm torn about visiting the region solely because of the attitudes you mention re same sex relationships. I've experienced enough prejudice over my life time and feel things have moved forward and I don't want to be in breach of any local rules which would make me feel very uncomfortable.

Many thanks for your review. I'm torn about visiting the region solely because of the attitudes you mention re same sex relationships. I've experienced enough prejudice over my life time and feel things have moved forward and I don't want to be in breach of any local rules which would make me feel very uncomfortable.

Attitudes over there came across very mixed and confused on a lot of things. Its very modern and forward thinking in some respects, horribly outdated to our way of life in the west in others.

Public signs of affection are frowned upon, a disapproving look when I put my arm round my wife in a Mall but possibly more severe for a same sex couple.

I wouldn't be put off visiting.

Thanks for the review, its great to hear about Splendour before she goes, we had a fantastic TA on her last year and she is one of my favourites.

We've been to Dubai several times including 2 cruises and always love it there. I agree their views can be very different to ours, so we always try to respect their culture when out and about. Within the five star hotels we've never felt out of place behaving in a 'Western' way though.

Julie