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Dubai question for Anne (Jayayeff)


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5 hours ago, Cyclospora said:

Hi Anne

 

We have booked a cruise and stay package and the hotel before the cruise is the Holiday Inn Dubai - Al Barsha. I understand it is close to the Mall of the Emirates and a Metro stop but seems to be quite a way from the Creek and the Fountains. It also seems to be quite far out on the Hop on Hop off map which we were thinking of using to get around. Should we bother?

 

Thanks

 

Anne (another one :))

Hi Anne

 

We stopped at the HI for the last week of December 2018 and New Years Eve. I actually picked the hotel so we could see the NYE fireworks at Burj Khalifa, Burj al Arab and Atlantis from the rooftop pool, but when we got there they asked if we wanted to join their rooftop party...for £125 each!!! So we watched the fireworks from the road outside with about 200 locals!

Anyway, the hotel is fine...its a Holiday Inn! We got the bed and breakfast deal which worked out really well. Big breakfast in the morning and we normally ate out somewhere in the evening.

Its a 200 yd walk from Sharaf DG metro stop (one of the reasons we picked it, as we could go straight there on the metro from the airport) and a 10 minute walk to the Mall of Emirates. In the bottom level of MoE is where the HOHO buses have an interchange between routes. There is the City Sightseeing bus and Big Bus. We picked Big Bus 'cos at the time they had a better deal on a 5 day ticket. As we had the 5 day ticket, we used the bus just for getting around (eg up to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa area). It takes about 10 minutes to get up to Dubai Mall on the HOHO and Big Bus also have a route that goes south to the Marina area.  If you decide to use either of the buses, let me know as they pick up at different places in the MoE. The MoE has a food court and a couple of chain restaurants (eg TGIFridays overlooking the ski slope) and we quite often ate there. If you are interested in gardens, you can get the bus from the MoE bus station to the Miracle Gardens...one of our favourite things in Dubai.

There are always taxis waiting outside the hotel if you want to go that route, and they are pretty cheap too. A guy took us from Dubai to our next hotel in Abu Dhabi for £56!

In conclusion, no problems with the HI and I'd stop there again. If you have any specific questions, ask away.

 

Simon

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11 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Hi Anne

 

We stopped at the HI for the last week of December 2018 and New Years Eve. I actually picked the hotel so we could see the NYE fireworks at Burj Khalifa, Burj al Arab and Atlantis from the rooftop pool, but when we got there they asked if we wanted to join their rooftop party...for £125 each!!! So we watched the fireworks from the road outside with about 200 locals!

Anyway, the hotel is fine...its a Holiday Inn! We got the bed and breakfast deal which worked out really well. Big breakfast in the morning and we normally ate out somewhere in the evening.

Its a 200 yd walk from Sharaf DG metro stop (one of the reasons we picked it, as we could go straight there on the metro from the airport) and a 10 minute walk to the Mall of Emirates. In the bottom level of MoE is where the HOHO buses have an interchange between routes. There is the City Sightseeing bus and Big Bus. We picked Big Bus 'cos at the time they had a better deal on a 5 day ticket. As we had the 5 day ticket, we used the bus just for getting around (eg up to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa area). It takes about 10 minutes to get up to Dubai Mall on the HOHO and Big Bus also have a route that goes south to the Marina area.  If you decide to use either of the buses, let me know as they pick up at different places in the MoE. The MoE has a food court and a couple of chain restaurants (eg TGIFridays overlooking the ski slope) and we quite often ate there. If you are interested in gardens, you can get the bus from the MoE bus station to the Miracle Gardens...one of our favourite things in Dubai.

There are always taxis waiting outside the hotel if you want to go that route, and they are pretty cheap too. A guy took us from Dubai to our next hotel in Abu Dhabi for £56!

In conclusion, no problems with the HI and I'd stop there again. If you have any specific questions, ask away.

 

Simon

Hi any help/info on the HOHO would be fine as this will be our first time in Dubai but we are staying in Hyatt Regency but think this is in the old part of Dubai ?

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If you look on line, you will find the maps of the routes of the two companies. From memory, they are pretty similar. We picked Big Bus because, as we were there 5 days, they had extra perks in the 5 day ticket, like a side trip to Salaha(sp?), and I think whatever ticket you buy you get a cruise around the marina area included. A lot depends on how long you are in Dubai for. Have a look at their websites and see which deal works for you. We loved Dubai...it’s so clean!!! Just thought, when getting on the top deck of the bus, try and get a seat under the awning...the sun is mighty powerful out there!

 

Simon

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1 hour ago, sddsddean said:

If you look on line, you will find the maps of the routes of the two companies. From memory, they are pretty similar. We picked Big Bus because, as we were there 5 days, they had extra perks in the 5 day ticket, like a side trip to Salaha(sp?), and I think whatever ticket you buy you get a cruise around the marina area included. A lot depends on how long you are in Dubai for. Have a look at their websites and see which deal works for you. We loved Dubai...it’s so clean!!! Just thought, when getting on the top deck of the bus, try and get a seat under the awning...the sun is mighty powerful out there!

 

Simon

Thanks for the info. Wont be too hot when we go in 3 weeks.

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29 minutes ago, UK Cruiser2 said:

Thanks for the info. Wont be too hot when we go in 3 weeks.

 

That I can guarantee - it's been wet and chilly for well over a week now.  I even had my house flooded last Saturday as a result of torrential overnight storms.... If you believe the weather forecasters it should brighten up again from today - fingers crossed it does!!!!    I can't remember where the nearest HoHo stop is to the Hyatt Regency, but a short taxi ride to Baniyas Street (the road right beside The Creek) should get you to one of the stops if they don't go by the hotel....

 

Anne..

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Wow, who’d have thought floods in a desert! In the UK it’s been raining since September and everywhere is waterlogged. A guy I know grows potatoes for Walkers crisps and they are crying out for spuds, but ‘cos it is so wet, none of the farmers can get machinery on to the fields.

 

Simon

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Hi Anne:

 

I understand there's a ferry which goes along the Jumeirah coast and it's the best way to get a good photo of the Al Burj Arab Hotel.

1)   Where do we board the ferry and is it close to Metro station Al Ghubalba?

2)   Are there stops along the way?

3)   How long does it take to do a round trip?

4)   Any idea what the cost is?

Is the Mono Rail a good alternative to the ferry?

We have approx. 4 hours before getting back to the ship 

Thank you in advance.

 

Regards,

Steve

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4 hours ago, dynamic cruiser said:

Hi Anne:

 

I understand there's a ferry which goes along the Jumeirah coast and it's the best way to get a good photo of the Al Burj Arab Hotel.

1)   Where do we board the ferry and is it close to Metro station Al Ghubalba?

2)   Are there stops along the way?

3)   How long does it take to do a round trip?

4)   Any idea what the cost is?

Is the Mono Rail a good alternative to the ferry?

We have approx. 4 hours before getting back to the ship 

Thank you in advance.

 

Regards,

Steve

 

Steve,

 

Here is the link to the Dubai Ferry site with all the details, timings costs, etc....  You would need the ferry that operates between Al Ghubaiba and Dubai Marina in order to pass and photograph the Burj Al Arab.  I haven't used the service but I have seen them when I've been down by the Creek and I'm not sure about getting good photographs from them as they are enclosed??    The best option for getting photographs of the Burj Al Arab is by going out on a tourist boat from Dubai Marina as it is a much shorter distance trip and they sit off the Burj Al Arab so those onboard can get photographs.   Unfortunately your 4 hour time window doesn't really give you much time for getting out to Dubai Marina, onto the water and then back onshore and back to the cruise terminal so I'm not sure what to suggest as an alternative, other than taking either the HoHo bus along Jumeirah Beach or getting a taxi out there and photographing the Burj from the beach beside the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or from the Madinat Jumeirah which is the other side of the Burj Al Arab....

 

https://www.dubai-ferry.com/routes/

 

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask about the monorail... The only monorail operates along the 'trunk' of Dubai Palm, there isn't a monorail that operates near the Burj Al Arab???? 

 

Anne...

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Hi Steve,

 

It is not easy to get a good photo of the Burj al Arab. On the HOHO, it is surrounded by building/ trees etc and from the Palm monorail, you are quite a long way away and there are lots of tress and lamp posts flashing by which get in the way. I took about 10 photos from the monorail and only got one decent shot.

 

This is from the monorail

image.thumb.png.9f739c9e55f71b3ff8780350cb991c4e.png

 

and these are from the HOHO

 

image.thumb.png.f5fffa470c0104ed722d576a31306ae2.png

 

image.thumb.png.3090fdb51f7afa1de9e5087f57599004.png

 

We didn't do the ferry, so I've no idea what the view from that is like. Hope this helps.

 

Simon

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5 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Hi Steve,

 

It is not easy to get a good photo of the Burj al Arab. On the HOHO, it is surrounded by building/ trees etc and from the Palm monorail, you are quite a long way away and there are lots of tress and lamp posts flashing by which get in the way. I took about 10 photos from the monorail and only got one decent shot.

 

This is from the monorail

image.thumb.png.9f739c9e55f71b3ff8780350cb991c4e.png

 

and these are from the HOHO

 

image.thumb.png.f5fffa470c0104ed722d576a31306ae2.png

 

image.thumb.png.3090fdb51f7afa1de9e5087f57599004.png

 

We didn't do the ferry, so I've no idea what the view from that is like. Hope this helps.

 

Simon

Thank you Simon. I see what you mean about the obstructions. The last shot looks the best.

Steve

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8 hours ago, Jayayeff said:

 

Steve,

 

Here is the link to the Dubai Ferry site with all the details, timings costs, etc....  You would need the ferry that operates between Al Ghubaiba and Dubai Marina in order to pass and photograph the Burj Al Arab.  I haven't used the service but I have seen them when I've been down by the Creek and I'm not sure about getting good photographs from them as they are enclosed??    The best option for getting photographs of the Burj Al Arab is by going out on a tourist boat from Dubai Marina as it is a much shorter distance trip and they sit off the Burj Al Arab so those onboard can get photographs.   Unfortunately your 4 hour time window doesn't really give you much time for getting out to Dubai Marina, onto the water and then back onshore and back to the cruise terminal so I'm not sure what to suggest as an alternative, other than taking either the HoHo bus along Jumeirah Beach or getting a taxi out there and photographing the Burj from the beach beside the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or from the Madinat Jumeirah which is the other side of the Burj Al Arab....

 

https://www.dubai-ferry.com/routes/

 

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask about the monorail... The only monorail operates along the 'trunk' of Dubai Palm, there isn't a monorail that operates near the Burj Al Arab???? 

 

Anne...

Thanks Anne: 

 

Perhaps you can advise on another area. We will have about 3-4 hours to walk around the Souk / Al Seef area. Are there specific places you can recommend to see in that venue? We will need to return to the Holiday Inn Jumeirah. Do we take an Abra then taxi? .....Steve

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1 hour ago, dynamic cruiser said:

Thanks Anne: 

 

Perhaps you can advise on another area. We will have about 3-4 hours to walk around the Souk / Al Seef area. Are there specific places you can recommend to see in that venue? We will need to return to the Holiday Inn Jumeirah. Do we take an Abra then taxi? .....Steve


Steve,

 

You can take a Taxi to the Al Seef area and then walk beside the Creek as the heritage area stretches all along the Creekside and take an abra (small water taxis) across to Deira side as well if you want to visit the Spice Souq and the old Gold Souq... Again, just get a taxi back to the Holiday Inn Jumeirah... You can easily spend 3-4 hours doing that....

 

Anne...

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4 hours ago, Jayayeff said:


Steve,

 

You can take a Taxi to the Al Seef area and then walk beside the Creek as the heritage area stretches all along the Creekside and take an abra (small water taxis) across to Deira side as well if you want to visit the Spice Souq and the old Gold Souq... Again, just get a taxi back to the Holiday Inn Jumeirah... You can easily spend 3-4 hours doing that....

 

Anne...

Hi Anne:

 

That's great - appreciate the advice. Thanks again. 

 

Steve

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  • 1 month later...

Anne,

 

You mentioned some time ago that Emirates passengers could use the bus service from Abu Dhabi to Dubai airport.

I am leaving a cruise ship in Abu Dhabi and have an Emirates flight booked the following day from Dubai.( I am staying one night in Dubai so would then get a taxi to my hotel from the airport.)

 

Would I be able to use their service even though my flight isn't till the following day?

If so, do I need to book the bus somehow or just show up at the bus station with my tickets? 

 

Is there a better alternative  - my hotel is near the Dubai airport?

 

Thanks

 

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https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/before-you-fly/dubai-international-airport/shuttle-service-dubai/

 

This site just says you must have a valid ticket...doesn't specify which day, so I suspect you might have to drop them an e mail and ask. It also says the bus is supposed to be booked with you air ticket, so you might have to amend it....unless I'm getting this all wrong!

 

Simon

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11 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

https://www.emirates.com/uk/english/before-you-fly/dubai-international-airport/shuttle-service-dubai/

 

This site just says you must have a valid ticket...doesn't specify which day, so I suspect you might have to drop them an e mail and ask. It also says the bus is supposed to be booked with you air ticket, so you might have to amend it....unless I'm getting this all wrong!

 

Simon


I think it is the day of travel... I believe the ticket shows Abu Dhabi as the point of departure but the segment from Abu Dhabi to Dubai is by road.... They check you and your bags in at their ‘terminal’ in Abu Dhabi, then transfer directly to the airport in Dubai... However I may be wrong  as I haven’t used the service myself, I just know it exists...

 

Anne..

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We ended up having to switch our flight, coronavirus, so now we are arriving via Sharjah.  We thought we would rent a car and drop off our items and check into the cruise before going out again minus our bags, but from what I understand there is not parking at the port. (The ship overnights and leaves the next day).  Is there any option of where we need to park for an hour or so nearby? I would probably have my husband drop us off and then go park somewhere if need be. 

 

I can't find any car rental offices near the port either.  Am I missing them,, or would we be better off returning the car at the Dubai airport and taking the metro back to the ship (I understand a 30 or so minute walk is involved from the metro)?

 

After all.your helpful advice to pick a place to stay we ended up doing a b2b on the ship because the cost had come down so much in price.  I figure I'll use the same advice for my next trip out there.

 

Thanks!

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10 hours ago, bearette said:

We ended up having to switch our flight, coronavirus, so now we are arriving via Sharjah.  We thought we would rent a car and drop off our items and check into the cruise before going out again minus our bags, but from what I understand there is not parking at the port. (The ship overnights and leaves the next day).  Is there any option of where we need to park for an hour or so nearby? I would probably have my husband drop us off and then go park somewhere if need be. 

 

I can't find any car rental offices near the port either.  Am I missing them,, or would we be better off returning the car at the Dubai airport and taking the metro back to the ship (I understand a 30 or so minute walk is involved from the metro)?

 

After all.your helpful advice to pick a place to stay we ended up doing a b2b on the ship because the cost had come down so much in price.  I figure I'll use the same advice for my next trip out there.

 

Thanks!


There is parking at the cruise terminal.  I’ve driven myself into the port a couple of times, once when I was sailing the following day when I took my car with my baggage, checked into the ship and took my car back home later in the day.  I’ve also visited friends onboard their ship when they were on a port call in Dubai and left my car on the parking lot in front of the terminal buildings.   However, there may be an issue taking a hire car into the port as I seem to recall having to use my car registration card to get a security pass to get into the port and hire cars don’t usually have the card in them....  I also don’t recall seeing any car hire desks in the cruise terminal but I may be wrong there, as I’ve never really looked for them...   If you did return the hire car to the airport or other location you’d need to get a taxi or metro + taxi back to the ship as you cannot walk into the port.  The port is a secure area and the cruise terminal is quite a distance from the port entry gates...  Unless you really need to have a hire car for the day, you may be better just getting a taxi from Sharjah Airport to Port Rashid or booking a private transfer.... 

 

Anne...

 

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Thank you for your help! We opted for the car because it will also allow for a place for the kids to sleep if they need a power nap to get through (versus a hotel for a few hours).  I am sure car rental papers will be enough to get us in with our cruise documents. Since we also want to try to visit the Global Village it will be easier with the car, then we will dump it because you almost never want a car in a large city.

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Hello Anne. Word has it that UAE has closed schools for several weeks to reduce contagion spread and that large gatherings are being stopped. I note several large tourist venues, like Global Village, Miracle or Glow Gardens have not made any such announcements on their website. Would you be able to give an on the ground verification of any of these statements? I received it several hands removed, and tend not to go searching out media hype, so would appreciate a local's knowledge. Websites might not be updated quickly either.

I personally don't arrive until April, and can adjust plans to be bird wstching instead of at a group event but knowledge might save folks from buying tickets on line they can't use.

Thanks for any clarity.

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6 hours ago, mef_57 said:

Hello Anne. Word has it that UAE has closed schools for several weeks to reduce contagion spread and that large gatherings are being stopped. I note several large tourist venues, like Global Village, Miracle or Glow Gardens have not made any such announcements on their website. Would you be able to give an on the ground verification of any of these statements? I received it several hands removed, and tend not to go searching out media hype, so would appreciate a local's knowledge. Websites might not be updated quickly either.

I personally don't arrive until April, and can adjust plans to be bird wstching instead of at a group event but knowledge might save folks from buying tickets on line they can't use.

Thanks for any clarity.


Yes, school closures were announced this morning.  They would have been on Spring break for 2 weeks later this month anyway but the ministry has decided to bring that forward to this coming Sunday (8th March) and added a further 2 weeks to the break.  The announcement says to facilitate deep cleaning of all schools, colleges and universities however it isn’t an out and out holiday as there is a distance learning programme in place to cover the period they will be closed.    Some large gatherings have been cancelled but as far as I can tell it is due more to them being international, i.e. a Book Fair, another exhibition/trade fair or sporting events with international team participation.  I believe the Dubai World Cup horse racing festival later this month is still going ahead, as did the ATP tennis championships last week... I am not aware that the Global Village, Miracle Garden etc. have been affected so far... The two local newspapers carry all the latest ministry announcements so you can check either Gulf News or Khaleej Times online to stay up to date....

 

Anne....

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1 minute ago, Jayayeff said:


Yes, school closures were announced this morning.  They would have been on Spring break for 2 weeks later this month anyway but the ministry has decided to bring that forward to this coming Sunday (8th March) and added a further 2 weeks to the break.  The announcement says to facilitate deep cleaning of all schools, colleges and universities however it isn’t an out and out holiday as there is a distance learning programme in place to cover the period they will be closed.    Some large gatherings have been cancelled but as far as I can tell it is due more to them being international, i.e. a Book Fair, another exhibition/trade fair or sporting events with international team participation.  I believe the Dubai World Cup horse racing festival later this month is still going ahead, as did the ATP tennis championships last week... I am not aware that the Global Village, Miracle Garden etc. have been affected so far... The two local newspapers carry all the latest ministry announcements so you can check either Gulf News or Khaleej Times online to stay up to date....

 

Anne....

Anne, thanks for confirming the other details and for the newspaper references.  I'll check those closer to date then. Regards.

 

 

 

 

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