Live from World Europa

[Cruiseforever11]

Thank you for all the info and pictures and taking time to report back whilst on your holiday. The ship looks fabulous and I hope all in all you had a great time. 😊

[auntsally]

Really appreciate all the information that you posted whilst on the ship, hope you had a great time.  We sail in 2 weeks and sooo look8mg forward to it!

[nicholas99@]

great information about this ship. We arrive 11th February early morning and are booked into Dubai international hotel for the night to be picked up the next day by sharaf tours. Firstly has anybody stayed at the hotel that can tell me where you picked up luggage the next day as you cannot go through immigration and then return to hotel. You must pick it up after checking out the following day. Sharaf tours have sent transfers vouchers with no information about where or when we get picked up. 
it's all very confusing, hopefully someone can help with some information 

[Nunagoras]

Many thanks to the wonderful review! Have a nice returning home. It seems that the WE will be a game changer on the mega-ship segment.

[ocdb8r]

I know you're now off the ship, but a few follow up questions if you remember:

 

1) Did you need a COVID test upon embarkation in Dubai (if vaccinated)?  MSC website implies yes...but haven't seen anyone mention this.

 

2) Were there any laundry "packages" offered to you? 

 

3) Were there any dining packages offered?

[Nikita4]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:10 PM, nicholas99@ said:

great information about this ship. We arrive 11th February early morning and are booked into Dubai international hotel for the night to be picked up the next day by sharaf tours. Firstly has anybody stayed at the hotel that can tell me where you picked up luggage the next day as you cannot go through immigration and then return to hotel. You must pick it up after checking out the following day. Sharaf tours have sent transfers vouchers with no information about where or when we get picked up. 
it's all very confusing, hopefully someone can help with some information 

Why you want to stay in the airport hotel? There are a lot o hotels in Dubai. So you can see al lot of Dubai. The Airporthotel is really for a night between two flights. We stayed there twice with our Kids between a flight from South Africa to Europe or from Australia to Europe. But it was not a good experience, its ok for some hours, but not for more.

[little britain]

On 1/31/2023 at 9:23 AM, ocdb8r said:

I know you're now off the ship, but a few follow up questions if you remember:

 

1) Did you need a COVID test upon embarkation in Dubai (if vaccinated)?  MSC website implies yes...but haven't seen anyone mention this.

 

2) Were there any laundry "packages" offered to you? 

 

3) Were there any dining packages offered?

No covid tests needed

 

There were laundry 🧺 packages in my planner but I didn’t really talk much notice - it was something like €30 for 20 items

 

Yes there were dining packages- they were continually touting them onboard…

4 restaurant package is €125 
3 restaurant package is €115

[nicholas99@]

21 hours ago, Nikita4 said:

Why you want to stay in the airport hotel? There are a lot o hotels in Dubai. So you can see al lot of Dubai. The Airporthotel is really for a night between two flights. We stayed there twice with our Kids between a flight from South Africa to Europe or from Australia to Europe. But it was not a good experience, its ok for some hours, but not for more.

Was not our choice, cruise company have booked us into this hotel. With transfers to the ship the next day. 

[auntsally]

Are the theatre shows the same time every night?, 7.30 & 9.15.

[Nikita4]

19 minutes ago, auntsally said:

Are the theatre shows the same time every night?, 7.30 & 9.15.

and 23.00. Yes more or less, sometimes there are two shows and sometimes three. The last can be an other show, perhaps with the magician.

[Nikita4]

On 2/1/2023 at 6:23 PM, nicholas99@ said:

Was not our choice, cruise company have booked us into this hotel. With transfers to the ship the next day. 

That's strange, in the airport you can't do a lot. So I would speak with the TA and change the hotel, or the flight.

[little britain]

On 1/30/2023 at 6:10 PM, nicholas99@ said:

great information about this ship. We arrive 11th February early morning and are booked into Dubai international hotel for the night to be picked up the next day by sharaf tours. Firstly has anybody stayed at the hotel that can tell me where you picked up luggage the next day as you cannot go through immigration and then return to hotel. You must pick it up after checking out the following day. Sharaf tours have sent transfers vouchers with no information about where or when we get picked up. 
it's all very confusing, hopefully someone can help with some information 

Do not stay in a soulless airport hotel when there are hundreds of alternatives. 
You don’t need transfers. Taxis and Uber are cheap and readily available. 
Stay somewhere else! 

[Beamafar]

Hi LB ( @little britain)Thanks a mil for the great review.  Hopefully we’ll be boarding in a little over 5 weeks’ time so the info here was very helpful. 
 

Do Uber or Careem accept credit cards?  It’s unlikely we’ll have local currency on our arrival in Abu Dhabi (though I suppose there’s an ATM in the airport - just would rather not have to use it). 

[little britain]

59 minutes ago, Beamafar said:

Hi LB ( @little britain)Thanks a mil for the great review.  Hopefully we’ll be boarding in a little over 5 weeks’ time so the info here was very helpful. 
 

Do Uber or Careem accept credit cards?  It’s unlikely we’ll have local currency on our arrival in Abu Dhabi (though I suppose there’s an ATM in the airport - just would rather not have to use it). 

I already have an account on Uber that I’ve used all over the world;  and set one up on Careem prior to this trip. Both accounts are linked to a credit card so the sum is deducted automatically.  I use a Halifax/Monzo/Chase card that doesn’t charge any fx fees. 
You then get an email after the trip confirming what the fare actually was ( as they are estimates when you book);  and there is an option to add a tip if you wish.

 

One thing I did notice is that whilst a regular cab charges a additional fee when leaving the port in both Dubai and AD of around 20AED, this charge was not added to the Uber or Careem fares making them definitively cheaper! 
 

I don’t know about U or C picking you up from the airport in landing 🛬 as of course you need Wi-Fi to make the booking.. and you risk losing the Wi-Fi signal when you go outside to find the driver!  I found this an issue at several of the cruise terminals!!!  Had to run back closer to the ship/ terminal to look at the little map on the app to see where our driver was!!!

 

I would say just set up an account with Uber as they are global. 

 

I’m sure regular 🚕 cabs accept credit cards. 
 

Have a fab time! Hope you get better weather  🕶️ than we had! 

LBx

Edited February 18, 2023 by little britain

[Beamafar]

Duh - you’d know I don’t use taxis/Uber etc regularly.  I have Uber downloaded and have used it once or twice (but quite some time ago).  Gonna blame it on having a senior moment. 🙄

 

Had a similar experience in Miami when using Uber - both at the airport then at the port on disembarkation day.  No wifi - aaagh.  Cost me more than a regular taxi by having to use roaming.  
 

Thanks a mil for the great advice. 

[marcoigna]

@Beamafar did we not meet on the Meraviglia in the fall of 2019?   Are u on the World Europa grand voyage? 

[Beamafar]

1 hour ago, marcoigna said:

@Beamafar did we not meet on the Meraviglia in the fall of 2019?   Are u on the World Europa grand voyage? 

We did indeed, Marco, and, yes, we’re on WE from Abu Dhabi.   Unfortunately we’re not in YC this time.  It wasn’t “available” despite making the booking when it first opened up. I think it had to do with the embarkation port.  Still no availability from AD but there is from Dubai.  

[Nunagoras]

3 hours ago, Beamafar said:

We did indeed, Marco, and, yes, we’re on WE from Abu Dhabi.   Unfortunately we’re not in YC this time.  It wasn’t “available” despite making the booking when it first opened up. I think it had to do with the embarkation port.  Still no availability from AD but there is from Dubai.  

Dubai is the "main" port for WE, so better availability there ship locations wise. Same with European sailings, the "main" embarkation port will ever be better. Sometimes difficult to find which is "main" port. Every time Genoa is in an Itinerary, that's easy!...

[Beamafar]

11 minutes ago, Nunagoras said:

Dubai is the "main" port for WE, so better availability there ship locations wise. Same with European sailings, the "main" embarkation port will ever be better. Sometimes difficult to find which is "main" port. Every time Genoa is in an Itinerary, that's easy!...

You’re quite right, N. 👍