Dubai Tourism alongside its public and private sector partners welcomed cruise ship Horizon into Dubai, marking the debut of Pullmantur Cruise Lines in the region. To commemorate the occasion, a traditional ‘Plaques and Keys Exchange’ ceremony was hosted on board in the presence of the president and CEO of Pullmantur Cruises and the ship’s captain, as well as key industry stakeholders. Reaffirming Dubai’s position as the ‘Cruise Hub of the Region’, Horizon was one of five cruise ships to arrive in-port on December 7, bringing in a total of over 25,000 cruise tourists to the emirate in a single day.
At 208 meters long and weighing 46,811 gross tonnes, Pullmantur’s cruise ship Horizon is the first Spanish Cruise Line to be deployed in the region. With Dubai as its official winter home port, the ship is set to conduct 14 calls throughout the season, with regular itineraries around the Arabian Gulf. During each call, the ship will dock for over 36 hours, offering both its passengers and the crew the opportunity to explore the city and its wide range of attractions and experiences. The recent refit and upgrade to the ship’s interior has also ensured that this classic vessel offers world-class facilities including spacious public areas, a theatre lounge and a variety of restaurants. 80 per cent of the ship’s cabins have a sea view with a selection boasting luxurious private balconies. Dubai’s cruise industry is set for a strong performance throughout the 2018/2019 season, with an anticipated 725,000 cruise tourists travelling into the emirate. Throughout the season, seven ships from six different cruise lines will operate regular itineraries from Dubai across the Arabian Gulf and India, with over 20 world-class cruise lines stopping over in the emirate, allowing tourists to start or finish their longer international cruise tours in the city. ”