Popularity of Royal Caribbean International Cruises from Dubai Drives Increased Sailings In the Region

June 29, 2010: Royal Caribbean International is increasing the length of its Dubai-based season for the 2,501-guest ship Brilliance of the Seas

during the winter 2011-2012 season due to feedback from travel professionals that there is yet more demand for those cruises.

Brilliance of the Seas debuted cruises from the United Arab Emirates in January 2010 with the ship operating a series of eight-night fly/cruise cruises until April 2010. Sales for 2009 and 2010 in UK and Ireland were 30 percent ahead of target for the cruise line’s first four-month season from Dubai . Agent feedback that they enjoyed significant client interest for cruises in the Middle East as well as the strong airlift from across the country direct to Dubai, drove the decision to increase the number of cruises on offer during the third season in the region. The ship’s return to Dubai in November 2011, two months earlier than previously planned, will offer an increased range of itineraries including longer cruises up to 12- and even 18-nights.

Jo Rzymowska, associate vice president and general manager, Royal Caribbean International, UK and Ireland , commented:

“ Dubai is very popular with UK travellers, and cruises consistently offer significant value for money. Included within this cruise itinerary is an overnight stay in the city onboard the ship which makes this an affordable way to enjoy this fascinating Emirate. The chance to explore more of the Middle East, Arabian Sea and even India make these additional longer sailings truly exciting options for agents to maximise.”

The enhanced 2011-2012 Dubai-based season of Brilliance of the Seas will be the ship’s third year based from the destination following a second year of winter cruises from January until April 2011. New itineraries offered during the longer six-month season, include a 12-night Dubai and India cruise featuring ports of call such as Muscat, Oman; Cochin, Goa and Mumbai, India. Brilliance of the Seas also will feature the first ever call by a Royal Caribbean International ship to the New Mangalore port in Panambur on the west coast of India. The town is famed for its beautiful beaches on the Arabian Sea, the Nandaneshwara Temple and the Gurupura River .

During the 2011-2012 season, Royal Caribbean International will continue to offer the popular seven-night cruises departing weekly from Dubai . In fact, there will be double the number of seven-night itineraries compared to previous years, with minor changes to the itinerary including an overnight stay in Dubai at the end of the cruise, rather than the beginning, and a revised order in the ports of call to simplify visa processing. Featured ports of call include Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the UAE and Muscat , Oman . The 7-night itineraries for the upcoming 2010-2011 season also will reflect these changes.

The repositioning cruise from Barcelona to Dubai will be an 18-night option via the Suez Canal and ports of call such as Alexandria , Egypt ; Suez Canal passage; Aqaba , Jordan and Safaga , Egypt .

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Brilliance of the Seas 2011 Dubai Cruises

MAY 7, 2009 – Royal Caribbean International today announced Brilliance of the Seas’ 2011 return to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates following the cruise line’s 2010 inaugural season. The second consecutive seasonal sailings will comprise nine roundtrip sailings from January through March 2011, visiting some of the Arabian coast’s most intriguing destinations on a seven-night itinerary, with an overnight in Dubai at the beginning and end of each cruise. Vacationers also can choose a four-night cruisetour extension for an unforgettable 11-night Arabian adventure. Bookings for Royal Caribbean’s 2011 Dubai cruises and cruisetours are now open.

Available for both the 2010 and 2011 itineraries, the new four-night Arabian Explorer cruisetour vacation extension will offer guests a more thorough exploration of Dubai and the emirates of Raps Al Khaimah and Fujairah, the latter being the only emirate on the Gulf of Oman. Cruisetour guests will be escorted by a tour director and will experience the destinations via four-wheel drive, traveling to sand dunes, majestic mountainsides, mosques and tranquil, picturesque villages. Other highlights include camel racing and a sunset dinner at a Bedouin camp – all sandwiched in between an overnight stay in Dubai, for its superlative shopping opportunities, and a luxurious desert resort stay just outside the city.

The seven-night itinerary aboard Brilliance of the Seas will include calls at Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Mina Sulman, Bahrain; and Oman’s capital city of Muscat. New for the 2011 season are two 12-night Dubai & India roundtrip sailings, departing on March 28 and April 9, which will include the ship’s maiden port calls at India’s Mumbai (Bombay), Goa (Mormugao) and Cochin.

Shore excursions for 2010 and 2011 itineraries, meanwhile, will provide equal doses of adventure and culture. In Dubai, guests can opt for four-wheel drive excursions that will transport them deep into the heart of the emirate’s deserts, and through the shifting sands of Abu Dhabi’s Al Khatim desert. Guests also can choose to ride Royal Arabian horses at Bahrain’s Royal Endurance village; snorkel under the crystal-clear Indian Ocean waters in Fujairah; revel in high tea at an Abu Dhabi palace; and discover Muscat’s souk, sultan’s palace and Portuguese forts.

Vacationers also can choose the 14- or 16-night repositioning itineraries between Barcelona and Dubai. The 14-night cruise, departing January 10, 2011, from Barcelona, will include a Suez Canal transit and calls at Egypt’s Alexandria and Safaga, and Jordan’s Aqaba. The 16-night voyage, leaving Dubai on April 21, will visit three Egyptian ports – Safaga, Sharm El Sheikh and Alexandria -- as well as Muscat and Aqaba.

Those vacationers interested in exploring the Middle East sooner rather than later can choose among 13 seven-night sailings available during Brilliance of the Seas’ inaugural Dubai season, offering the same itinerary from January through April 2010. Also on the 2010 season roster are 14-night repositioning cruises between Barcelona and Dubai via the Suez Canal, departing January 4 and April 19.

Brilliance of the Seas has a sleek profile and features vast expanses of open space, mirrored surfaces and glass paneling – nearly three acres of exterior glass. The open Centrum with ten-deck high windows and ocean-facing glass elevators offers guests breathtaking vistas of the passing landscape and sea. Among the ship’s unique features is a pair of ultra-high-tech, self-leveling pool tables in the Bombay Billiards Club.

Guests can enjoy many amenities found aboard Brilliance of the Seas, including three pools, 12 lounges and bars, the cruise line’s rock-climbing wall, nine-hole miniature golf course, an interactive golf simulator, and the 9,000-sq. ft. Brilliance Fitness Center and Day Spa. Guests also can enjoy a variety of dining choices with five onboard restaurants, including Royal Caribbean’s signature specialty restaurants, Chops Grille steakhouse and Portofino Italian restaurant; Minstrel main dining room; or the casual Windjammer Café and Seaview Café.
Brilliance of the Seas’ guests also will enjoy the cruise line’s award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions in the Pacifica Theater, complimentary Adventure Ocean kids and teen programming, world-class gaming in the Casino Royale, and Royal Caribbean’s Gold Anchor Service of friendly and engaging service from every staff and crew.