After a challenging year, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is open for cruising. All fully vaccinated travelers from every country are now able to enter the country including sailing in/out via cruise ship. Moving forward, ships of AIDA, Costa Cruises, TUI and MSC Cruises already are slated to call at both Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island. For example, AIDAbella will call starting in November and Costa Firenze in December.
Cruise lines with ships calling at Abu Dhabi are following these health and safety protocols:
- Only vaccinated visitors will be allowed onboard cruise ships
- All passengers and crew will be required to have a negative PCR test 48 hours prior embarking the ship
- All crew members and passengers will undergo PCR testing every two weeks or even more frequently in line with the ship’s sailing schedule
- There will be dedicated quarantine/isolation zones for passengers and staff with symptoms, including a Department of Health approved clinic to support cases requiring hospitalization
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) unveiled its latest cruise offerings at the recent Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Miami, FL.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming travelers to Abu Dhabi and to see the resurgence of the sea cruise industry,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing, DCT Abu Dhabi. “Over the past few years, our cruise industry has witnessed unprecedented growth, allowing us to offer seafaring travelers unforgettable experiences when they visit the U.A.E. capital."
He said that this year, Abu Dhabi looks forward to welcoming a host of cruise ships to its terminals and providing guests with the opportunity to explore attractions within the emirate and within its tranquil surrounding waters.
Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, managing director of cruise business at AD Ports Group, said: “We are excited to welcome vaccinated cruise passengers at the Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal and Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach with our world-famous Emirati hospitality. We have the best-in-class measures in place to ensure the wellbeing of passengers and crew, in line with Abu Dhabi’s health and safety protocols, and are confident that we are well-prepared for the resumption of regular cruise activities in the emirate.”
For more information about the latest guidelines in Abu Dhabi, visit www.visitabudhabi.ae.
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