More calls, bigger ships, the return of an industry giant, infrastructure improvements and sharpened appetite for Arabian Gulf itineraries promise record breaking results during 2014/15 and 2015/16 winter seasons for Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning cruise industry.Previous records for Abu Dhabi’s cruise sector are set to be eclipsed over the next two seasons as major developments and a spike in global ‘Cruise Arabia’ marketing begin to bear fruit.
Early forecasts indicate a surge in passenger and crew arrivals of 58% – 270,000 are expected to pass through the UAE capital’s Zayed Port compared to 190,000 in the forthcoming 2014/15 season, which is due to kick off in earnest with the October arrival of Holland America Line’s Rotterdam.
The return of Germany’s TUI cruises Mein Schiff 2 for 19 calls is expected to generate 53,000 passengers aboard its premium all-inclusive cruise, and larger vessels from regular seasonal callers Costa Cruise and MSC are set to boost arrivals.
In what will be one of the emirate’s longest seasons to date, extending into early May 2015, Zayed Port is gearing up to welcome 92 calls – up from 75 last season – from 14 ships to the dedicated interim cruise terminal, ahead of the anticipated opening and increased capacity of a new permanent cruise terminal in time for the 2015/16 season.
The increase in passenger numbers is just one of many positive factors affecting Abu Dhabi’s cruise credentials according to Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director Tourism at TCA Abu Dhabi.
“We are witnessing a growing confidence from the world’s leading cruise lines in Abu Dhabi and the Arabian Gulf as a cruise destination, and are heartened to see many increasing their frequency of calls or introducing larger ships to the region to meet demand from their clients.
“Plans to further set the emirate apart are afoot with the development of a second port of call in Abu Dhabi waters, an ever-expanding range of differentiated shore excursions for passengers via our headline attractions on Yas Island, and the upcoming cultural institutions on Saadiyat Island, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which will open next year.
“I anticipate this growth trend to continue with the addition of Zayed Port’s permanent terminal and our beach stop-over port-of-call destination on Sir Bani Yas Island in 2015/16, and as we develop further our collaborative marketing efforts and seek to expand the Cruise Arabia alliance.”

Six ships from Costa Cruises, MSC, TUI and AIDA are expected to generate 82 of the 92 calls, with the remaining repositioning calls coming from Holland America Lines (Rotterdam), Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (Balmoral), Oceana Cruises (Nautica), Phoenix Reisen (Amadea & Albatros) and Voyages of Discovery (Voyager) as they include the emirate in their world voyage programmes.
These ships will be joined by two Cunard Queens (Elizabeth and Mary2), which will return for the emirate’s first double Cunard call.
A significant addition to Abu Dhabi’s waters is the Costa Serena, with its 4,810 passengers and crew has next season’s largest capacity – over 1,000 more than the largest ship last year – and is one of two regular Costa callers, with the boutique Costa neoRiviera returning for another season.
“We have worked hard to encourage the lines we represent to bring larger vessels to the region, and securing the flagship Costa Serena – the largest vessel in the entire Costa fleet – effectively extends their seasonal capacity by 25%,” explained George Varghese, General Manager of Rais Hassan Saadi & Co, UAE shipping agents for Costa Cruises and a number of other lines.

In addition to the Costa Serena and Fred Olsen’s Balmoral, the roster of four maiden arrivals will be completed by the arrival of the MSC Orchestra and AIDA Aura vessels for the coming season.
German tour operator AIDA Cruises has also committed extra capacity for the forthcoming season, with the addition of its second ship and maiden caller AIDA Aura joining the returning AIDA Diva. Aura is expected to make eight calls to the capital during a 14 night rotational itinerary which also makes calls to the west coast of India – a first for any line operating in the Gulf and Indian Ocean.

Ton up for 2015/16
Longer term commitments and an increase in regular weekly callers will extend the capital’s rapidly increasing cruise market well into the 2015/16 season.
For the first time, Zayed Port will welcome seven rotational Arabian Gulf callers – the highest ever number of seasonal weekly arrivals – which are set to set to propel ship arrivals for the 2015/16 season beyond 100 for the first time with the addition of Royal Caribbean’s 16 calls to the emirate.
Costa Cruises’ return with two vessels for the season – the Costa neoRiviera mainstay of its Gulf packages being joined by the maiden call of Costa Mediterranea. TUI cruises will extend its commitment of positioning a ship in the Gulf for a second season with a 16 call itinerary for Mein Schiff 2, and MSC will introduce the 2,500 passenger capacity Musica for 13 calls.
AIDA will repeat its two ship presence with the introduction of the new AIDA Prima – due for launch in March 2015 and with a passenger capacity of 3,250, the largest ship of the AIDA fleet – and the return of the AIDA Aura on her regional Gulf and Indian Ocean cruises.
“We are set for a busy 2015/16 season with our two AIDA ships due to arrive on consecutive weeks in mid-November. The German operator has had a steady presence in the region in recent years, and is bolstering this with the addition of AIDA Prima, an indication that demand for the region is growing from the main European cruise markets,” said Alex Thomas, Port Manager for Inchcape Shipping Services, Abu Dhabi.
“As well as welcoming AIDA Prima for 16 calls in her maiden season, we will once again be providing for the nine scheduled AIDA Aura calls and the new passenger opportunities presented by this extended itinerary to the west coast of India.”
And for the first time, Seabourn will make two calls to Abu Dhabi’s new dedicated cruise beach stopover on Sir Bani Yas Island.
With the planned 2016/2017 opening of the permanent cruise terminal at Zayed Port and bookings already confirmed from prestigious lines such as Azamara Club, Silverseas and Crystal Cruises and the ocean’s most prestigious cruise ship The World, the future for the capital’s cruise sector looks extremely buoyant.