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Royal Caribbean International has revealed that the introduction of its Brilliance of the Seas cruise ship to the Middle East in January 2010 will add more than 32,000 guests in her first 4-month season to the region’s burgeoning cruise sector – which is currently worth US$100 million according to Cruise Market Watch.
Speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2009, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism event, Rama Rebbapragada, Regional Vice President, International Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, stated that Brilliance of the Seas – set to be the Middle East’s biggest cruise ship in terms of guest capacity – will be an important catalyst in driving forward regional cruise tourism growth when it starts operations next year.
“Brilliance of the Seas marks Royal Caribbean International’s operational entry into the Middle East – a market which we believe will grow exponentially in importance over the coming years. Brilliance of the Seas, which boasts one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry, will carry 2,501 guests a week on a dedicated Arabian itinerary, and this in itself will boost tourism spend in the planned stops,” said Rebbapragada.
“The Middle East cruise industry is still in relative infancy with the majority of guests coming from the traditional Western markets on fly-and-cruise packages. We believe that as regional awareness grows about cruise holidays as a viable vacation option, we will see a significant increase in local passenger sign-up.”
According to the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai -operator of the Dubai Cruise Terminal where Brilliance of the Seas will be based – the emirate witnessed a 65 percent increase in traffic for 2008 over the previous year, and is forecasting a 58 percent increase for 2009 – representing more than 316,000 passengers.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Culture and Information has also outlined that it is looking at avenues to bolster its fledgling cruise industry, which currently attracts 120,000 passengers a year. According to the body, it hopes to double that figure in the next two years.
“The Middle East growth figures are remarkable and we expect Brilliance of the Seas to establish itself as the leading cruise option for years to come,” added Helen Beck, Regional Sales Director, International Representatives, EMEA, Royal Caribbean International Ltd., which also announced that Brilliance of the Seas will commence its inaugural seven-night cruise to five major Arabian Gulf destinations, with the weekly programme running from January to April 2010.
Setting sail in Dubai, the new route will visit Muscat, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi and Mina Sulman in Bahrain. Aboard the vessel, cruise guests can experience the contrasts of sun, sea, desert, city life, culture, luxury and Arabian hospitality in just one single holiday.
“There’s plenty to explore, whether you’d rather dive among the coral reef in the azure waters of Fujairah, or visit Dubai’s world-class shopping centres. Or, if you looking for culture, you’ll find it in the region’s many grand and ancient mosques, as well as in the vibrant open-air souks that buzz with authentic sights, sounds and tastes,” added Beck.
With a beam of 105.6 feet and a length of 962 feet, the ship weighs 90,090 tons and can travel at a speed of 25 knots. Brilliance of the Seas has a sleek profile and features vast expanses of open space, mirrored surfaces and glass panelling. Over 50 percent of the 1,055 staterooms have balconies and offer guests breathtaking vistas of the passing landscape and sea. Glass elevators facing the sea and a nine-storey glass constructed Centrum all add to the ship’s award winning aesthetics.
Guests of Royal Caribbean are traditionally very active people, so the ship features indoor and outdoor pools, a seaside fitness centre with modern exercise equipment and a full-service spa, an indoor and outdoor sports deck with golf simulator, sports courts, a rock-climbing wall and a jogging track. And for those wanting something less energetic, the ship has a wide range of dining options, shopping arcades and a theatre. Brilliance of the Seas also offers numerous conference and meeting facilities for business travellers.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
