Abu Dhabi to welcome back cruise liners from September

Abu Dhabi will welcome back cruise liners into the emirate from September 1, following months of closure from 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Only vaccinated passengers will be allowed to disembark in the emirate and strict Covid-19 preventive measures will be placed, the emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) said in a statement.

“We are well prepared to receive and welcome vaccinated visitors to the UAE’s capital once again and are excited to see the resumption of cruise activities at both Zayed Port and Sir Bani Yas Island,” said Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, managing director – Cruise Business, Abu Dhabi Ports.

“We have implemented a cruise management plan to ensure an efficient, smooth, and safe return to regular cruise operations. In line with Abu Dhabi’s health protocols for international arrivals, Abu Dhabi Ports is initiating several health and safety measures to protect passengers and crew, which includes daily sterilisation activities across the terminal, the requirement of PCR testing before embarkation, as well as the implementation of a comprehensive emergency response plan for handling positive cases within the terminal.”

She added: “Cruise passengers visiting Abu Dhabi can be assured that every measure to safeguard their health and safety during their stay is being undertaken.”

Maritime tourism has been growing in Abu Dhabi, and in 2019, around 500,000 cruise visitors arrived in the emirate’s ports, marking a 46 per cent increase compared to 2018. The number of cruise calls also rose 43 per cent year-on-year in 2019 to reach a total of 192.

“We are delighted to welcome all cruise liners back to Abu Dhabi after a challenging year,” said Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.

The step will help strengthen the UAE capital’s position as a hub for maritime tourism, he stressed.

“We will continue to work closely with our partners at Abu Dhabi Ports to further boost the maritime tourism sector and attract more businesses and tourists providing them with unparalleled services and experiences while exploring Abu Dhabi and its diverse offerings.”

Abu Dhabi is gradually reopening to tourists, and according to Bloomberg, the emirate has revealed plans to offer Covid-19 vaccination for tourists.

Read: Tourists in Abu Dhabi can now receive Pfizer, Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines

DCT Abu Dhabi has also said that it will be announcing a series of initiatives throughout the year to promote the destination to global audiences.

Abu Dhabi is presently seeing the development of major projects, such as the 2.4 kilometers canal project Al Qana, the world’s first Warner Bros Hotel, the largest aquarium in the Middle East and Snow Abu Dhabi – the world’s largest indoor snow park spread across 11,660 sqm, all set to open later this year.