Starting November 24,
2013, the Costa neoRiviera will be offering a brand new one-week itinerary
called “The Emirates in style”, with longer stopovers at each port of call,
thus allowing Guests to enjoy a relaxing stay while exploring each destination
en route. The itinerary starts every Sunday from Dubai
and includes calls at Muscat , the capital of Oman , Abu Dhabiin the United
Arab Emirates and then back again in Dubai . At each port the ship stops overnight
and the next day, effectively introducing a new type of cruise experience.
“The Emirates in style” is
a cruise with a unique ambience, marked by a leisurely pace that lets you
linger longer, find out more about places and traditions, and revel in the
magical “Thousand and One Nights” atmosphere in this exotic part of the world.
Guests on the Costa neoRiviera will be able to go in small groups on exclusive
excursions specially devised for this cruise. The range of alternatives is
diverse and extremely alluring: a day at the beach at the private Al Maya Island
Resort, the perfect getaway spot located offshore of Abu Dhabi; the
unforgettable experience of a night under the desert sky, with an incredible
dawn spectacle and breakfast at an Arabian village; a tour of Oman proper with
a visit to Nizwa Fort, dune bashing in Wahiba Sands and an overnight stay in a
Bedouin tented camp; in Dubai the opportunity to admire the royal stables and a
traditional Arabian horse show.
“The Emirates in style” –
itinerary and excursions
Guests on the Costa
neoRiviera will be able to see the best of the Emirates and Oman on
fabulous, unhurried tours in groups of no more than twenty-five. In Dubai, in
addition to checking out the city that claims to be the shopping center of the
world, you can also visit the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, see
the billowing sail design of the 7-star Hotel Burj Al Arab and wonder at the
Palma Jumeirah, the world’s largest manmade island shaped in the form of a palm
tree. Plus exclusive excursions such as the visit to Sharjah, its Archeological Museum and the royal stables where you
can see a traditional Arabian horse show. Another attraction on offer is “the
ship of the desert” with a visit to the camel museum and a camel dairy fare
equipped with cutting-edge technology. Also on the tour is the camel racing
track; camel racing has been around for thousands of years and is deeply rooted
in the Emirati soul, though nowadays they use “robot jockeys”.
In more traditional Oman , cruise Guests can discover the local
culture, admire the architecture in the capital Muscat , visit the famous Muttarah souk, where
ancient crafts sit side-by-side with state-of-the-art technological gadgetry,
tour Mirani Fort and head for the Wahiba Sands desert. The scenic drive by jeep
stops at Nizwa, with its 17th century fort and lively souk, en route to the
village of Al Hamra, famous for its date plantations and the traditional Omani
dwelling at Bait Al Safah, a 500-year-old classic style-mud house with twenty
rooms that has been turned into the local museum showing visitors traditional
techniques and clothing.
In the afternoon, after
crossing the dunes at Wahiba Sands, you come to the camp where you spend the
night. The following morning on the way back to Muscat there is a stop to visit a traditional
Bedouin house.
Last but not least, Abu Dhabi also offers all
sorts of interesting excursion options. A highlight is the Al Maya private
island resort, with a mega-sized heated pool overlooking the Arabian
Gulf ; Guests traveling on the Costa neoRiviera will be able to spend
a whole day in this corner of paradise. The more adventurous will not want to
miss out on the excursion featuring a night in the desert with the spectacular
views at daybreak followed by breakfast in the perfectly reconstructed Arabian
heritage village: this unique experience combines the profound silence and
timeless, endless beauty of the desert with the traditions of the people who
live there.
During the port call at Abu Dhabi you can of
course also visit this incredible city with its skyline and the futuristic “Abu
Dhabi 2030”
urban structure framework plan, featuring the cultural district with the
Guggenheim, Louvre and other large-scale museum projects. The many local
tourist attractions include the great “White Mosque” and “Ferrari World”, the
world’s first Ferrari theme park.
Costa Cruises’ program for
the winter 2013/2014 season in the Emirates is completed by the Costa Fortuna,
deployed from December 20, 2013 through March 21, 2014 on one-week cruises,
with homeport Dubai and stopovers at Muscat, this being an overnight stay,
Kashab in Oman, Abu Dhabi and then back to Dubai.