Disha Shah Ghosh - Mumbai Cashing on the popularity of UAE as a primere short-haul outbound market for the Indian traveller, Resorts World Cruises (RWC) is set to offer shorter two- and three-nights itineraries with Dubai as a home port starting October this year.
The two-year old company unveiled its Arabian Gulf itineraries for ‘Resorts World One’ to the Indian travel trade at a glittering event in Mumbai at the St. Regis.
Upbeat about this new product, Michael Goh, President, Resorts World One, said, “We are really excited about this new development, and are positive that this will be a success story in India. We are giving passengers to sail two or three-nights or combine the itineraries and cruise for five to seven nights. India is going to be our key fly-cruise source market, especially for family travel, couples, MICE and special interest groups. For the cruise business, it is important to expand home port deployment.”
Sharing his views, Naresh Rawal, Vice President – Sales, Resorts World Cruises, stated, “India contributes one third of our cruise passengers out of Singapore. Resorts World One will debut in the Arabian Gulf for October 18, 2024 to April 2025 season, with options of Sunday, Wednesday and Friday sailing with departures at 9pm, allowing convenient fly-in and fly-out choices. This will work well for families since it will give them time to bond during a short vacation to the UAE.”
Resorts World One has the capacity to host 1,854 guests, and onboard announcements will be made in English and Arabic. Adhering to the norms, meat served on the ship will he Halal-certified, and no pork will be available for consumption onboard. The all-inclusive ‘The Palace’ will offer 42 suites with a private butler service for HNIs.
The two-night sailings to the exclusive Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, will give passengers an up-close and personal experience of the wildlife. On a three-night sojourn, port of calls at Muscat and Khasab in Oman will offer the best views of the Gulf of Oman, while the two-night Doha cruise will give a peak into the Kingdom’s evolution as tourism hub.
With regards to visa, Indian travellers wanting to sail from Dubai need multiple-entry visa for the UAE, and land permits for Oman and Qatar sailings.
Resorts World Cruises will continue to engage in India through their PSA network is hopeful that the Arabian Gulf sailings will complement their Singapore deployments.
