Dubai was chosen as the location for Crystal Cruises' flagship to make its maiden cruise in the region following an extensive refurbishment.
The month-long dry dock redesign of Crystal Symphony is the most expansive in the history of the vessel, the company revealed in a statement.
The decision to make port Dubai the location for regional debut of the liner further cements the position of the emirate as region’s leading destination. Dubai is currently serving over 20 world-class cruise lines.
Around 625,000 cruise passengers visited Dubai during 2016-2017 season, reflecting an increase of more than 15% when compared to 2015-2016 season.
DP World is now upgrading Port Rashid in order to accommodate a larger number of cruise ships. Dubai Marine Terminal receives nearly 650,000 cruise passengers per year, while the facilities of the terminal can handle 18,000 passengers daily.
The growth trend is expected to continue during 2017-2018 season, with a total of 155 cruise ship visits from over 20 world-famous cruise lines.