---

April 17, 2024

Here I am leaving for a new cruise, it will once again be aboard an MSC boat, the MSC Virtuosa to be precise. And this time, the destination will be very different: Exit the Mediterranean or the Caribbean Sea, my plane will take me to Dubai, heading towards the Persian Gulf and the countries bordering it.

First stages of this unique journey with the discovery of Dubai for 2 days. As a good lover and fan of cruising, I pushed it to the limit and decided to sleep in a more than original hotel, because it is neither more nor less than the replica of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2, average copy certainly, but it is a floating hotel-museum with exceptional comfort. In addition to visiting the famous Burj Khalifa, Frame of Dubai, the fountain show, the museum of the future, the Burj al Arab, yacht rental, gold souk where you can take a small wooden taxi boat for 2 dollars , without forgetting places like the Miracle Garden, the Marina or even the Global Village… Dubai has so much to offer that spending a few days there is ultimately very pleasant!

After these two days, I am getting ready to board the MSC Virtuosa for a week-long cruise in the exclusive MSC Yacht Club area! Discovery of this space offering a completely exceptional quality of service where you feel particularly privileged. Moreover, on several occasions, this feeling will be verified during the cruise.

MSC Yacht Club advantage include: Priority boarding-disembarkation every day, no waiting: a male major accompanies us to the exit and waits for us at the entrance (very useful in Abu Dhabi); exclusive and unrestricted access to the boat’s thermal area; mini bar included + full drinks package included; major of men. 24 hours a day; restaurant, swimming pool, buffet exclusive to members of the yacht club; improved cabin care; internet for 2 devices included and many other non-superfluous attentions and privileges…

The name MSC Virtuosa comes from the word virtuoso, which means a highly skilled person in any field of activity. MSC Virtuosa was therefore named to pay tribute to the skill and expertise of the architects and partners of the MSC Cruises shipyard as well as the Atlantic shipyards who designed and built this innovative class of ships. MSC Virtuosa, like its sister ships MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa and MSC Euribia, belongs to the “Meraviglia class”, where the impressive range of onboard experiences combine in perfect harmony with the space and destinations , to deliver the ultimate cruise vacation experience.

After this cultural brief, the cruise finally begins!

So let’s go for the first day. Doha, capital of Qatar. We were moored at the port of Doha, quite far from the modern and economic city center as one can imagine, however nearby (5 min walk) is a replica of a typical village with colorful houses and entertaining streets. art, a fish market in a very exquisite hall-type structure, small alleys letting the wind rush in allowing us to endure the heat which in January is not so unbearable
You can stroll there, buy souvenirs, local products and enjoy the feeling of calm, tranquility and security that Qatar and the Emirates offer us.

For my part, I decided to go by booking an excursion with a local guide in the Doha desert to take the traditional camel and 4 x4 ride in the dunes (you can easily do this at each destination).

The next day, we headed to Bahrain, a very small island where there aren’t a plethora of exciting activities to do. A visit to Manana, the rather pleasant capital and rather in its own right with a charming souk, a visit to the great mosque. All this is easily done on foot or by hiring a taxi (besides, taxis are really not expensive, but be careful, private taxis are sometimes rogue); Public taxi drivers generally wear easily recognizable outfits.
You can also decide to visit, for example, the Formula 1 circuit or camel farms.

After the traditional day at sea which has become almost systematic on all cruises and companies, we docked at…Abu Dhabi, like its cousin Dubai, the wow effect is very present, many large towers, breathtaking 180-degree views, recent and grandiose places of worship such as the Cheick Zayed Mosque, the Palace of King Qasr al watan, the famous Ferrari World theme park or even the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. This city also offers this feeling of security, beauty and cleanliness that is quite astonishing!

Then head to Sir Bani Yas which is a private island belonging to Abu Dhabi offering not only unique access to the beach and the sea, the possibility of enjoying a lot of water activities (paddle, canoe, etc.); you can also buy some not really original fashion items there… But the highlight of the show is the possibility of taking part in a safari… Yes, yes, a safari with almost wild animals, not really those you would expect on a paradise island, but it is true that a safari with such a setting offers us 2 hours of timeless moments.

It’s already the end of the cruise. In summary, Dubai responds without problem to the criticisms that could be given to it. The prejudices with which I had been able to take off from home disappeared, placing this city in a top 5 of my destinations in a rather unexpected way.

Don’t miss more updates, news and reviews about Msc Cruises on Cruising Journal.

Joris Lemesle

Comments