The UAE cruise season is under way and Abu Dhabi is celebrating record numbers of international passengers.
More than 130,000 visitors sailed into Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal ports in January, according to the latest figures from AD Ports Group. Some 88,000 docked at Zayed Port last month, while more than 42,000 sailed into Sir Bani Yas Island, marking the capital's highest number of international cruise passengers in any month during the last five years.
In Dubai, tourism officials previously announced they were expecting just under one million to sail into the city this season.
For travellers in the Emirates, there are a wealth of cruising itineraries waiting to be explored.
Here are six of the best UAE cruises still available to book this year, with at-sea adventures to destinations including Oman, the Seychelles and Singapore.
A seven-night voyage around the Middle East on the MSC Opera
Italian cruise line MSC operates several journeys from ports in the region, including a seven-night voyage around the Middle East.
Departing from Abu Dhabi and sailing on the recently upgraded MSC Opera, the itinerary includes five different ports of call. From the UAE capital’s main port, MSC Opera sails first to Sir Bani Yas Island in Al Dhafra region where travellers can access the region’s marine life and protected wildlife.
From here, the ship hits the open seas en route to Muscat, the capital of Oman where there are traditional markets, museums and more. The MSC Opera has a capacity for 2,579 passengers and comes with upgraded cabins with balconies, new play areas for children and an ornate Teatro dell'Opera, which hosts live performances nightly.
From Muscat, the ship sails to Khasab, a port city in the Omani exclave of Musandam on the northern peak of the UAE. Known as the Norway of the Middle East, Musandam features long inlets dug out of limestone with towering cliffs rising out of its clear blue waters. For the final port of call, MSC Opera docks in Dubai where excursions on offer include a visit to the gold souq, camel racing and a sightseeing tour of the city’s best-known landmarks.
From $309 per person; next sailing November 18; www.msccruises.com
Luxury sailing from Dubai to the Seychelles with Silver Sea
Luxury cruise operator Silver Sea, famed for its all-inclusive excursions, is setting sail from Dubai in November.
Sailing on Silver Spirit, the voyage takes travellers on a discovery of the Middle East, sailing from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and then onwards to Doha and Bahrain. From Manama, it beelines to Saudi Arabia’s Dammam where a cultural experience includes a visit to the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, also known as Ithra, listed in Time magazine as one of the "World's Top 100 Places to Visit".
The tour then takes in Muscat with dolphin spotting, dhow cruises, museums, mosques and markets on offer, before embarking on two days at sea to reach Mumbai.
In India’s City of Dreams there’s the option to explore landmarks such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya museum, formerly the Prince of Wales Museum, the colourful flower market and the Gateway of India arch. Then it's onwards towards Cochin for an overnight stay before four days at sea giving travellers the chance to sample Silver Spirit’s eight restaurants, spa and observation library.
Tropical waters and sunshine await in the Seychelles archipelago, with the vessel cruising to La Digue and Praslin islands, before arriving in Mahe on December 13.
Rates from $6,450 per guest, all-inclusive; next sailing November 24; www.silversea.com
Discover the region with Costa Cruises
Costa Cruises offers an eight-day voyage across the region. Sailing aboard the Costa Toscana, which has 11 restaurants, 13 swimming pools and hot tubs and 19 bars and lounges, travellers will depart from Dubai on a trip encompassing Doha, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.
From Dubai, the ship heads to Abu Dhabi where passengers can visit Saadiyat Island and take part in a walking tour around Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, illuminated by the light and shadows of sundown.
On day four, it heads to Doha, Qatar’s capital where travellers can choose from myriad shore activities including a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, a sightseeing and shopping tour or a visit to Katara Cultural Village and the ancient Souq Waqif.
After a full day at sea, the ship docks at Muscat. Travellers have a day to discover the capital with excursions including 4x4 drives across Wadi Al Arbeieen, dolphin-spotting boat tours and sightseeing trips taking in some of the city's highlights including the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and Mutrah Souq. Another day of sailing leads to the the final day, when the ship docks back in Dubai
Rates from $939 per person, next sailing December 16; www.costacruises.eu
Dubai to Singapore on an Exotic Eastern Spices cruise with Oceania
Travellers looking to push the boat out can book to travel on Oceania Cruises' Exotic Eastern Spices route.
Setting sail from Dubai, the 20-day journey transports passengers from the dune-filled landscapes of the UAE to the ancient lands of Indochina, passing through India and Sri Lanka on the way.
Travelling on Nautica — a Regatta-class ship with restaurants, swimming pools, a running track and a wellness centre — passengers will visit Fujairah, the only emirate located on the Gulf of Oman.
After two days at sea, passengers arrive in Mumbai, where excursions to Gharapuri Island and its seventh-century rock-cut temples of the Elephanta Caves await. Two days later, Nautica will continue sailing, docking in Goa, then Mangalore and wrapping up the tour of India in Cochin.
A day in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo brings excursions such as Buddhist-guided meditation and a visit to a tea plantation and also marks the midway point of the journey.
Following three days of sailing, the ship docks in Myanmar for three days, before carrying on to Thailand’s largest island Phuket, which has plenty of tropical palms, beaches and marine life. The last port of call is Singapore, with the ship docking on December 28.
From $4,399 per guest, including eight excursions, $800 onboard credit and a beverage package, next sailing December 8; www.oceaniacruises.com
Seven-night cruise with Azamara
Azamara offers a seven-day cruise of the region. Beginning in Dubai, the first day of the voyage is spent exploring the city and giving travellers a chance to get settled into Azamara’s luxury cabins.
Next, it’s onwards to Abu Dhabi with the chance to explore the UAE's capital with high tea at Emirates Palace, a trip to Yas Island and guided tours of Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Next, the ship visits Sir Bani Yas Island, which offers nature drives across the protected reserve and snorkelling adventures.
Day five is spent sailing to Doha. Travellers can try out onboard culinary demonstrations from professional chefs, live entertainment at the Cabaret Lounge and treatments at The Sanctum Spa.
The ship will dock overnight in Qatar's capital. Excursions on offer in Doha include kayaking through Al Thakira Mangrove Forest, a visit to the Mall of Qatar and a desert safari. Finally, the ship sails back to Dubai where activities on offer for passengers include a helicopter tour of the city and a private safari tour to a Bedouin camp in Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.
Rates from $929 per person, next sailing November 13; www.azamara.com
A 22-day voyage from Dubai to Cape Town with Regent Seven Seas
Regent Seven Seas sails from Dubai to South Africa’s Cape Town, with a host of wide-ranging ports of call over 22 days.
Offering ultra-luxury all-inclusive packages, all passengers have unlimited shore excursions, beverages, dining, Wi-Fi and laundry services. Travellers who book a penthouse suite will also be able to make use of private butler service. On this trip, passengers will be travelling on the Seven Seas Mariner, the world’s first all-suite, all-balcony cruise liner.
The itinerary begins in Abu Dhabi, where guests can take a shore excursion to Al Ain, and carries onto Oman's Salalah before docking in the Seychelles for three days of tropical escapism. Passengers will also get the chance to visit Madagascar, home to some of the world’s most unusual wildlife, before heading to the French Comoros islands and then sailing through the Mozambique Channel.
From Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, the vessel will head towards Richard’s Bay, one of South Africa’s largest harbours, and the gateway to Zululand, once the mightiest of the sub-Saharan African Kingdoms. Docking in Mossel Bay, halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, passengers can explore beaches in a destination that receives at least 300 days of sunshine a year.
Finally, the ship will sail into South Africa’s Cape Town, where museums, mountains and more await. Guests can add an optional four-day post-cruise exploration to the trip, which is an ideal way to round off the voyage and encompasses game drives, the Cape Winelands and the expansive Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.
Fares from $13,449, all-inclusive, next sailing April 16; www.rssc.com
Dubai's largest cruise ship, the MSC Virtuosa — in pictures
Results
5pm: Reem Island – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Farasah, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
5.30pm: Sir Baniyas Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: SSR Ghazwan, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Astral Del Sol, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Al Maryah Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Toumadher, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
7pm: Yas Island – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Saadiyat Island – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,400m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Gary Sanchez, Ismail Mohammed
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS
1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)
2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)
3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)
4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)
5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pathaan
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Kashima Antlers 3 (Nagaki 49’, Serginho 69’, Abe 84’)
Guadalajara 2 (Zaldivar 03’, Pulido 90')
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Honeymoonish
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
