Jayayeff

13 hours ago, Spring123 said:

 

MSC confirmed on phone that it would count as 1 entry only & your passport will NOT be stamped at all 3 consecutive ports (Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sir Bani Yas) in UAE.

Despite the fact that the ship may go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles in between these 3 ports, in order to open the casino.

What about when you leave the UAE to go to the two Oman ports and then re-enter the UAE to disembark in Dubai????  

Anne..

13 hours ago, Spring123 said:

MSC confirmed on phone that it would count as 1 entry only & your passport will NOT be stamped at all 3 consecutive ports (Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sir Bani Yas) in UAE.

Despite the fact that the ship may go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles in between these 3 ports, in order to open the casino.

I was pretty sure that would be the case, it's the same as visiting multiple locations on a land trip you don't get exit and entry stamps each time you travel from Emirate to Emirate.  However, if your cruise visits Qatar, Bahrain or Oman before returning back to the UAE that would be an exit and re-entry...

Anne..

1 hour ago, kurgan said:

Anne, how crowded will be that red line train in Thursday afternoon and Friday  about noon? More or less that usual?

 

When you get on at the airport it won’t be crowded at all, but it will become more crowded as it goes along so you’d just need to be comfortable getting yourself and your luggage off the train and through the station you get off at.   Friday noon shouldn’t be too busy as Friday is the main weekend day here so only leisure passengers not commuters would be on the trains however, a lot of people do still use the Metro even on the weekends.  The stations, platforms, etc. are all quite spacious and user friendly with both escalators and lifts for those who are more comfortable using them.   Personally I’ve only used the Metro without bags or large pieces of luggage but you see many families with pushchairs, or others with luggage so it’s doable...

Anne..

I would double-check this one with your cruise line but I’m pretty sure this would count as one entry and exit to the UAE, and you would only need a further visa if the cruise visited another country between any of the UAE ports.    

Anne...

3 hours ago, kurgan said:

Anne,  I would like to ask another question. It was conflicting info in the internet about luggage in Dubai metro. In some place was written that luggage not allowed, carry-ons only, in another was mentioned opposite... What is real situation with luggage in subway? If we will take subway from airport to hotel near Mall of Emirates ( or another station on the red line), can we do this with luggage?

Thanks!

Yes you can travel on the Metro with luggage.  I believe the restriction is 2 pieces per person (i.e. 1 check-in size piece and 1 carry-on size piece).    The airport terminals are at the beginning of the Red Line so the trains are virtually empty when you get on but will be much more crowded when you negotiate getting off at the MoE... Also, the Metro does not run 24 hours a day so check operating hours with your arrival time and day...

Anne..

2 hours ago, sddsddean said:

We were in Dubai last Christmas and used Big Bus on a 5 day ticket and we were very pleased with them. So you know, Big Bus will be at the cruise terminal when you dock in Dubai. Unless they have changed how they do it, they run a shuttle from the terminal to Wafi mall (stop 9 on the red route). According to what you want to do, you can either do the red or change to green at stop 10 (Dubai mall). We never got round to doing the night tour in our 6 days there, but be aware it doesn’t stop anywhere and starts around 1930, so could be pushing time to get back to the ship.

 

Simon

Thanks Simon.  I was hoping either yourself or someone who had used the hoho buses during their visit would step in.  I was aware that when cruise ships are in port the Big Bus had a link bus from the terminal to the main route, and several other cruise lines provide shuttles to Dubai Mall so the buses could be picked up from there (both City Sightseeing and the Big Bus).  Whilst I see the buses around, having lived here for so many years they are not something I have ever used!! 😀

Anne..

1 hour ago, sfjakey said:

Jayaeff - Anne:  Thank you very much for your help. 

  Is there a hotel with an underwater resturant that yuoi take a submarine too? Frank

That would be the Al Mahara restaurant in the Burj Al Arab however, as with everything associated with the Burj Al Arab it is very expensive and would have to be reserved in advance in order for you to pass security to get across the causeway to the hotel.  The ‘submarine’ is actually a simulator ride as contrary to popular belief the restaurant is not really underwater, it’s all an illusion and what you’re seeing is a huge aquarium!!!  Oops, sorry to ‘burst the bubble’ there...😱

Anne...

4 hours ago, sfjakey said:

Jayaeff - Anne - We are Frank and Sarah from San Francisco and will be arriving in Dubai by on the morning of March 17, 2020 and sailing NCL, Jade on March 18.  We will be leaving San Francisco on Sunday, so when we arrive I know we have a lot of 'jet lag".  Can you suggest a reasonable hotel, close to a Hob on/off Bus stop?  Because of the jet lag I am unsure about how much site seeing we will be able to do.  At least the off and on bus will give us an option to see part of Dubai.  Thanks for your help.  Frank and Sarah.  cheerytrekker@yahoo.com

 

Have a look at the hotels that are in Festival City.  There are 3 all of which have easy access into Festival City Mall which is on the City Sightseeing HoHo bus route.  Festival City is close to the airport so no long ride upon arrival and it is also easy to get across to the cruise terminal from there.   The 3 hotels are the Intercontinental Festival City, Crowne Plaza Festival City and Holiday Inn Festival City....  Even if you don’t take the HoHo bus Festival City is a nice location to spend the day as it is beside the Creek and is much less busy than being around Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates....

Anne...  

5 hours ago, btlover said:

Hi Anne,

 

Looking through Trip Adviser I picked the Al Seef Heritage Hotel because of its ambiance, finding this discussion group, I saw that you stayed there last year; your photos looked great, by the way. We will be there from Dec 28 or 29 (haven't made the airline reservations quite yet) and will be boarding our ship on the 2nd, but leaving the afternoon of January 3. I realize that the hotel is not near any of the big tourist spots, but we prefer taxis and small group tours to HOHO, so do you think the location will be a problem for us? Also, the hotel has just responded to me, stating that the NYE fireworks would be visible from many nearby restaurants.  Does that sound realistic to you?

 

We plan on taking a tour to Abu Dhabi one day, then filling in with all the usual sites 65+ year old tourists want to see, LOL.  Would we be pushing it to arrive on the night of the 29th and be able to see the Burj Khalifa, Desert Safari, etc., giving us 4-1/2 days in Dubai, but 1-1/2 living on the cruise ship, (so we probably will be spending more time on the ship than we would in a hotel room, thus fewer hours for sight seeing)?

 

Thanks for all the information you have previously posted, it's so valuable.

 

Linda

Linda,

The Al Seef Heritage Hotel is now part of the Zabeel House management group (the second tier of Jumeirah Group Hotels), which actually makes more sense as the other two properties within the Al Seef Heritage development are also under Zabeel House management.  The location is not a problem for getting around, it is close to one of the RTA water taxi stations and the Bur Juman Metro station plus taxis are also readily available within that area as it is very popular with visitors.   With regard to NYE fireworks, there are usually displays in several locations not just the Burj Khalifa, and one is the Al Seef/Creek area so if you find an open or elevated viewing position then you would see those, and maybe the Burj Khalifa from a distance.   Although I did go up to the second floor of the ‘Bayt’ I stayed in when there, I can’t remember what the view towards the Burj Khalifa area was like from there.   I know one of the other Zabeel House properties in the Al Seef development (Zabeel House or Zabeel House MINI) have a rooftop restaurant bar which would give a view towards Burj Khalifa but with it being NYE there may be a minimum charge or reservations required to get in there... 

I think 4.5 days in Dubai is a good amount of time to spend in Dubai, and staying in ‘old’ Dubai saves you taking a tour of that area as you would be staying in the middle of it and can wander around at leisure.   It will be busy in Dubai during those days though as Dubai is a popular holiday destination for Europeans and other Middle East countries over Christmas and New Year...

If I can be if any further help, let me know...

Anne.. 

16 hours ago, jmlh said:

Tea @ At.mosphere is booked.  Thanks to all for your responses - made my decision much easier!

Jan

Jan,

I'm sure you will enjoy it - fingers crossed that it is a nice clear day too...

Anne

28 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

We did the 'normal' trip to floor 124 & 125 last Christmas. Be prepared to queue and for people to push in the line (which got my wife really irate!). I think our 'trip' time was 1430 and we got there about 1330 to join the already long queue. There is also not a lot of organisation (in my opinion). So after having tickets checked (by the way, if you get your tickets through an agency...groupon or something, go and get them a day earlier. You can just walk up to the desks using the 'exit' line on the right hand side; no need to join the mega queue), through the security scanner and walking/queuing along corridors, after 90 mins we got to the lifts! About 90 secs up the lift (the left hand one takes you to 125, the other two to 124), we got out of the lift and it was crowded. Managed to get some photos, but as Anne says, it can be (and was) very hazy. Couldn't see the palm, Burj al Arab or even the QE2 (which is only 5 miles away). When going down, the line for the lifts on 124 goes quicker. There is a 'fast track' queue and there was actually someone checking peoples tickets to stop them jumping in, as the queue was nearly an hour!

I wouldn't do it again, but I suppose I can say I've been there, but be prepared for a long wait...unless you pay extra to jump the queue.

 

Simon

Simon

All valid points which is why I always book and collect tickets in advance when I have friends visiting who want to go up, and each trip so far I've been very fortunate in getting to the lifts fairly quickly.  Plus, it's another reason to treat yourself to the At.mosphere afternoon tea, at least if it's a hazy day, you get to see whatever view there is plus enjoy a nice afternoon tea without having to queue!!!

Anne..

17 hours ago, jmlh said:

We are visiting Dubai in early December and, of course, want to visit Burj Khalifa.  We are trying to decide on one of the following options:

-tea at At.mosphere @3pm

-going to level 148 @5pm

-bubbly sunset @ levels 152-54 @ 5:30

Would love to hear from others who have done any of these options and how you enjoyed the experience.  These are not inexpensive excursions so want to make the best decision.  Many thanks for any and all opinions.

 

It really depends why you are visiting.  Is it for a special occasion, a treat or just a visit to see the view over Dubai from ‘up there’.   Just for the view there really is no difference between them as once you are 124 floors up (the regular viewing level), the view from another 20/30 levels up is no different.  The 148th viewing level is less crowded and without the big souvenir store and photographers on the 124th level and has a lounge where you get a tea/coffee and cake but that’s about it.  Afternoon tea at At.mosphere is a treat and I would recommend over Burj al Arab as it kills two birds with one stone - you get a very nice afternoon tea experience plus a much better view over Dubai than from the Burj al Arab as you are more central.  I would only recommend the bubbly sunset on the 152/154 level for a celebration event.. Also, considering the cost of these options, another consideration is the weather -  I’ve been up 3 times now and only once was it a really clear day with endless views, on the other two occasions it was hazy and dusty without the clear views...  

Anne...

On 8/28/2019 at 9:27 PM, clojacks said:

HI Anne. I've settled on staying at either The Oberoi or Al Bandar Rotana Creek. We are not going to do a half board meal package, although, Al Bandar Rotana Creek does offer a Club Room rate with lounge access with snacks in the evening and a breakfast buffet, while The Oberoi offers a breakfast buffet package, but no Club service. In your opinion, are dining options in each location comparable? Does each location offer comparable accessibility to HOHO bus, Metro, etc?

I can’t give an opinion on hotel dining options as I haven’t dined in any of the outlets of either of them however, I am familiar with other Rotana properties and have always been pleased with any dining experiences.   The Oberoi location in Business Bay probably has access to more outside dining options as it’s within a newly developed part of the city, the Rotana is close to the Creek and the original CBD where there are other hotels (Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson Blu) but not many independent cafes, bistros etc.    The Oberoi probably has better access to the Metro as the Business Bay station is quite close, the Rotana doesn't have a Metro station in the immediate surroundings.  They are both close to stops on the HOHO bus routes...

Anne..

16 hours ago, bearette said:

Thansk!  My short list is Ramada downtown and Roda So Murooj, or an Airbnb in that area.

I know the Roda Al Murooj, but not the Ramada Downtown however, the location looks good as it’s on the Boulevard beside Dubai Opera, which is a great location as there are lots of restaurants and bistros etc, all around the Boulevard and it’s walkable to the fountains and the small park beside them.  The Roda is a large complex but not as pedestrian friendly as the Ramada as it’s the other side of a busy two level road from Dubai Mall.... However, either would be good choices as a base for your stay....

Anne..

16 hours ago, bearette said:

I have been researching the apartment hotels, at your advice.  We have some ideas, but they are all over. Some by the Creek, another a metro stop away from the Mall of Emirates, and more near the World trade center. We found a perfect one by the fountains, but of course for a lot more money. I am curious if you believe taxis/ uber or the metros and buses are more convenient for the value.  Is it worth paying more to be at a hotel by the Mall and fountains? It appears my kids have a charge (7 both) for the metro system, but I am not easily finding child rates so that may make public transport less appealing.  I have read than taxis are reasonable, but my idea of reasonable be different than theirs.  All this rambling and I am trying to decide if I should pick a hotel based on location, near the fountains/mall, near a metro, or the property meeting my needs better.

 

There are so many options at so many price points it is dizzying to narrow it down.  Thanks in advance! 

I can understand your dilemma, the more you look, the more options you find, especially now in the run up to Expo2020 there are new hotels/aparthotels and residences opening all the time!!!   Dubai is now quite a large city that spreads over not insignificat distances however, with two young kids I would suggest sticking to the Downtown/Business Bay/Sh.Zayed Road areas as they are easily accessed by public transport or taxis or the hoho buses, and not too far from the Creek area if you did want to check out ‘Old’ Dubai.    With regards to kids on the Metro, I believe they travel free up to 5 years of age or under 90cm in height, above that then the fares are the same for all.  The exceptions being students who are UAE residents and senior citizens who are UAE nationals and carry specially approved photo id Nol cards.   Difficult to say which mode of transport is better value as I think you’ll find you’ll need to use more than one as the Metro only has two lines so doesn’t cover all areas of the city and as Simon mentioned above RTA taxis are relatively inexpensive especially if you are travelling as a family.   Uber, whilst convenient is relatively new here and is more like a premium taxi service than a ‘cheaper’ alternative to regular taxis..... If you have any particular properties on your shortlist you need any advice on please let me know...

Anne...

7 hours ago, vizslapup said:

Thanks Anne for your quick response.

 

So just checking 1 last time; I CAN bring the Tylenol with me , and the Gravol (for motion sickness) too, and don’t need to buy it there, as long as it is not on the list.

 

PS: I have been following another thread with the roll call for my cruise and have made note of MANY of your suggestions and advice...thank you .. even though it wasn’t specifically addressed to me 

Margrethe 

 

 

Yes, you can bring them both with you provided no compound in their make-up is on the list and you only carry sufficient quantity for personal use.....

Enjoy your visit, and your cruise..,

Anne..

1 hour ago, vizslapup said:

Am I understanding this correctly? I only need to carry the copy of the authorized prescription for CD, and not for other prescriptions (ie..asthma medication/high blood pressure/ high cholesterol/allergies/nasal spray/ & stomach medicine)

Can we also bring in Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Gravol.(Dimenhydrinate) or should I leave them at home and buy in Dubai?  We will be there for 3 days before we board for a cruise.

There is no problem at all carrying medications, prescribed or available over the counter provided they do not contain any of the listed substances that are either controlled or prohibited.  Any medication containing substances that are listed as controlled must have supporting documentation with them.   I too am asthmatic and just carry my inhalers and the one medicine I take that is in tablet form in my handbag without supporting prescriptions.... 

Tylenol can be bought over the counter here but I’m not familiar with Gravol

Anne...

12 hours ago, kurgan said:

Anne, would you ,please, help me again?

Our planned cruise will be finished in December, morning time, as usual. We have 2 options to fly back home- midnight or 3 am next morning. Question- what to do in Dubai  for this long day? If you aware of some luggage storage for one day? Or we need to get hotel room for this day? In this case- do you know which hotel allowed to book day room? Or we need to book usual way and just leave room at evening or at midnight? And what's about taxi for midnight ride to airport? Actually, is taxi available in this time?

Thanks 

I am not aware of any luggage storage options so my suggestion would be to try and book a day-use room at a hotel so you have a base for the day before your night flight out of Dubai.  There are several options for this - if you have booked a pre-cruise hotel then you could email that hotel and ask if they could also offer you a day-use room rate for the disembarkation day, alternatively you could check with some of the hotels near the airport if they offer day use rooms.  Several of these hotels are used by airlines for transit passengers with long layovers so may be willing to accommodate individual guests with late flights too.  My suggestions for those would be Le Meridien Hotel & Conference Centre, Roda Al Bustan Hotel or Millennium Airport Hotel, all of which are very close to the airport.  Finally, if you can't get a day-use rate at any of those then you could just make a regular booking at one of the 'budget' hotels at the airport, either the Premier Inn or the Holiday Inn Express which are beside each other opposite T3 and close to the Metro if you want to go out and about during the day.  Finally, taxis to or from the airport are not an issue in Dubai at any time of the day or night - unlike many city airports that have restricted night time hours Dubai International operates 24/7.....

Anne...

40 minutes ago, josumello said:

Thank you so much Anne. One last question. Is it easy to access hop on hop off bus from here??

  

Sue

There are 2 ho-ho bus options in Dubai - City Sightseeing and The Big Bus, and both of them cover ‘Old’ Dubai as well as all the newer parts and along the beach, etc... This is the link to the Red Route that has stops in old Dubai... for some reasons the Big Bus Tours site is not cooperating so you’ll need to just Google that one to check the route and stops...

https://www.citysightseeing-dubai.com/bus-routes/red-bus-route/

Anne..

10 hours ago, josumello said:

Another hotel question Anne. We Will be in Dubai the end of March. The two hotels I have narrowed it down to are Hyatt Regency Dubai and Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel. We like being close to airport and cruise terminal. Also we would like to be able to be fairly close to the main attractions. I realize there are many. We would probably start with hop on hop off bus to give us an overview. Is this doable and are the hotels nice?  Again thanks so much. We all appreciate your help. 

 

Sue

Both of those properties are in what is commonly referred to as ‘Old’ Dubai in so much as they are on the Deira side of the city (and Creek) which is where it all began!!!  Staying in this area you are close to the old gold souq, the spice souq and have easy access to The Creek for visits to the Heritage area that runs all along the opposite side of the Creek.  Personally, I always make sure I take visitors to Dubai around this area as to me it is Dubai as I’ve always known it.  You will need to use the hop-hop off buses, taxis or the metro to get to all the ‘new’ sights, The Frame, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, etc. etc. as they are all within ‘New’ Dubai which these days spreads quite a way out from the heart of Dubai.    Both hotels you mentioned are earlier 5* properties but have been renovated several times over the years and are still very popular with both visitors and residents today due to their locations, and value compared to many of the newer properties in Downtown or along Jumeirah Beach.   The Sheraton is located right beside the Creek with Creek View rooms overlooking both the Creek (so you see all the activity along the waterway) and across to the Al Seef restored Heritage Area and ‘new’ Dubai beyond.   The Hyatt Regency is located just beyond the mouth of the Creek  overlooking either ‘old’ Dubai, or the port (now the cruise terminal) and the sea... I’m sure you would be happy with either of them.....

Anne...

1 hour ago, irisbax3 said:

Hi Anne, I have reservations at the Sheraton Creek(Dec. 5-7). Since we've stayed there before (we liked it a lot) I'm thinking maybe I 'd like to try another hotel. What do you think about the Intercontinental Hotel/Residences Festival City? Are there restaurants nearby?

There are two distinctly different Intercontinental properties.  The Intercontinental Hotel Festival City is linked to the Festival City mall and entertainment area (as is the Crowne Plaza Hotel Festival City - the two hotels share a base podium) so apart from the in-house restaurants of both hotels you also have access to eateries within the adjoining mall.   The Intercontinental Residences is a separate building a short distance from Festival City Mall that consists of serviced suites of varying sizes.   As far as I’m aware (rented one for a visiting business exec once) they are self-catering and there is only a coffee shop on site but they do provide a shuttle between the Residences and Festival City Mall - there is nothing else within walking distance.

This is a photo I took of the Residences building from Al Jaddaf Waterfront on the other side of the Creek....Beautiful building but better suited to long-stays....

23 minutes ago, kurgan said:

My cruise suppose to start Friday morning in November

The traffic would be much lighter on a Friday morning with it being the weekend so making the trip would not be as risky as on a weekday morning.  The garden is usually open from November until the end of April but I can’t see a confirmed opening day noted on the website as of now, but the beginning of the month does fall on a weekend so it may open then....

Anne..

27 minutes ago, kurgan said:

Thank you very much!  Another question- How far this Sheraton Dubai creek from Miracle Garden? Do we have enouph time to visit Miracle Garden at morning before embarking cruise of it will be too risky?

Thanks

It’s quite a long drive from the Creek out to Miracle Garden.  It opens at 9.00am but in morning traffic I’d say it could take 45mins to 1 hour to get out there, and a similar time to get from there either back to the hotel or directly to the port...Depends what time you want to get to the cruise terminal for embarkation whether it’s worth making the trip or not... What day of the week are you looking at???? 

Anne..

31 minutes ago, kurgan said:

Anne, I have a question about Sheraton hotels. I see there are 3 Sheratons- 4 points Sheraton Downtown, 4 points Bur Dubai and Sheraton Dubai creek. Which one is better for access from airport (our flight  suppose to arrive around 10 pm), for sightseeing  and for access to cruise port?

Thanks

The Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel is the most convenient for a late arrival into Dubai International airport.  It’s one of the earlier 5* hotels in Dubai but still very popular due to it’s location right on the Creek.   The two 4 points ones are on the cruise terminal side of the Creek but the Creek Hotel is a better location, and via the Shindaga Tunnel it’s a fairly short taxi ride to the terminal.   If you can get a Creek view room that would be even better!!!

Anne..

22 hours ago, clojacks said:

Thanks for all your "eyes on the ground" perspectives Anne. As always, I have another question for you. I'm sure you are aware of the TripAdvisor numerical rankings of Hotel Properties...as an example, Raffles is listed is #1 out of 633 properties in Dubai. What makes the Oberoi, #11 versus the Zabeel House Al Seef being #173? Prices are comparable for similar rooms. We were considering Zabeel House, due to its location, until clicking on its rating. Is the difference between, say the top 200, negligible? Is there a significant difference that makes the Oberoi at #11, better the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray at #78, or the Zabeel House Al Seef at #173? In looking at pictures, location, etc, I would pick anyone of these, but am I missing something?

No I don’t think you are missing anything, and like you I would be happy to stay in any of those three.   I think the reviews vary so much because many of these hotels are very new so they may not have built up a broad enough volume of reviews be they consistently good or not so good ones.   Also, they are in very different parts of the city and some reviewers may not have been aware of where in the city their selected hotel was, how accessible it was to what they wanted to see or do, etc.  I wouldn’t worry too much about the ranking and pay more attention to the actual review content....

Anne...