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Dubai - not to be outdone

bikn4fn

By bikn4fn,
in Royal Caribbean International

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bikn4fn

bikn4fn

Posted
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Think you've heard it all? Here's the latest news report for Dubai.

 

 

Dubai already feels like one big theme park—ski slopes in the desert, islands shaped like palm trees, laser light shows. But in its quest to have the world's biggest, tallest, most expensive everything, Dubai is planning a three-billion-square-foot mega–amusement park complex, containing individual parks with themes that range from dinosaurs and superheroes to Lego and Tiger Woods. Only parts of Dubailand have opened, but when it's complete (phases will roll out from 2010 onwards), you'll be able to snowboard on an indoor half-pipe, roam among animatronic dinosaurs near the world's largest mall (in City of Arabia, pictured), ride a roller coaster around a volcano, and stay in a hotel modeled after a cruise ship. The 607-foot Great Dubai Wheel will vie for the title of world's tallest Ferris wheel. Aqua Dunia water park will put SeaWorld to shame. Poor Beijing World Park will have to compete with the Falcon City of Wonders, whose large replicas of the Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the Taj Mahal, and the Great Wall of China will double as hotels, malls, and apartments. If this is the future of theme parks, can a Mickey-shaped island be far behind?

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Garyorient

Garyorient

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This has been in the planning stage for a considerable amount of time.

 

I remain unconvinced about the long term viability of continual building larger/bigger/better.

 

Just have a look at their hotel rates. It is no wonder that travel agents are being offered all sorts of deals and incentives to fill an excess of hotel rooms.

 

Jumeirah Beach hotel currently charges about $750-$800 per night.

How much longer will people still be able to afford these rates?

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Moeve

Moeve

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Those room rates are not mean't to draw the likes of us cruisers looking at daily rates of between 100 - 200 Euros a day but all those other rich people form countries and states around Dubai...... All that oil money has to be spent in some way

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Bobal

Bobal

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@bobal - the Brilliance is do to do regular cruises out of Dubai over the winter..... which are well booked by the way.

 

My brain obviously works differently - I would be looking for info on Dubai on the ports of call boards - I guess we all see things from different angles ;)

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Moeve

Moeve

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My brain obviously works differently - I would be looking for info on Dubai on the ports of call boards - I guess we all see things from different angles ;)

 

I am probably misunderstanding you but this is an embarkation port and homeport for the Brilliance over the winter. So infrastructure there will be important to those cruisers.

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Bobal

Bobal

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I am probably misunderstanding you but this is an embarkation port and homeport for the Brilliance over the winter. So infrastructure there will be important to those cruisers.

 

As I said we all think in different ways - I would still research any embarkation ports on the ports of call board anyway eg much more info on Barcelona/Civitavecchia on the Med forums, when we travelled from Bayonne I spent a lot of time researching the East Coast board -sometimes threads even get moved from this forum to a more appropriate one.

 

As it happens I'm spending a week in Dubai (in an apartment) next month - but have been doing my research on Trip Advisor ;)

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HorrorFan

HorrorFan

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Sorry - I did not mean to offend.

 

Poor attempt at humor that our gas money built Dubai.

No offence taken, and I understood exactly what your meaning was.

But regardless of the intent, you should not quote someone and then change what they said in the quote. Its no longer a quote in that case and the persons name should not be attached to it.

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Garyorient

Garyorient

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Or maybe a brand new ship, the Dubai of the Seas. At 5,280ft long, she will be the first mile long cruise ship in the world. At 800 feet wide and 55 decks high, she will hold 185,000 passengers, some in staterooms modeled after secluded beach homes. Every activity known to man will be available on the ship. Passengers will have the flexibility to board and disembark at almost any time they choose on regularly scheduled flights at the international airport on the top deck.

 

Rick

 

Great post, and anyone who has been to Dubai will know how true it is as a concept:)

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Alan13

Alan13

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I am taking the Brilliance cruise from Barcelona to Dubai in January.

I wanted to stay in Dubai for a few days at the end of the cruise but the hotel rates are ridiculous. Any decent hotel is over $200 a night. Well, I'm by myself and can't afford that. So I'm going to take a day city tour then fly back to the states that night.

 

I just watched a documentary on Dubai and am glad I'm not staying.

What they are doing looks pretty disgusting to me. Build, Build, Build!!!!

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TrentS

TrentS

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Sorry - I did not mean to offend.

 

Poor attempt at humor that our gas money built Dubai.

 

But it didn't... Dubai has very little oil, Dubai was always a trading port. The reason they're building all that stuff (with borrowed money BTW), is to attract tourists and business BECAUSE they don't have the oil that other places in the region have.

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nellydean Great Review Rare

nellydean

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Sorry but Dubai is way overrated. They want to build the biggest of everything.

 

Well Dubai, build this

 

sn.jpg

 

 

Ski slopes in the desert, nice try, This was taken about three miles from my house.

 

Have you actually been there? Well, I have and it's a fantastic place, and well worth a few days visit. We stopped over for two nights on our way to Australia last December and only managed to see a few of the many things the city has to offer. Yes, a lot of it is a construction site, but that's because a new city is being built before our eyes, how many times do you get to experience that? And even the many cranes have a certain beauty all of their own, weirdly enough.

The new business centre has THE most stunning architecture I've ever seen and includes the world's tallest building, which is still being built. Other buildings include the lovely sail-shaped hotel Burj al Arab, as well as the villas and condos on Palm Island, which will be amazing when it's finished (with the newly opened Atlantis on the end overlooking the sea) and the World islands.

Dubai has so many sights and attractions for tourists, but also has a quieter more traditional side to it around the Creek area where we stayed (Hilton Dubai Creek Hotel with wonderful roof top pool that overlooks the new city skyline). Yes, it's very expensive, but it's also an extraordinary place and one I would recommend everyone see and experience at least once in their lives, like Vegas, the Great Barrier Reef or Venice.

Construction of many projects is currently on hold due to the recession, but once that's over it will be renewed and many more sections will be opened up. They reckon it will be completely finished in around about 30 years. but that doesn't mean you have to wait that long to go see it.

When you do, leave your preconceived ideas behind, go with an open mind and you'll have a fabulous time.

Completely different and utterly fascinating.

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TahoeBob

TahoeBob

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Have you actually been there? Well, I have and it's a fantastic place, and well worth a few days visit....

 

When you do, leave your preconceived ideas behind, go with an open mind and you'll have a fabulous time.

Completely different and utterly fascinating.

I am sorry if you missed my point, all I was trying to get across is the fact that to many times someone wants to build the biggest of something. But the fact of the matter is that sometimes the biggest is not the best. Yes there did build a indoor snow board park, but is it the best. Please judge for your self by the picture I posted.

 

sometimes building a huge Oasis in the desert like they are in Dubai, and others are building a Oasis in Finland. Does that make it the best or is it just the biggest. Time will tell.

 

Snowboarding in the desert indoors when it is 120 outside. sorry its just not my cup of tea.

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