12:40 am Departure flight from Dubai, what to do?

[4774Papa]

We have a late night flight 40 minutes after midnight departing Dubai for Paris. Our cruise ends the morning of the day before, about half a day before the flight.

Celebrity has an excursion that looks good, it starts as we depart from the ship and will drop us at a hotel.

 

It would appear that if our tour is over in the early afternoon that we would have about 10 hours until our flight depats. Don't see the need for a hotel room.

 

We would need to be at the airport by 10pm, so if we checked in a hotel we would only be there 6 or 7 hours.

 

There is a snoozecube at the Dubai airport.

http://www.snoozecube.com/?page_id=21

 

For $28 for two hours, we could take a nap prior to our flight, or perhaps find a Delta Skylounge.

 

My question is for anyone that had to take a flight like this from the middle of the night from Dubai, what do they suggest?

[Globaliser]

Don't see the need for a hotel room.

 

We would need to be at the airport by 10pm, so if we checked in a hotel we would only be there 6 or 7 hours.

 

There is a snoozecube at the Dubai airport.

http://www.snoozecube.com/?page_id=21

 

For $28 for two hours, we could take a nap prior to our flight, or perhaps find a Delta Skylounge.

 

My question is for anyone that had to take a flight like this from the middle of the night from Dubai, what do they suggest?

I've not had to do this when staying at a hotel, but I have one piece of advice: You'll want to try to find somewhere that you can take a shower before you fly. If you've spent all day awake and touring, you will welcome that as the flight will be more relaxed if you're not feeling grubby before you even get on board.

 

So for this reason alone, don't immediately write off the idea of getting a hotel room to use as a day room. As you won't need it for the whole night, it's worth asking the hotel if they do a day room rate (or find another hotel that does). An alternative is to try to make an arrangement with the hotel to use their gym/spa facilities so that you can use the shower there before you head off to the airport. This may be easier if the reason that Celebrity drops you off at this hotel is that there is some arrangement between the cruise line and the hotel already. Of course, if the hotel does you a favour, you may feel that you should spend some money in the restaurants and bars there!

 

What would be the basis for your entry to a Delta lounge? It looks Delta doesn't have one there, but if you have access because of your frequent flyer tier, then you may have access to other Skyteam lounges that are there. It looks like the Air France lounge has showers.

[4774Papa]

I've not had to do this when staying at a hotel, but I have one piece of advice: You'll want to try to find somewhere that you can take a shower before you fly. If you've spent all day awake and touring, you will welcome that as the flight will be more relaxed if you're not feeling grubby before you even get on board.

 

So for this reason alone, don't immediately write off the idea of getting a hotel room to use as a day room. As you won't need it for the whole night, it's worth asking the hotel if they do a day room rate (or find another hotel that does). An alternative is to try to make an arrangement with the hotel to use their gym/spa facilities so that you can use the shower there before you head off to the airport. This may be easier if the reason that Celebrity drops you off at this hotel is that there is some arrangement between the cruise line and the hotel already. Of course, if the hotel does you a favour, you may feel that you should spend some money in the restaurants and bars there!

 

What would be the basis for your entry to a Delta lounge? It looks Delta doesn't have one there, but if you have access because of your frequent flyer tier, then you may have access to other Skyteam lounges that are there. It looks like the Air France lounge has showers.

Globaliser,

Thanks for the great advice. We are only silver medallion on Delta and would have to pay for a single day use of the lounge, but it might be worth the benefits.

 

I will look into a day rate at an airport hotel. Perhaps that would be better than the snoozecube.

[4774Papa]

I found a good deal with the Holiday Inn Express, Dubai Airport for a day rate (noon until 8pm) including a transport to airport, all taxes and fees for about $80 US.

[buchhalm]

I agree with comments that you should consider a day room at a nearby hotel. The hotels from the Accor group, (Ibis, Pulmann, Novotel etc) are usually very good value as are Holiday Inn (express or otherwise).

Hotels in the "Deira" are are a short taxi ride from the airport 15-20 minutes or so.

Check-in to DXB hotels is usually around 2 p.m. (but I never had any difficulties when I showed up well before noon). Check-out is usually at noon. So even if you pay for a normal overnight stay, a "night" at one of the hotels would make sense.

 

You cannot check in at the airport too early!

It is maximm 6 hours if you fly with Emirates, or 3 hours with other airlines.

(according to DXB airport)

[Globaliser]

I found a good deal with the Holiday Inn Express, Dubai Airport for a day rate (noon until 8pm) including a transport to airport, all taxes and fees for about $80 US.

That sounds perfect!