Charter flights to Dubai / Middle East Cruise

[Cantlogincaptain]

We have been allocated a Virgin charter flight to Dubai from Manchester for our Middle East cruise on Oceana. Has anyone had similar flights?

 

I wondered if luggage would arrive onboard as per Caribbean cruises?

[bee-ess]

We are Emirates in Feb 2019 from Gatwick but overnight.

[peteukmcr]

As Virgin do not operate a Manchester - Dubai service (not from London either from April 2019) then it must be a special charter.

 

Only Emirates offer a three times daily direct service to Dubai from Manchester. We have traveled with Emirates and found them excellent, but the only thing is that cruise companies appear to use flights that arrive really early in the morning into Dubai so if you are taken straight to the ship at Port Rashid, your cabin may not be available, but that depends on the cruise line.

[bee-ess]

As Virgin do not operate a Manchester - Dubai service (not from London either from April 2019) then it must be a special charter.

 

Only Emirates offer a three times daily direct service to Dubai from Manchester. We have traveled with Emirates and found them excellent, but the only thing is that cruise companies appear to use flights that arrive really early in the morning into Dubai so if you are taken straight to the ship at Port Rashid, your cabin may not be available, but that depends on the cruise line.

 

You're right we land into Dubai at 07:20 - hopefully by the time be get to the ship the cabin will be nearly ready but may not be.

The overnight flight is a bit of a bummer, didn't give that a thought we we booked, somehow thought we would arrive in the evening, At least the flight is the evening before the start date of the cruise so we don't lose a day, but overnight is not a good way to start a cruise, doesn't seem so bad at the end of a cruise somehow.

[peteukmcr]

You're right we land into Dubai at 07:20 - hopefully by the time be get to the ship the cabin will be nearly ready but may not be.

The overnight flight is a bit of a bummer, didn't give that a thought we we booked, somehow thought we would arrive in the evening, At least the flight is the evening before the start date of the cruise so we don't lose a day, but overnight is not a good way to start a cruise, doesn't seem so bad at the end of a cruise somehow.

Our return flight was very early morning so we left the ship around 4 am! That wasn’t a good start to the day, but at least Emirates had a completely separate check in area for groups booked by the cruise line.

[peteukmcr]

Just been notified that Virgin are operating 6 charters from Manchester to Dubai during this upcoming winter season.

[bee-ess]

Just been notified that Virgin are operating 6 charters from Manchester to Dubai during this upcoming winter season.

 

I think our Emirates flights from and to Gatwick are Scheduled. When we were allocated Scheduled BA to Caribbean once a few years ago we had to get our own luggage from the carousel as it was not bonded. I guess the same will happen in Dubai.

[Cantlogincaptain]

I understand the flights are charter (see thread title)

 

The focus of my question was will the luggage go straight through to the ship as it does in Barbados, would be a huge bonus, I hope anyone who has been on a ME charter flight to Oceana can answer?

[bee-ess]

I understand the flights are charter (see thread title��)

 

The focus of my question was will the luggage go straight through to the ship as it does in Barbados, would be a huge bonus, I hope anyone who has been on a ME charter flight to Oceana can answer?

 

I am just saying that not all the flights are Charter but I understand that the Virgin ones are. I don't think that scheduled flights will ever be bonded luggage. As this is the first season for Dubai no-one will really know how the luggage will be handled until the season starts.

 

There is another thread asking the same question about starting in Malta on Oceana

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2659890