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Dubai Cruise Ship Terminal (Mina Rashid or Port Rasheed)

Dubai Cruise Ship Terminal (DCST, DCT) at Port Rashid (Mina Rashid) information and guide. Mina is Arabic for Port or Harbour. The terminal is operated by DP World and the DTCM (Dubai Tourism Department). As of Dec 2014 (opening date of the third terminal) there are 3 terminals.

• If you don't have transport arranged, recommended access to cruise terminal is by taxi (flagfall AED 25). About AED 40-60 (US$10-15) to or from places like Dubai Airport, Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa. About AED 60-80 (US$15-20) to Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Mall of the Emirates (Ski Dubai). About AED 80-100 (US$20-25) to Dubai Marina, JBR. Plenty of taxis available at cruise terminals. Use cream colored metered cabs, insist on meter use or get out and use another cab (illegal for taxi drivers not to use meter).
• [Walk? Public access to Port Rashid gate?] Nearest metro station is Al Ghubaiba Bus Station and metro station. Long walk though, especially in summer, especially because just exiting Port Rashid gate is a long walk (and not permitted to walk through port area anyway?). Or Al Ras MS on the other side of the creek, an even longer walk, and you have to find the pedestrian tunnel under the creek or catch an abra across.

Dubai cruise ship terminal history timeline and expansion

• 11 Dec 2014 - Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal (Dubai Cruise Terminal 3) officially opened.
• [Update]
• 29 Jan 2012 - Capacity to eventually be expanded such that the terminal can handle up to 7 cruise ships at one time (press release).
• 26 Oct 2011 - A second terminal is planned with opening date expected before end of 2012 according to an announcement by DP World. Capacity will increase from two to five cruise liners.
• 23 Feb 2010 - new cruise terminal officially opened.
• Mar 2001 - first dedicated Dubai Cruise Terminal launched with a 2,200 sq m facility. Cruise ships had stopped in Dubai prior to that (since 1993?).
• Oct 1999 - temporary Dubai Cruise Terminal opened and managed by DTCM.

New Dubai cruise ship terminal opened

• Official opening date of the Port Rashid cruise terminal in Dubai was Tuesday 23 February 2010.
• In September 2009, the DTCM said the new terminal would open in January 2010.
• The terminal was opened by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.
• As part of the ceremony, the naming of the Costa Deliziosa Italian passenger liner took place, another first for Dubai, and any Arab city.
• The Port Rashid terminal is operated by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
• Port capacity is for 4 cruise ships at a time.
• The new terminal might have been prompted by reports of criticism from Costa Cruises in Europe who started using the Dubai terminal as a base in 2006, but the terminal became a construction site in 2008-2009 resulting in passengers using makeshift facilities in Port Rashid.
• Dubai Cruise Terminal is the best in the Middle East for 2010, and was the best in the world apparently. DCT received the "Middle East's Leading Cruise Port award" for 2010, and the "World's Leading Cruise Port award" for 2008 and 2009 from the World Travel Awards (WTA). The WTA are based in London, UK, and the gongs are awarded based on votes from travel and tourist industry personnel such as travel agents, rather than real customers. Information according to a 27 May 2010 press release from DP World which appeared to say that the area of the terminal had shrunk (see facts and figures below).

List of cruise ship companies using Dubai Cruise Terminal

Regular

• Aida Cruises
• Costa Cruises
• MSC Cruises
• Royal Caribbean International (RCL)
• TUI Cruises

[Incomplete] Occasional or one-off visits

• Cunard
• Hapag-Lloyd
• Holland-America Line
• P&O Cruises

[Old, delete or edit] Boats using the Dubai Cruise Terminal (DCT)

• Brilliance of the Seas (operated by Royal Caribbean, capacity 2,500 oarsmen passengers) - 8-day cruises in the Gulf, visiting Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Fujairah, Muscat. Based at DCT for 2010-2011 (not confirmed)?
• During the 2010-2011 winter season, the Costa Deliziosa (capacity 2,800 passengers) and Costa Luminosa will offer week long cruises in the Arabian Gulf from Dubai, with stopovers in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Fujairah, and Muscat.

Dubai Cruise Terminal facilities and services

• [Which bank/s?] ATM machine. Emirates NBD.
• Bus services, free (not Dubai Mall) shuttle buses to some shopping malls in Dubai. Possibly:
  • [Not according to Al Ghurair shuttle bus schedule] Al Ghurair Centre
  • [Yes, kiosk at terminal] Burjuman Center (closest to terminal)
  • [Yes, see DOM kiosk at terminal] Dubai Outlet Mall (45-60 min from terminal)
  • [Yes, see Mercato stand in terminal for timetable] Mercato Mall (close to terminal)
  • [No information] Wafi Mall (30 min from terminal).
  • [No information] Dubai Mall (not free).
  • Dubai Airport (not free).
• Business center and conference room.
• Cafes and restaurants.
• [Free?] Car park.
• Dubai Duty Free and retail shops.
• [Closed?] Emirates Post Office. Not in EPG list Nov 2016 but still in DTCM facilities list.
• Garden with Arabian palm trees.
• Heritage and culture exhibits showcasing the UAE
• Information center and concierge service.
• Internet and computer center.
• Left luggage office?
• Money exchange facility.
• Prayer rooms.
• Supermarket (small mini-mart).
• Taxi rank.
• Tourist helpdesk with information and maps of Dubai.
• Tour operator desks.
• VIP lounge (Majilis).
• Wifi (free ... apparently).

Dubai cruise ship statistics and numbers for the Port Rashid terminal

Year	Number Ships	Number Passengers	Comments
2015	195	575,000	estimate
2014	180	525,000	estimate
2013	165	475,000	estimate
2012	150	425,000	estimate
2011	135	375,000
2010	120	390,000
2009	87	261,000
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004		10,000
2003		10,000

• Tourist and visitor numbers, and cruise ship numbers in italics are estimated figures.

[Update needed] Dubai Cruise Terminal information

• Original Dubai Cruise Ship Terminal opened in 2001.
• Capacity was 2 boats simultaneously (4 from February 2010).
• Terminal area was 3,300 sq meters. Increased to 3,800 sq m from February 2010? Back to 3,300 sq m in 27 May 2010 press release from DP World.
• Quay length 335 meters (increased?)
• Port Rashid GPS co-ordinates are Latitude: 25° 16' 2" N, Longitude: 55° 16' 15" E

Dubai Cruise Terminal contact information (updated Nov 2016)

• Postal address:
  • Dubai Cruise Tourism, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Mina Rashid
  • PO Box 594, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Tel: +971-4-3019300, fax: +971-4-3450168, email: ctstaff@dubaitourism.ae, web: www.visitdubai.com.
• Note that some sources give contact information for DP World HQ in Jebel Ali:
  • PO Box 17000, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971-4-8811110, fax: +97148811344 email: info@dpworld.com.
  • Which is not entirely incorrect since DP World owns the Mina Rashid Terminal, but Jebel Ali is a long swim from Port Rashid.

Dubai Cruise Terminal contact details old information (some changes, see above)

• DTCM general information tel +971-4-2821111, toll-free complaints line UAE 800-7090, email info@dubaitourism.ae.
• Dubai Cruise Terminal Director is Mr Jamal Humaid Al Falasi, tel +971-4-3457001, fax +971-4-3450168.
• Port Rashid Port Authority +971-4-8815555
• DP World head office tel +971-4-8811110

Queen Elizabeth II Ocean Liner (QE2)

• The QE2 ocean liner is (as of February 2010) moored at Port Rashid after being bought by Istithmar World in 2007 for $100 million.
• Istithmar was planning to convert the vessel into a luxury hotel but plans have been put on hold while it, and its parent company Dubai World, sort out their finances.

Last update Monday 14-Nov-2016. Page development 4L 5C.

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Abu Dhabi AUH ABD ADB, Ajman AJM, Al Ain AAN, Dubai DXB, Fujairah FUJ, Ras Al Khaimah RAK, Sharjah SHJ, Umm Al Quwain UAQ

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