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Revealed: inside the launch of Nakheel’s Palm cruise tours
State-owned developer hopes to tap tourism dollars with launch of cruise business
The state-backed developer said it plans to offer further cruise lines and diving packages in the future
The ‘Cruise with Nakheel’ service will offer trips for groups of up to 12, 15 and 30 people
Prices for the service start from AED1,000 per boat, depending on the size of the vessel
The service will operate daily from 9-5pm and lasts one hour
Future packages are expected to include tours of the World islands, night cruises and diving packages, said Nakheel
Tourists on the cruise can choose from one of three boats including an 80-ft double-decker Houseboat
Nakheel has hinted it may look to reposition the World islands as a tourist attraction through renting out the islands for private events and offering cruises around the project
The cruise service will use boats already owned by the company meaning the tourist package will require minimal start-up costs, said Nakheel
Tourists will be able to see a whole host of Palm Jumeirah attractions such as The Atlantis Hotel during the cruise
The interior of the 80-ft double-decker Houseboat
The Houseboat can accommodate up to 30 people
Saeed Harib, the CEO of Nakheel’s leisure arm
Nakheel’s cruises will enable visitors to view the villas along the frond of the Palm Jumeirah
Saeed Harib, the CEO of Nakheel Marine and Leisure
The cruise service is already being marketed across Dubai’s luxury hotels
Other smaller boats include a 38-ft or 52-ft motor boat
The service will be available for tourists from Jan 16, said Nakheel
‘Cruise with Nakheel’ was launched days after the firm unveiled details of a retail and residential project on Palm Jumeirah
The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah will be its first real estate project since the collapse of Dubai’s property market in late-2008
Nakheel’s Palm Jumeirah and World projects became synonymous with Dubai’s five-year real estate boom
The new cruise service will provide “good revenues” for the developer, said Saeed Harib
Future cruises may include areas around the Lagoon in front of the Mina Seyahi and Dubai Marina, said Nakheel
Nakheel expects to operate between two and three trips a day
