Dubai’s Emirates has teased holidaymakers and cruise fans with news that it is set to take to the seas and launch a new maritime arm.
Promising luxury cruises to rarely-before-seen-ports of call, multi-billion ship orders and stops at destinations from New Zealand to the US, the launch of Emirates Sealine might seem almost too good to be true.
Unfortunately, that might be the case. A few curious details, including ships led by “Captain Jack Shallow”, a proposed June 31 launch and most importantly of all – today’s date can only mean one thing.
Emirates April Fools Cruise launch
The national airline has pranked followers as part of an annual April Fool’s Day tradition. Or so it seems.
An Instagram post and press release claim the first Emirates Sealine cruise was seen sailing around Palm Jumeirah.
According to Emirates it was to take to the seas after announcing a multi-billion dollar order for cruise liners as it looks to expand to sea tourism.
Emirates said they were to set sail across the seven seas with its newly-launched maritime arm, Emirates Sealine.
Eagle-eyed ship-spotters and cruise aficionados, they said, witnessed glimpses of the first liner as it sailed around Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah on Friday as it took its maiden sea trial on Friday.
Emirates Sealine promised luxury cruises to rarely-before-seen ports of call.
The airline said it has placed a giant, multi-billion-dollar order for an initial 10 cruise ships which are currently being fitted with luxury fittings.
Having identified significant gaps in the industry’s offering, Emirates Sealine will give a wide berth to convention, offering a cruise calendar outside traditional seasons.
The first cruise is scheduled to flag off from Dubai Harbour on April 1, 2024, with Karachi as the maiden port of call – harking back to the airline’s first-ever flight in October 1985. That date was just one of the clues that this story might not be what it seemed.
Itineraries and bookings will be open from June, 31. (Reminder – there are only 30 days in June). The liners will dock at major cruise ports – charting a course from US to New Zealand – supported by the airline’s colossal network.
Captain Jack Shallow, the newly appointed Chief Maritime Officer at the helm of Emirates Sealine said: “Emirates is no stranger to the seas, having been associated with powerboat racing in Dubai to Emirates Team New Zealand and more recently, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. While cities worldwide remain moored to challenges, Dubai is sailing smoothly at unimaginable knots and has outstanding cruise and other multi-modal transport infrastructure.
“Technology, AI and innovation in developing our future-generation cruise ships mean we can mirror the city’s pace and sail at more than 50 knots per hour – nearly double the speed of the fastest ones today. We’re working on providing undreamed of luxury onboard, never-before-explored itineraries and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We’ll be running a tight ship to ensure we deliver on our promises to our customers. Right now, it’s all hands to the deck as the team prepares for launch.”
The Sealine division will set the industry’s pace around maritime sustainability by working with vendors on sustainable maritime fuel (SMF), solar panels, recycling and waste management, said the press release.
Passengers, arriving in style from across the airline’s global network to Dubai, will be whisked off in custom-built electric chauffeur-driven cars from DXB to Dubai Harbour and escorted to their luxury cabins onboard, in a seamless air-land-sea journey.
The cruise fleet will feature four cabin types, offering varied and tiered levels of space, amenities, and luxury. More product and service details may be released in the future.
An amazing introduction to the city’s hospitality offering or a too-good-to-be true April Fool’s Day prank? Only time will tell.
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