Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Cruise port of the UAE capital, at Zayed Port: 8 km from downtown Abu Dhabi and 21 km from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Departure and callPierCentre 8 km away
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Cruise destination
Emirates & the Gulf
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Bahrain: modern cities, souks and desert, with cruises in the cooler months.
November to March4 ports
Gulf: MSC, Costa and AIDA have cancelled the 2026-27 season.
4port guides
3countries and territories
3also departure ports
Winter sun, desert and modern cities, on 7-night round trips from Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
In a normal season, Gulf cruises sail from November to March, when the heat eases. Most are 7-night round trips from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, with calls at Doha in Qatar, Manama in Bahrain and Sir Bani Yas, a beach island of Abu Dhabi. Several lines let passengers start and end the cruise in more than one of these ports.
In Dubai most ships berth at Mina Rashid, about 6 km from Old Dubai, and some use Dubai Harbour, near the Marina. In Abu Dhabi the cruise terminal is at Zayed Port, with a free shuttle to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. In Doha the terminal is at the old port, next to the Corniche, and in Bahrain the cruise port is 22 km from Manama.
Since March 2026 there has been armed conflict in the region. MSC, Costa and AIDA cancelled their 2026-27 Gulf season, and several governments advise against non-essential travel to the area. Check your cruise line's plans and your government's travel advice before booking.
Map of Emirates & the Gulf ports
Hover over a dot to see the port and click to open its guide. With a dark border, ports where cruises also start.
The 4 ports
Where the ship docks and how far the centre is.
Doha
Qatar
Port of call and embarkation port on Doha Bay. Ships dock at the Grand Cruise Terminal, on a pier off the middle of the Corniche.
Departure and callPierCentre 4.6 km away
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Cruise homeport on the Gulf: most ships berth at Mina Rashid, next to Old Dubai and 13 km by road from the Burj Khalifa.
Departure and callPierCentre 6 km away
Manama (Bahrain)
Bahrain
Port of call in the Arabian Gulf. Ships dock at Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Hidd, about 22 km by road from central Manama.
Port of callPierCentre 22 km away
When to go
Average temperature of the 4 ports, month by month. In colour, the months most port guides mark as best for a call.
Average temperatures go from about 18 °C in January to about 36 °C in August. Recommended season: november to march.
Best monthsRest of the year
