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Pullmantur joins Middle East lineup in 2018/19, beefs up ops team

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Horizon's weeklong cruises will sail along the Omani coastline with stops in Muscat and Khasab
Pullmantur Cruises will debut in the Middle East in 2018/19, offering itineraries on Horizon that will visit Dubai (two days), Abu Dhabi, Khasab, Muscat and Fujairah.

In total, the Spanish brand will sail 13 weeklong itineraries from December 8, 2018, to March 3, 2019. It's the first time Pullmantur will operate in this area.

Lasting seven nights, 'Dubai and Legends of Arabia' includes stopovers in Dubai (overnight), Abu Dhabi, Khasab, Muscat and Fujairah.

The deployment was presented Sunday night by Richard J. Vogel, president & ceo of Pullmantur Cruises, at an event in Madrid before more than 100 travel agents.

‘We are not only coming out of our comfort area to start sailing in a geographical area for the first time in our history, but we are also enriching our offer to include a range of options for our guests,’ he stated.

Moreover, Vogel explained this route has been 'designed down to the very last detail, to ensure passengers are fascinated by this oasis of contrasts, with the reassurance of knowing they will enjoy a fully Spanish environment. It has all the ingredients to be a big success,’ he concluded.

'Dubai and Legends of Arabia' is part of Pullmantur’s 'Exclusive Destinations. Dreams,' a sub-brand that focusses land and sea holidays, with the option of excursions and on-board themed activities related to the deployment region.

Pullmantur Cruises' senior shore excursions manager Yolanda Pelayo is a speaker at Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum taking place in Dubai December 12-13, and will be joining a panel discusiion focussing on land and tour operations.

The line is rounding off its offer with two new sailings that connect the classical culture of Ancient Greece with the Middle East and the modernity of the buildings and skyscrapers of the Emirates through the Mediterranean. 'Red and Arabian Seas' is a 16-night itinerary from Piraeus (Greece) to Dubai calling at Alexandria and Port Said (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan), Salalah and Muscat (Oman) and Fujairah. And at the close of the season in March 2019, a 15-night sailing from Dubai calls in Khasab, Muscat, Salalah and Aqaba, finishing in Piraeus.

Meanwhile, Pullmantur has further strengthened its operations department with the addition of two professionals with extensive experience in the cruise sector: the Austrian Bernd ('Benny') Weidacher, who has been named vp ship operations, and the Bulgarian Plamen Belyovski, appointed to the newly created position of director technical ship management.

Their contribution will be ‘vital, since, in addition to the dry dock work already scheduled, we will also implement a number of relevant projects which we have been working on for months and that will be key in our transformation,’ said Vogel.

Reporting directly to Vogel, Weidacher will lead the hotel and on-board revenue team, ports and ground operations, shore excursions, fleet marine operations, as well as operations efficiency costs and on-board revenue control.

Weidacher brings expertise in a range of areas including hotel, marine, dry dock projects and refurbishment and 20 years' experience in the cruise industry.

Belyovski has extensive experience as a qualified professional naval engineer, having spent 24 years as chief engineer aboard a range of ships.