Crystal Symphony opens Abu Dhabi's 2023/24 cruise season

Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal is slated for 126 calls, while Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is set to host 63 calls, having welcomed the first Oct. 31.

Nine maiden calls

Nine of these will be maiden calls to Abu Dhabi.

'Last season, Zayed Port emerged as the busiest cruise port in the region, a testament to Abu Dhabi's position as a premier tourist destination, and the exceptional infrastructure that effortlessly accommodates the region's largest vessels,' said Noura Rashed Al Dhaheri, CEO, cruise business, AD Ports Group. 'We remain dedicated to partnering with cruise lines to elevate Abu Dhabi’s global cruise destination standing.'

Formula 1 hosting

Aligned with a commitment to bolster Abu Dhabi's event calendar, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal is poised to receive more than 7,000 visitors during Formula 1 Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi cruise business, part of the AD Group's ports cluster, expanded its operations to the Red Sea with the inauguration of Jordan's Aqaba Cruise Terminal in January this year.

In the 2022/23 season, Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal hosted more than 600,000 passengers, with more than 82,000 starting their journey from Abu Dhabi. The first quarter of 2023 was particularly strong with 363,494 visitors and 120 calls, compared to Q1 2022 with 89,953 visitors and 60 calls.

Q1 passenger volumes surpassed the number of cruisers in full year of 2022 by more than 37%.