Transfers for cruise passengers in Dubai

Plan from the sailing time backwards

Cruise lines publish an all aboard time, usually well before the ship leaves. That time is the deadline, and it sets everything else. If all aboard is 17:00, a sensible plan has the coach at the terminal gate by 16:00 or earlier, which means leaving the last stop by 15:00 or so, depending on traffic.

Your group leader or the shore excursion desk gives you the all aboard time and which terminal the ship uses. Dubai has more than one cruise terminal, and the cruise line tells you which, so check before you plan the pickup. We do not control the terminal or the ship, and we do not sell cruise excursions.

Buffer rules for port days

• Leave a buffer of at least 60 to 90 minutes between the last stop and all aboard.
• Do not schedule the last attraction as the last thing before the ship. Put a shopping or lunch stop there instead, because it can be dropped if the group runs late.
• Tell the driver the all aboard time in writing, and give a mobile number for the ship’s shore contact.
• Agree what happens if one passenger is late: the group leader decides, and the driver waits no longer than the agreed time.

Roads in Dubai are busy in the morning and late afternoon. Friday traffic differs from the rest of the week. Allow more time than the map suggests.

Port to city day tours

Most cruise groups want the best of the city in a few hours. A coach loop covers the main waterfront and downtown areas, and you choose the stops. Our city tour guide shows how a day is paced, and the stopover tour page is designed for visitors with limited hours.

A coach can take a group of 50 from the terminal to the old town, a museum or a beach, wait while they explore and bring them back. Check each venue for opening hours and entry rules, and book any tickets yourself.

Choosing the vehicle by group size

Starting prices are for a full day of up to 10 hours with driver and fuel, and the written quote confirms the exact price for your date, route and hours. A cruise port call often lasts less, and a shorter booking can be quoted by the hour.

Joining day and leaving day, with a flight

The day you join or leave the ship, the transport job is different. On joining day, passengers arrive from the airport with bags and need to be at the terminal at the time the cruise line sets. On leaving day, passengers leave the ship with bags and head to DXB for flights, or to a hotel for a stay.

For a leaving day with a flight, find out the earliest the cruise line allows you off the ship and add the time for luggage collection and clearance. Then add the DXB check-in window your airline sets. Do not book an early flight for the day you leave the ship. See the group arrival guide for how the airport side works, and the airport transfer page for individual runs.

Luggage on the day you leave the ship

A passenger who has been aboard for a week brings a lot. Assume one large suitcase per person and extra hand bags. A full coach carries about one medium suitcase per passenger in the hold. If the group has bigger bags, step up to two vehicles. Ask for a luggage count when you collect flight details.

Example: 40 passengers, a seven-hour call

This is an example only. A group of 40 off a cruise ship takes a city tour. All aboard is 17:00. The coach leaves the terminal at 09:30, has three stops and a long lunch, and returns to the gate at 15:45. That is about six hours and fifteen minutes. A 50-seater at the starting rate is from AED 1,450 per day, and your written quote confirms the real price.

What the group leader and the driver each do

The group leader holds the passenger list and the ship’s contact number, counts at every boarding and makes the call on late passengers. The driver knows the roads, the coach parking and the terminal gate. Between them the day runs to time.

Booking

Send the ship name, date, terminal if you know it, all aboard time, passenger count and what the group wants to see to the booking page. The price page lists starting rates. For coaches on other trips see coach rental. We do not sell tickets, tours, visas or hotel rooms. Check the official ICP and GDRFA sites for entry rules.

Prices for these vehicles

Starting prices with driver and fuel, within Dubai. Hourly hire has a minimum number of hours, confirmed on your quote. Monthly prices are for a daily staff route; the route, hours and working days are confirmed on your quote. Your written quote gives the exact price for your date and route.

Related: Stopover tour · City tour by private minibus · Dubai airport transfer for groups · Coach rental Dubai · Get a quote

Keep reading

• Group transfers for tour operators: A planning guide for tour operators and destination management companies: arrival waves, manifests, hotel driveways, luggage, coach sizes and what to send for a quote.
• GITEX evening transfers: Evening runs from Expo City to dinners and networking in the city.
• Dubai airport transfer for groups: Vans, Sprinters, mini coaches and 50-seat coaches for groups landing at DXB or DWC, with the luggage and the split flights planned.
• DXB group pickup: Meeting a big group at Dubai airport: how the terminals differ, how flight tracking works, wait time rules and meeting signs.
• City tour by private minibus: A one-day Dubai city tour route for a group, how a private minibus compares with a hop-on hop-off bus, and what each option costs per head.
• Student tour transport: Coaches with seat belts and a professional driver for study tours, campus visits and school trips from abroad, on a fixed written quote.