The main virtues are the strict adherence to schedule and the increased seat spacing. The rest are pleasant trifles – a personal monitor with a choice of programmes, metal forks and knives, a charging socket, Internet registration, etc.
For information, here are the prices for alcohol in Dubai Duty Free compared to Domodedovo.
Beefeater 1l $22, 15E — $17
Bacardi Black 1l 16E — $18
Bacardi Lemon 1l 26E — $18
Malibu 1l 14E — $16
Baileys 1l $29, 18E — $22$
Air
Air 23-27 during the day, 18-20 in the evening, mostly sunny. The coldest was in Bahrain. Sea at Fujairah 24, in Abu Dhabi 23.
The ship Brilliance of the Seas
Some facts (from the prospectus).
Year built: 2002.;
Length – 293 metres; width – 32 metres; draft – 8m; speed: up to 48 km/hour
Number of passenger decks – 13; number of passengers – 2,500 people;
Crew – about 900 people
- 13 decks offer various leisure, entertainment and accommodation options;
- A climbing wall rising 60 metres above sea level, a 9-hole miniature golf course, golf simulators, basketball and volleyball court;
- 9-storey Atrium (Central Hall) with curved staircases, domed ceilings and glass panoramic lifts;
- Spacious cabins, most with sea views and balconies;
- 5 alternative dining options: From fine Italian cuisine at Portofino Restaurant to casual dining at Seaview Cafe, Coffee Houses and Steakhouse Shores Grille;
- Billiards room, Safari Club;
- Adventure Ocean Kids Play Club;
- Beauty salon, spa and fitness centre ShipShape;
- Sunbathing deck, solarium with indoor pool and 8 Jacuzzis.
It is quite difficult to describe the ship’s experience. I’ll try in order: 1. How beautiful! (this is when we drove up) 2. How huge! (this is when we got on board). 3. How comfy! (that’s when you’ve lived a bit). 4. Gotta do some more sailing! (that’s when we left).
Cabin
We took a cabin with a window on the 3rd deck, in the middle of the ship. Comfortable enough. Sofa and a big bed, individual heating and lighting, TV, fridge, shower cabin. Everything is well thought out and functional. No noise from the neighbours or the corridor. Engine noise and rocking is virtually non-existent.
Meals
Meals are free except for the 2 restaurants.
Of the drinks for breakfast were juices (bottled) – apple, orange, tomato and prune juice. For lunch and dinner water, iced tea, lemonade (water with ice and lemon juice). And tea and coffee, of course.
You can eat almost any time. The opening schedule each day is listed in the newspaper. The downside of eating at the WindJammer Cafe is that it is hard to find a seat, especially when everyone is back on board after excursions. We went to the main restaurant for dinner. There is a menu, waiters, decent clothes, beautiful dishes on heated plates. In general, a ritual. Yes and the quality of food is much higher. Dinner took about 1 hour.
Service
Very high standard. The staff is polite, competent, quick to memorise your habits. After a day the waiter (a Filipino) said “good evening” knew that I did not need to serve bread, and I drink green tea without sugar.
Entertainment
Everything on the ship is carefully thought out. Two thousand people somehow didn’t feel like two thousand people. We swam in the pool, sunbathed, played mini-golf, table tennis, went to the sauna and steam room.
The ship had a full concert hall, a small cinema, several music lounges and dance floors. There was something going on all the time. Lots of activities for children. The whole cruise we were accompanied by groups of professional artists and musicians. The level of evening shows is simply amazing. Live music and singing, decorations, lights, stage transformation – everything is on the level.
While at sea there was a casino (roulette, machines, blackjack, poker). We played (or rather, lost) a bit there. Anyway, combined with the stops and excursions it was never boring.
Dress code
There are no special requirements during the day. But in the evening, one of 3 types of clothing is recommended. Casual – light dresses or trousers for women, polo shirt and trousers for men. Usually after a long anchorage in port. Smart Casual – for days at sea, this is dresses or trouser suits for women and a jacket or blazer for men. Formal is for a captain’s reception. Cocktail dresses for women and a suit or dinner jacket for men (can be hired). The type of clothing each day is given in the newspaper.
Some drink prices
Espresso coffee (normal) – 3 USD (regular coffee is available 24/7, but it is American – ie.i.e. none).
Heinken beer – 8 usd 0,5
Wine bottle – 28-50 usd
Cocktail of the day – 5,5 usd (the brand for each day is given in the newspaper).
To save money you can pre-order a wine package. There are several options with varying prices. Wines from the junior package are also included in the senior package. Gold for 5 bottles costs 130 USD, Platinum 145 USD. Approximate gain of 20-25%.
Internet 0.55 usd per minute. There are a lot of computers. There is wi-fi for the same price. The speed is not very fast.
Mobile communication. When the ship was on the high seas, there was no communication (only SOS mode). Operators were MTS and Megafon. Probably, roaming with satellite operator was not supported (on shore everything worked normally).
Some prices for excursions
20 usd – only transfer
40 usd – city tour 3-4 hours
80 usd – beach day on the hotel beach 3-5 hours
On each point of the route there were excursions. In English, the prices are the same, but the choice is greater.
In general, there is nothing to see in the Emirates especially. Skyscrapers, shops, hotels. We took excursions to Bahrain and Oman (there independently can be difficulties with taxis). The other places we visited on our own, but it was not our first time in the Emirates.
Oaa, Dubai
There is a lot of information on the city, so I will be brief. There is a paid tourist sightseeing bus from the ship’s mooring and a free bus to Dubai Mall. The metro is partially operational. There’s still a lot of construction. And traffic jams have not decreased.
Burj Halifa Tower. Entrance via Dubai Mall.
The price of a simple ticket (pre-sale) is 100 Dirham and 400 Dirham for an express visit.
I arrived in the morning, at 10, queuing for about 5 minutes. Took a ticket for a week in advance. At 6pm it’s already starting to get dark. In my opinion – a good time is at 4 or 5pm – before sunset. The views from the top are great, but there is a slight haze. It takes about an hour to visit the tower.
Fountains. Visible from the Dubai Mola promenade. Sessions every half an hour, starting at 19.00. Lasts 5-10 minutes. Compared to Barcelona, there is less colour. But the elevation is greater.
Shopping. In my opinion, the differences are slowly being erased. Prices for M&S and H&M clothes do not differ much. Gold costs 30-40USD per gram. Computers, photos and phones are slightly cheaper, but the warranty is usually only local. The malls are so big that the trek started by looking for a floor plan and finding specific brands on it. Otherwise, no amount of time would be enough. I can’t tell you about fur coats – I didn’t have such a task this time.
Oman, Muscat
Also construction site, but no skyscrapers, the ruler does not allow.
National Museum – small. Mostly weapons and household items.
Sultan Qaboos Mosque – a colossal structure. The huge carpet and chandeliers are particularly impressive. Very strict dress code at the entrance. Hire clothes about 15 usd.
Sultan Qaboos Palace (outside). Beautiful but inaccessible.
The market is a typical oriental bazaar. With great difficulty we found and bought a magnet and a plate.
Oaa, Fujairah
We had been there before, so we didn’t go on a tour. Opted for a beach day.
Sandy Beach Motel (40 mins from the harbour). Beach ticket 75 drh per day including mask and flipper hire.
Oae Abu Dhabi
The ship stopped at Mina terminal. Shuttle from the ship to Marina mall is 10 usd. There is a free shuttle to the harbour gate, and a taxi from there to Marina Mall is only 14 usd. The city didn’t make much of an impression. It’s cleaner than Dubai, less crowded, longer distances. So it’s not very comfortable to walk around.
Walked along the seafront. Beautiful view of the Emirates Palace Hotel.
Family Beach entry 10 drh (there is a free bit with changing rooms and showers nearby). Hiltonia Beach complex – 175 drh per day. But the sea did not seem very clean. Water temperature 23 January 23 degrees.
We visited both malls – Marina Mall and Abu Dhabi Mall. Marina is bigger in size. But not all sections are operational yet. Prices are the same as in Dubai.
Bahrain, Manama
The country is richer than Oman. Like the Emirates – big construction. Everything is very expensive – magnet 6usd, plate 11 usd, beer 15 usd. Bathing is not allowed, especially for women (only on the beaches of a few expensive hotels).
The country is non-touristy, though safe, taxi prices are arbitrary. Brief itinerary points.
The Bahrain Museum is large, showing in detail the historical life of the inhabitants. There are modern sculptures as well. There’s also a small souvenir shop.
Mosque – famous for its huge fibreglass dome.
Fort – a typical Portuguese fortress. It has been rebuilt many times.
Formula 1 Complex. Very interesting construction. We visited the observation tower, the control centre and the press centre. There is also a souvenir shop there. Souvenirs are expensive, but of high quality (a T-shirt – about 80USD). Naturally, we did not see any races (a ticket for 3 main races costs 478USD). But we accidentally saw a piece of air show.
It is also worth visiting the pearl museum and the old market.
There are several large malls in the city. From purchases I can recommend perfume Amouage (Oman-France). A 50 ml bottle costs about 140 USD.
Conclusions
The disadvantage of this particular cruise is the inconvenient flights. In fact, we lost a whole day (paid for). Arrived at 11pm (you can check in from 11am), got off the ship at 6am (and you can stay until 15).
And in general – a cruise is a specific kind of holiday. It is necessary to try it once – and to estimate sensations. As it turned out, most passengers had been on cruises several times and discussed with interest dozens of ports, ships and itineraries. You may not get to know a new country completely during half a day’s stop in a port, but you still have impressions. And many places can’t be reached any other way. So I wish everyone (and myself) new journeys!
