Dhow Cruise Dubai

Our Dubai Marina dhow cruise is a 2-hour evening dinner cruise on the Royal Liberty, a modern two-deck cruise boat. It includes welcome drinks on boarding, an international buffet with vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, soft drinks, water, tea and coffee, and live entertainment such as the Tanoura dance. You can use both the open-air upper deck and the air-conditioned lower deck while you cruise past the lit-up Marina skyline, JBR and Bluewaters Island.

Dinner starts with welcome snacks (vegetable pizza and samosa) and our Liberty Sunset Punch served at your table. The buffet then includes lentil soup, salads, hummus and Arabic bread; mains such as biryani, dal tadka, vegetable noodles, penne pasta, chicken and butter naan; grilled seekh kebab, chicken boti, fish with lemon butter and vegetable skewers; and desserts including gulab jamun, caramel and fresh fruit. See the full dinner menu above.

The cruise lasts about 2 hours on the water. Boarding starts at 7:30 PM, the cruise departs at 8:30 PM and returns to the dock around 10:30 PM. Hotel-transfer guests are picked up from around 6:00 PM. With hotel pickup and drop-off, plan for about 4 hours in total. Your exact boarding time is confirmed with your booking, so please arrive 20–30 minutes early.

Home or hotel pickup and drop-off in Dubai is included in the AED 250 package. The AED 150 self-drive option is for guests who prefer to travel to Dubai Marina on their own, which is often easiest if you are staying in Dubai Marina, JBR or JLT.

The dhow boards from a pier in Dubai Marina, usually on the Marina Promenade near Dubai Marina Mall. We send the exact jetty and a landmark with your booking confirmation. The pier is easy to reach by taxi, Dubai Tram (Dubai Marina Mall stop) or Dubai Metro. If you book the transfer package, we drop you at the pier.

There is no strict dress code, and smart-casual clothing is ideal. Please avoid swimwear and very revealing outfits out of respect for local culture. Comfortable flat shoes work best on deck, and from November to March a light jacket is useful, as it can be breezy on the water.

Seating is first come, first served, and groups are seated together. The upper deck is open-air with the best views; the lower deck is enclosed and air-conditioned. All guests can move between both decks during the cruise, so arrive early if you want an upper-deck table.

The dhow cruise runs all year, but November to March is the most comfortable time, with mild evenings that are perfect for the open deck. From May to September it is hot and humid, so most guests dine on the air-conditioned lower deck. Winter is peak season, so book a few days ahead.

Yes. We can arrange a private dhow for birthdays, anniversaries, corporate dinners and other celebrations, with options for the menu, decorations and timing. Contact us with your date, group size and any requests, and we will send you options and a quote.

Bad weather is rare in Dubai, but if we cancel a cruise for safety reasons such as strong winds or heavy rain, you can choose a new date or a full refund, as set out in our cancellation policy. We contact you as early as possible, so please keep your phone reachable on the day.