Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas made her inaugural call to Dubai on Saturday. This is Royal Caribbean's fourth season operating out of Dubai, with its first cruises sailing out of the region in January 2010.
Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in collaboration with Royal Caribbean, arranged for a grand welcome ceremony at the Dubai Cruise Terminals in Mina Rashid where the ship will be docked. A huge heritage village replica was set-up at the terminal with traditional activities and local music band performance.
DTCM invited representatives from other Government Departments that support the cruise operations such as Immigration, Customs, Police, and DMCA, as well as its strategic partner DP World to attend the press conference arranged on board the cruise ship.
Serenade of the Seas will offer 12 cruises out of Dubai this season until April 14, 2013. Serenade arrives in Dubai following a total refurbishment of the ship last year.
Helen Beck, Royal Caribbean International Regional Director, commented on the ship's arrival, "Serenade of the Seas is the eighth Royal Caribbean International ship to be revitalized. Announced in 2011, the $300m revitalization program will make every ship our best ship. Each revitalization takes around one month and includes adding new dining venues, more balcony staterooms, entertainment options such as an outdoor movie screen, various technological enhancements, and more."
The plaque & key exchange ceremony, a maritime tradition, followed the press conference during which DTCM and the other invited Government Departments exchanged their commemorative crests with the Ship's Captain. The event continued with a ship visit and lunch on board for all the attendees.
