The arrival in Dubai of the new state of the art vessel, the Costa Delizioasa to join Costa Cruises, will consolidate the UAE’s position as a hub ship for cruise ships in the Middle East.  The cruise ships arrival will strengthen the partnership between Europe’s top cruise company, Costa Cruises, and Emirates Airline, as both companies prepare for an expected surge in cruise tourism in the region.  

The emerging cruise tourism industry will get a boost when Dubai Cruise Terminal becomes fully operational this month, with a capacity of handling four ships at once.   Costa Deliziosa and sister ships Costa Luminosa, and Costa Europa expect to dock in Dubai 32 times during the 2009-10 winter season.  Emirates will play an important role in connecting passengers to the cruise ships. Emirates Airline will fly to 25 European destinations in 2010, including the most recent addition to its network of Madrid, Praque, and Amsterdam.