From Jeddah to Dubai · Middle East · 18 nights
Explora I launched in 2023 with Explora II following in 2024, and these luxury all-inclusive resort-style vessels marked the entrance of new cruise line Explora Journeys into the luxury cruise market.
These identical ships feature spacious accommodation, generous
outdoor areas, a huge choice of restaurants, an attractive guest to
crew ratio of 1.25 to 1, three outdoor pools and a fourth with a
retractable glass roof, these ships really have it all.
The port city of Jeddah has long been a cultural crossroads, serving as the gateway to Mecca for pilgrims making the Hajj, and there's a cosmopolitan feel here that other Saudi cities lack. The old Al-Balad neighbourhood is home to the city's most characterful buildings, while the buzzing Corniche promenade is a great spot for people watching.
Salalah is Oman’s second city, and the capital of the southern Dhofar region. Many visitors are surprised by the pleasant sub-tropical climate, which turns the city into an oasis of lush greenery during the ‘khareef’ (monsoon) season between June and September, and in many ways it’s more reminiscent of Zanzibar than Muscat.
Oman’s capital is low-rise and laid back, a far cry from the towering bling of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Take a stroll along the waterfront Corniche promenade, soak up the sun on one of the excellent beaches, or explore the mosques and forts of the atmospheric old quarter.
Khasab is the main town on the Musandam Peninsula, a rugged region of fjords and mountains that is sometimes known as the ‘Norway of the Middle East’. Dolphins can often be spotted off the coast, along with the pretty local dhow boats, while on land you can take a jeep safari and visit the 17th century Portuguese fort.
Amazing high rise buildings, extensive air-conditioned shopping malls and extraordinary man-made tourist attractions (such as indoor ski-slopes) abound in the glamorous city of Dubai, home to some of the most glitzy and expensive hotels in the world.
The UAE’s gleaming capital gives Dubai a run for its money in terms of extravagant excess, an ever-multiplying forest of skyscrapers looming over the golden sand and brilliant blue waters of the Gulf. Don’t miss the shining white Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the world’s biggest.
Manama is the capital of Bahrain, a nation spread across an archipelago of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf. The city was an important centre for the pearl trade in the early 20th century, though in recent years it’s the oil industry that has powered the economy, embodied by the shimmering array of skyscrapers and shopping malls.
Qatar's capital is a city on the up, with vast sums of money being poured into construction projects for the 2022 World Cup and cultural venues such as the spectacular Museum of Islamic Art. There are also plenty of more traditional attractions, such as the atmospheric souks and the lovely waterfront Corniche promenade.
Amazing high rise buildings, extensive air-conditioned shopping malls and extraordinary man-made tourist attractions (such as indoor ski-slopes) abound in the glamorous city of Dubai, home to some of the most glitzy and expensive hotels in the world.
