During the winter, MSC Opera will sail in the Middle East with departures from Dubai. You can get on board one of these cruises starting at just €369 per person in an inside cabin. An outside cabin would set you back by €519, but a balcony cabin would be a better choice at just €599. The cheapest price is available for multiple departures in early 2023.
Prices include all taxes and fees. You would get a full board which comes with a buffet restaurant open from early morning to late night and a daily a la carte formal dinner. Drinks are free during dining and you can always go to the buffet restaurant to drink something.
The Route
The ship will depart from Dubai every Sunday and arrive back there the next Saturday. You will spend the last night on the ship while it’s in Dubai, meaning that you will disembark on Sunday.
- Day 1: Dubai, UAE (21:00)
- Day 2: Abu Dhabi, UAE (06:00-21:00)
- Day 3: Sir Bani Yas, UAE (08:00-17:00)
- Day 4: At sea
- Day 5: Muscat, Oman (07:00-18:00)
- Day 6: Khasab, Oman (09:00-18:00)
- Day 7: Dubai, UAE (09:00 Night onboard)
- Day 8: Dubai, UAE
The Ship
While MSC Opera is one of the older/smaller ships, it’s still very stylish and a great place to spend a week. It entered into service in 2004 as part of the Lirica class and went through a renovation in 2015. It boasts a huge theatre, many restaurants, pools, jacuzzis, a spa, a gym and even a minigolf course. The cabins look like most MSC ships:
Even MSC’s older ships have a beautiful and stylish atrium area:
And have a focus on wellness:
And it’s not MSC without all the other types of entertainment options:
Flights
We recommend adding a buffer day before your cruise and we do not recommend leaving the ship before the final day.
You can fly into Dubai or Abu Dhabi and take the brand-new express bus to Dubai. Wizz Air Flights to Abu Dhabi can cost as little as €100 return, but once you add food and bags, you may be better off with legacy airlines. Prices as little as €300 in economy class are not that rare. You can look for flights using our search form below:
Or you can keep an eye out for deals to the UAE:
Cover Picture: © MSC Cruises S.A.