Dubai Marina dhow dinner cruise
Assure books Dubai Marina dhow dinner cruises and drives you from your hotel or home to the boarding pontoon and back in a private car. The marina is about 21 km from Downtown Dubai and 37 km from DXB. Send your date, group size, preferred deck and any vegetarian meals, and the quote comes back on WhatsApp.
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The day, stop by stop
Times are a guide. Your driver keeps to your group's pace.
Pickup at your hotel or home
Your chauffeur arrives with time to spare before boarding. From Downtown Dubai the drive is about 21 km.
Drop-off at the pontoon
The operator and the pontoon are named on your booking. The chauffeur drops you as close to it as the marina roads allow.
Boarding and dinner on the dhow
Find your table on the deck you booked. Dinner is served on board while the boat cruises.
Back at the pontoon
Your chauffeur messages you on WhatsApp with the pickup spot before the boat docks.
Drop-off at your door after dinner
What the trip includes
Included
- A seat or table on a Dubai Marina dhow dinner cruise for your date
- Dinner on board, with the menu and any vegetarian meals listed in your quote
- Private car with chauffeur from your door to the boarding pontoon and back
Not included
- Drinks and extras that your quote does not list
What to bring
- A light layer for the open deck on winter evenings
- Flat shoes for the gangway and the deck
What a Dubai Marina dhow cruise is
A dhow is a traditional wooden boat of the Gulf, with one or more masts and long, narrow lines. Dubai’s dinner dhows keep that wooden shape and carry tables on deck. You board, eat dinner and cruise the marina, then step off where you started.
Dubai Marina was built around a canal along about 3 km of shoreline, lined with residential towers. The Dubai Marina Yacht Club services yacht and dhow tours there.
Where you board, and how the car gets you there
Marina dinner dhows are run by private operators, and the boarding point differs from boat to boat. Your booking names the operator and the boarding point, and your chauffeur drops you as close to it as the marina roads allow.
| From | To Dubai Marina | Without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Jumeirah | about 7 km | about 10 min |
| Downtown Dubai | about 21 km | about 20 min |
| Al Maktoum International (DWC) | about 32 km | about 38 min |
| Dubai International (DXB) | about 37 km | about 42 min |
| Sharjah city | about 44 km | about 41 min |
| Zayed International (AUH) | about 95 km | about 63 min |
| Abu Dhabi city | about 119 km | about 74 min |
Figures are OSRM road data on OpenStreetMap. Evening traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road adds time, so the chauffeur leaves early enough for your boarding slot. Flying in the same day? Your driver can meet you at DXB arrivals and drop the bags at your hotel first.
Upper deck or lower deck
Ask which decks your dhow has before you book. The open upper deck gives the views of the towers and is best from October to April. In the summer months, an enclosed deck with air conditioning, where the boat has one, is the more comfortable table.
Dinner and vegetarian meals
Dinner is served on board during the cruise. Menus change by operator, so your quote lists what is served on your date. Tell us early about any of these.
- vegetarian, vegan or Jain meals
- allergies, such as nuts or shellfish
- children’s meals and high chairs
We check each request with the operator before you pay.
Shared table or private charter
On a shared dinner cruise you have your own table, but the boat carries other guests. A private charter gives your group the whole dhow, its own menu and its own time, and suits birthdays and company dinners. For a smaller boat with fewer people, look at a private yacht charter instead.
What sets the price
- A shared seat priced per person, or a private charter priced per boat.
- The deck and the menu.
- The date and the departure time.
- The car from your door to the pontoon, priced per vehicle and not per person.
The car is what sets this booking apart from a ticket alone. A GMC Yukon takes 6 passengers, a Mercedes-Benz V-Class 6 and a Sprinter 13 or 19, so a family pays one car price. For a car on your own schedule after dinner, book a car with driver by the hour.
Which dhow cruise: the Marina, the Creek or the Canal?
The Marina cruise runs among the newer towers of west Dubai. The Dubai Creek dhow cruise sails between Deira and Bur Dubai in the old city. The Dubai Canal dhow cruise passes Business Bay and the Downtown skyline.
Pair the evening with a day trip: a Dubai city tour in the morning, or the desert safari on another night.
Children, mobility and dress
Tell us the children’s ages, and we confirm the operator’s age rules with your quote. If anyone uses a wheelchair or has trouble with steps, tell us: gangways and stairs between decks differ by boat. Smart casual clothes suit the evening, with a light layer for the open deck in winter.
Choosing between a dhow and a yacht? Read yacht or dhow cruise. For the harbour side of the Marina, see Dubai Harbour cruise terminal guide.
Add an airport transfer
Landing the same day? The same booking can include your pickup from any UAE airport, with your name on a board in arrivals.
Questions and answers
What is a dhow cruise?
A dhow is a traditional wooden sailing vessel of the Gulf, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, with one or more masts. A Dubai dhow cruise is an evening trip on a dhow fitted with tables, with dinner served on board. At Dubai Marina, the boat leaves from a pontoon inside the marina and returns to the same point.
Is a Dubai Marina cruise worth it?
It suits a first evening in Dubai, a family with children or a group that wants dinner and the skyline in one booking. It suits people less who want a quiet table or a fine-dining menu, since most seats are shared with other guests. For your own boat and timings, a private charter or a yacht is the better fit.
How much does a cruise ticket cost in Dubai?
It depends on the boat, the deck, the menu and the date, and on whether you share the dhow or charter it. With Assure, the cruise seat is priced per person. The private car to the pontoon is priced per vehicle, so a family of 6 in a GMC Yukon pays one car price. Send your details on WhatsApp for a quote.
Where do you board the dhow at Dubai Marina?
At a pontoon inside the marina, named on your booking along with the operator. The exact spot changes with the boat. Your chauffeur drops you there and agrees the return pickup point on WhatsApp. By Metro, the nearest Red Line station is Sobha Realty, formerly Dubai Marina station.
Can vegetarians eat on a Marina dhow cruise?
Tell us when you enquire if anyone in your group eats vegetarian, vegan or Jain meals, or has an allergy. We check the menu with the operator for your date and list what is served in your quote. That way you know before you pay, instead of finding out at the buffet.
Should we book the upper deck or the lower deck?
Book the open upper deck for views of the towers and the night air, from October to April. On July and August evenings, an enclosed deck with air conditioning is more comfortable, where the boat has one. Ask which decks your dhow offers and whether your table is held on the one you choose.
Can we charter a whole dhow at Dubai Marina?
Yes, on request. A private charter gives your group the whole boat, its own menu and its own departure time, which suits birthdays and company dinners. The rate depends on the boat's size, the hours and the menu, and is quoted on WhatsApp. For smaller groups, a private yacht may fit better.