Dubai Marina dhow dinner cruise with buffet and skyline views
2 h 30 min · starts 20:00 · 4.7 (3)
We sail from the Marina waterfront at 20:00 on a restored wooden dhow with an air-conditioned lower deck and an open upper deck. Our driver picks you up 45 minutes earlier, at about 19:15, and walks you to the boarding point, so you are not hunting for the right jetty among a dozen look-alike boats. We cap the boat at 40 guests, which matters: many cheaper cruises pack a hundred people onto a deck built for sixty, and the buffet queue becomes the main event.
The route is slow and calm. We loop the length of Dubai Marina past the towers, glide under the bridges and head out towards JBR, where the beach promenade and the giant wheel of Ain Dubai light up the water. Inside the Marina the sea is flat, so even guests who worry about seasickness are usually fine; on windier nights the captain stays within the sheltered channel rather than going out into open water. Shortly after departure the buffet opens: grilled chicken and fish, a lamb dish, biryani, pasta, salads, mezze, a separate vegetarian section and Arabic sweets, with water, soft drinks, tea and coffee included.
Around 21:00 a tanoura dancer performs on the lower deck, then the upper deck is the place to be for photos as the boat turns back past the skyline. We are back at the jetty at about 22:00 and your driver drops you home or at your hotel, usually by 22:30 to 23:00. Alcohol is not sold on board, the menu is the same every night, and there are no service charges added at the end. Book a few days ahead from November to March, when weekend evenings regularly sell out.
How the time is spent
- 19:15Pickup from your hotel or home
Your driver collects you 45 minutes before departure. Guests staying in Dubai Marina or JBR can choose to meet us at the jetty instead.
- 19:50Boarding at the Marina waterfront
Our host checks your name and shows you to your table. Pick the upper deck if you want the breeze, or the air-conditioned lower deck if the evening is humid.
- 20:00Sailing through Dubai Marina
The dhow leaves the jetty and loops slowly past the Marina towers and under the bridges, with the skyline reflected in the flat water.
- 20:15Buffet dinner opens
Grills, curries, pasta, salads, mezze and Arabic sweets, with a separate vegetarian section. Staff refill drinks at your table so there is no queue at a bar.
- 21:00Tanoura show
A tanoura dancer performs on the lower deck for about 15 minutes. Afterwards, head upstairs as the boat passes JBR and Ain Dubai for the best photos.
- 22:00Back at the jetty
We dock at the same point you boarded. Your driver is waiting nearby and most guests are dropped home or at their hotel between 22:30 and 23:00.
Times shown for the first start time; later runs follow the same plan.
Included
- Pickup and drop-off from Dubai hotels and homes
- Two-hour cruise through Dubai Marina towards JBR
- International buffet dinner with a vegetarian section
- Water, soft drinks, tea and coffee
- Live tanoura show on board
- Air-conditioned lower deck and open upper deck
- Maximum of 40 guests on board
Know before you go
- Smart casual dress works best; bring a light layer for the upper deck from December to February.
- Inside the Marina the water is flat, but guests prone to seasickness should sit on the lower deck near the middle of the boat.
- The dhow has steps between decks and is not fully wheelchair accessible; tell us in advance and we will seat you on the lower deck.
- Alcohol is not sold or allowed on board.
- During Ramadan the cruise runs after iftar time with no live entertainment.
- Arrive at the jetty at least 10 minutes early if you are meeting us there; the boat leaves on time.
Questions about this experience
Can I cancel my cruise booking?
What happens if the sea is rough?
Is the cruise good for children?
Are there vegetarian options at the buffet?
Can we take photos on board?
Guests on this experience
Lovely views of the Marina skyline and a relaxed atmosphere. Dinner was served quite late, after nine, and the kids were hungry and grumpy by then. The food was tasty when it came and there was plenty of it.
Dinner on a dhow through Dubai Marina with the towers all lit up. Buffet with Arabic and Indian dishes and a live oud player on the upper deck. Jomar was a lovely host and found my in-laws seats by the window.
Office team night out for twenty-two people. Jomar arranged a cake for our manager's birthday and organised a group photo on the upper deck as we passed the Marina towers. Very smooth from boarding to drop-off.
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