The Upcoming District of Dubai Harbour will be home to 7,500 Seaside apartments and a Cruise Terminal

Of course, not forgetting the highly-anticipated seaside community of Emaar Beachfront, which is set to deliver 24 residential towers with a total of 7,500 apartments. A few of them, including Sunrise Bay and Creek Gate, are already nearing completion, enabling residents to move in next year.

Dubai Harbour is designed as a pedestrian-friendly development, meaning that residents and visitors can stroll freely around the marinas. In addition, the master plan includes a variety of fine eateries and retail stores, adding to the many leisure options available in the Dubai Marina district. Meanwhile, VIP guests will enjoy the Dubai Harbour Pier Club near the superyacht berths. With an executive gym, a helipad and a gourmet restaurant called Bar Du Port, it is set to appeal to the mega-rich. Moreover, Dubai Harbour will host some major events, such as the 16th edition of #NOFILTERDXB, the largest automotive event in the region, which takes place on 24–27 November, and the Dubai International Boat Show that will happen in March next year.

The first official guests are expected to arrive on November 25, when Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal will open its doors. The Cruise Terminal was actually completed 1 year ago, however, its launch was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The terminal consists of 2 facilities with a total area of 322.9 thousand sq.ft. and its bespoke Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges have a capacity of processing over 3,250 passengers an hour. Meanwhile, 2 reception buildings will be able to receive 2 mega-ships simultaneously.

The cruise terminals are to be found on a 9,795-feet long pier, offering a whole bunch of amenities to visitors, including currency exchanges, tour operators, duty-free shops and complimentary Wi-Fi. In addition, the entire area is equipped to cater to wheelchair users. According to Shamal Holding, who is the owner of Dubai Harbour, 2 international cruise lines; Costa Crociere from Italy and Aida Cruises from Germany, will make the harbour their homeport for the winter season. It is worth noting that Shamal Holding curates some of the most famous enterprises in Dubai, including Deep-dive Dubai, Dubai Films, Skydive Dubai, X Dubai, Kite Beach and Jumeirah Zabeel Saray.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise industry was the most rapidly growing in Dubai's travel sector. For instance, during the 2018-2019 season the emirate welcomed over 800,000 people, and demand for cruises surged by 20.5% in the past 5 years alone.