Middle East & India Cruises
Many extended cruises sail between the Mediterranean and India via the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, often detouring via Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha on the way. Sailing via the Suez Canal is a must-do for all cruisers at least once. This lends itself to a stop in Sokhna, the nearest port to Cairo, where cruisers will have the opportunity to visit the iconic Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza. In recent years, Dubai has become a hub for shorter cruises of the Persian Gulf, and Sharm el-Sheikh for the Red Sea, with cruises primarily between October and May, due to its strategic location. Indian ports have been growing in number as the local cruise market develops. This is opening up the coastline of India to more regular visits by mainstream cruise lines. With every region of India having its own highlights and cuisines, cruisers can now have a taste of India's highlights from the ease of an ocean voyage.