We postponed our previously booked cruise to the Middle East to February 2023 due to the Corona pandemic. Most of the ports of call were closed the previous year and we were pleasantly delighted to hear that this time round all were open again. We also got the opportunity of sailing on the relatively new Costa Toscana which began service in March 2022.
Flight Arrival in Dubai
We had the Emirates night flight from Vienna to Dubai. There was a strike situation in Germany and we were lucky to have not flown out from there – but it also goes to show , there is a need to buffer for unforeseen situations like these. It was a 5 hour 35 minutes flight and we were greeted by a stunning sunrise as we flew into Dubai.
We are familiar with the Dubai airport and breezed through the passport control with relative ease. Check out my previous post about Dubai airport tips here. We collected our checked-in luggage and headed out to the Metro station .
We had plenty of time as it was almost 8:00am and our embarkation time was at 15:00. I had called Costa before the trip to confirm which port the ship would be docked at. Be aware that there are 2 cruise terminals in Dubai. One is the Port Rashid terminal near the Burjuman area relatively close to the airport and the other the new cruise terminal at the Dubai Marina near to the Palm Islands – the Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal. The Costa Toscana would be embarking at the one at the Dubai Marina.
I had already planned what to do to fill our time from now till then. Visit JBR Beach and Souk Madinat Jumeirah. First things first though, we needed a place to store our big luggage.
Baggage Storage before Cruise
Once I got confirmation where the embarkation of the Costa Toscana is going to be, I started to actively look for baggage storage. I was happy to find one that fit my criteria; which was, it had to be near to the metro station for 2 reasons. We would not have to walk too far with our luggage before storing it and also there would be a higher possibility to catch a taxi to the port near to a metro station.
I used Bounce Luggage where I had booked and paid online in advance. We stopped at the Sobha Realty Metro Station , a direct metro ride from the Dubai International Airport and walked 700m which more than half the distance was through a covered walkway from the metro station. After the exit , we had only to walk along the main road before we found the address. At first it looked pretty dodgy as it was a smoke shop and not what I expected. However I followed the instructions and asked them to scan the code I received in my booking. I took a photo of my luggage also for good measure and for remembrance (should this be the last time I ever see it…)
To be honest I was skeptical at first as to whether we would get our luggage back but I am very happy to report that it worked out well. We headed back towards the metro and managed to hail a taxi to bring us to the Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal which was only 3.5km away.
The Bounce Luggage charges by number of luggage. So we crammed everything into one bag for the storage. We paid AED35 for a bag + AED6.80 for insurance.
Don’t forget to bring out whatever you need (eg hat, sun block, water bottle, comfy walking shoes) before storing your luggage. Here is the link for the storage.
How we spent the time while waiting for embarkation
As we waited for embarkation, I had already a list of things to see and do around the area which included Dubai Marina, JBR Beach , Souk Madinat. However I didn’t anticipate the exhaustion which came with non-sleeping the night on the flight.
After our luggage deposit, we hopped on to the tram towards JBR Beach. I wanted to see if I could spot the Costa ship from there and sure enough there it was docked in the distance. Very nice views of the Ain Dubai from this beach as well.
We looked for having some coffee and found the prices to be very expensive around that area including from the mobile stands around 5 Euros more than what we were willing to pay for a cuppa.
The daybeds and loungers were available for rent but the prices were high as well and only made sense if we were planning to stay the whole day. At that point I was tempted to book a day room to get some shut eye. However even that was not available around the area. We set out looking for a McDonald’s which appeared to be not very far away , situated at The Walk. Lo and behold I found Karak chai for 1 Euro and was happy with it.
*Money $aving Tip: JBR is a luxury area – with expensive cars zipping around and the prices are high here. Stick to fast food chains or the food court in Dubai Marina Mall for more decent prices.
The time went by with nice views to admire. We went to Dubai Marina Mall Food court for lunch. Check out a summary below.
Embarkation on the Costa Toscana
Our Ship was in Terminal A and we walked in at the Ground Level where our luggage was collected. Then we headed on upstairs to go through Passport checks and security checks line before joining the queue for the actual check-in with the Costa staff. The queues were quite long and we spent about 45 minutes here before we were able to go on board. We got our cruise cards and were informed that we could head to the cabin, much to our relief. The exhaustion became very real at this point.
As we got on the ship, the staff were on hand to point the way to the elevators to the cabin.
Our Cabin on the Costa Toscana
We were very eager to get some rest after the long travel. However I still made time for a video tour of the cabin. Check it out below.
Later in the day....
We went up to check out the views from the deck on the 18th floor. There are always unique views of the city from there. The scene was simply beautiful as the skies went from bright to dark. The city lit up and I was mesmerized by the sight. Check it out below
We had an assigned seating for dinner at the La Maremma – and were super happy with the food options and quality. Below is a sample of my starter and main. On this night it was a little chaotic and we did not sit at our table – we had quite a bit of wait for our food too and our first impression of the Costa Toscana was not great at this point.
The initial plan to go out to the city to the Dubai Fountains we skipped as we still felt the exhaustion from the travel. Also a little jet lagged with the 3 hour difference in time. We turned in pretty early and happy to report that the cabin is quiet even though we were quite near the elevators.
-End of Embarkation Day-
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That is a very detailed piece on the embarkation process. And I am so glad you wrote it coz there are so many tips hidden there. Like that bit about the Bounce luggage and how much it costs. How long and what documents you need. Sounds like it is quite a long process and am not surprised that you were exhausted by the end of it. Those views from the deck look magical.
It looks like you had a very tiring day on your first day of your cruise. I can imagine that flying over night and then having to walk around Dubai until 1pm wasn’t that pleasant, especially with those high prices. I visited Dubai in a layover and I remember how experience it was. I chose to spend my day around Dubai Mall and then head over to the beach to see Burj al Arab. The view from the deck, at night, looks so pretty. I didn’t get to see that as I had to be back at the airport by midday.
The food looks amazing, sorry that you had a rough start at the Costa Toscana with all that lining up, but seems like you got a great spot on the ship! I haven’t been to Dubai yet but I’ll keep the Dubai mall food court tip in handy to avoid pricey food costs.
I’ve never done a cruise before so it’s interesting to read about the embarkation process. The food on board looks really nice I must say and it’s making me want to book a cruise. I passed through Dubai airport a few times and I’m shocked how expensive everything is. The views in Dubai are pretty great!
I have stayed in Dubai many times but never thought of catching a cruise from there – I would be interested to know where it took you.
I can imagine that it was worrying handing your luggage to a shop assistant inside a smoke shop; I would have also worried that it would never be seen again! An excellent thought to take a photograph of it for proof.
The food aboard looked lovely, but I guess you would expect nothing less from a UAE cruise ship.
I certainly agree with you about planning your travel plans to a cruise to factor in unforeseen issues. I am always surprised at how many people cut their time close. How great that you found a spot to store your baggage and you had time to see some of Dubai before boarding.
The cruise’s vistas are stunning in every way! It seems enjoyable to stroll along JBR Beach’s sandbars. Your cabin on the Costa Toscana seems very warm and inviting, and I appreciate that it has a porch that looks out over the lake. That was a long but extremely worthwhile journey for you! I also drool over the seafood that is offered for the main dish.
I have never been on a cruise, so it was super interesting to read how an embarkation day schedule goes. Great that you could drop you luggage and then had some free time to spend befor you went on the ship. I guess it takes a lot very good organization to make the embarkation of so many passengers as smooth as you described it. And the sea food looks divine too.
It’s a great idea to include this cruise as a part of our plans when visiting Dubai. And we are always one to factor in a delayed flight and do keep praying that there are no cancellations when another trip is lined up soon after reaching a destination. Germany airports are probably the worst as our experiences have been last year. Great to learn about this cruise.