Dinner cruises
Dinner cruises in Dubai
A modern dinner cruise in Dubai costs from AED 250 per person on a catamaran or glass-sided boat with a served menu, against AED 99 for a traditional dhow buffet. You are paying for a table rather than a queue, a smaller boat, and a kitchen that plates each course.
- Modern dinner cruise
- From AED 250 per person
- Traditional dhow buffet
- From AED 99 per person
- Private yacht with catering
- From AED 3,000 for the boat
- Typical length
- 2 to 3 hours
There are two entirely different things sold under the phrase 'dinner cruise' in Dubai and it is worth knowing which one you are booking. The dhow cruise is a wooden two-deck boat with a buffet and a tanoura performance, at around AED 100 a head. The modern dinner cruise is a catamaran, a glass boat or a floating restaurant with allocated tables and a menu brought to you, at two to four times that.
The modern boats carry fewer people — sixty rather than a hundred and fifty — which changes the evening more than the food does. You are seated for the whole cruise, the deck is not crowded, and the kitchen is cooking to order rather than holding trays warm.
The third option, and the one worth doing for a proper occasion, is a private yacht with catering brought aboard. For a table of ten that lands between the two on price per head and gives you the boat, the route and the timings to yourself.
What is included
- Allocated table for the whole cruise, indoor or on deck
- Set or à la carte menu served to the table, not a buffet line
- Soft drinks and water; wine and cocktails where the boat is licensed
- Live music on most sailings rather than a stage performance
- Boats capped well below a dhow's capacity
Worth knowing
- Not every boat is licensed for alcohol. Ask before booking if wine matters to the evening.
- Modern dinner cruises want a booking two to three days ahead; the dhows will usually take you tomorrow.
- For a birthday or an anniversary, a private yacht with catering costs less than most people assume.
Options
Ways to do this
Catamaran dinner cruise
From AED 250 per person · 2.5 hours
Stable, wide and mostly open deck. Runs the Marina and Palm coastline. The best of the shared modern options.
Glass boat and floating restaurant
From AED 320 per person · 2 hours
Fully enclosed, air-conditioned and seated, with a served three-course menu. The choice in July and August.
Private yacht with catering
From AED 3,000 for the boat · 3 hours
Your own boat, your own timings, a caterer we brief beforehand. For ten people it works out around AED 400 each including the food.
Check a date
Ask about dinner cruises on your date.
Leave the date and the headcount and we will come back with what is free and what it costs. No deposit, and no obligation to book.
- No deposit to enquire
- A reply within a couple of hours
- Licensed boats, licensed crew, price all-in
Send an enquiry
FAQ
Questions people ask
- How much is a dinner cruise in Dubai?
- From AED 99 per person on a traditional dhow with a buffet, from AED 250 on a modern catamaran with a served menu, and from AED 320 on an enclosed glass boat. A private yacht with catering brought aboard starts at AED 3,000 for the boat.
- What is the difference between a dhow cruise and a dinner cruise?
- A dhow is a traditional wooden boat with a buffet, a tanoura show and up to 150 guests. A modern dinner cruise is a catamaran or glass boat with allocated tables, a served menu and around 60 guests. The dhow is cheaper; the modern boat is quieter and less crowded.
- Which is the best dinner cruise in Dubai?
- For value, the Creek dhow at AED 99. For a table and a served menu, a catamaran on the Marina and Palm route at AED 250. For an occasion, a private yacht with catering, which for a group of ten costs about AED 400 a head all in.
- Do Dubai dinner cruises serve alcohol?
- Some do and some do not. Modern catamarans and floating restaurants are more often licensed than traditional dhows. Alcohol is almost never included in the ticket price and is charged separately.
- Can you have dinner on a private boat in Dubai?
- Yes. We charter the boat by the hour from AED 750 and arrange a caterer to come aboard with a menu agreed beforehand. It is the only way to set your own departure time, route and guest list.
Related
Other ways onto the water
Check a date
Tell us when, and we will tell you what is free.
Weekends and sunset slots go first between October and April. Leave the date and the headcount below, or call — if your date is close, calling is quicker than any form.
- No deposit to enquire
- A reply within a couple of hours
- Licensed boats, licensed crew, price all-in