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Fabulous Dubai and Arabian Nights 2012!

NEW - Optional Extension to Petra and the Dead Sea!

Dubai, here we come again! Our tour/cruise to Dubai and the Gulf region the past two years have both been such a success we are doing it again. Four people on the first trip in 2009 booked to go again in 2010 and I wouldn't be surprised to have a few repeats again in 2012! There will be one major difference in 2012 compared to the last two years. Instead of Costa, we will be sailing on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas! Most of the cabins have balconies, which makes them quite affordable. Another difference is that tours during the cruise as well as the gourmet High Tea (read 10-course lunch!) at the 7-star Burj al Arab Hotel in Dubai are included in the tour package. Even with these included, the price is LESS than the first Dubai trip in 2009! What a deal. This is truly one of the most remarkable areas of the world and Dubai has long been one of my all-time favorite destinations. Some of you may have seen the email with all the incredible photos of Dubai (if you haven't and want to, let me know), showing the world's only 7-star hotel, the world's only underwater hotel, the world's tallest building, indoor snow skiing, the magnificent Palm Island developments, amusement parks with outdoor air conditioning, the world's most innovative architecture, etc., but for me a big appeal of Dubai is the contrast between ultra-modern and antiquities. It's a delight to wander the little alleyways and shops of Dubai center, stopping for a cup of tea at a little Indian teahouse. Browse the spice market and guess at the contents of the barrels and vats and vessels and take a sample from a huge mound of dates or figs. The famous Gold Souk (market) is lined with shops full of gold in every form, all at duty-free prices! The Deira market offers an extraordinary range of wares from Pashmina scarves, to carpets, brass, clothes, and souvenirs. My Mother sums it up by saying, "Dubai is as ancient as Abraham and as modern as tomorrow!" The city is divided by picturesque Deira Creek (actually an estuary) and a crossing is by means of an abra, a traditional, wooden ferry boat that motors you from one side to the other. After the Dubai tour/cruise in 2010 I also took 5 people on an extension to Jordan where we visited the incomparable Petra (the Rose-Red City Half as Old as Time) and the Dead Sea. It was a delightful few days and this will be definitely offered as an option in 2012 for those interested. Here are the itinerary and details for the 2012 tour/cruise! Friday, February 24: Fly from the United States overnight to Dubai. (Those who wish to go a day early and relax or play golf are welcome to do so!) Saturday, February 25: Arrive Dubai in the evening. The next two nights will be at the FIVE-STAR Radisson SAS Deira Creek. Sunday, February 26: Morning tour of Modern Dubai with its exotic architecture and outrageous space-age projects. We will see the world's tallest building, the Jumeirah Palm development, Atlantis Hotel, and Dubai Land. Lunch on your own, Free time Late afternoon we will go on a desert safari with sunset dinner in a Bedouin Camp with camel rides, belly dancing and Arab crafts. Overnight in the Radisson SAS Deira Creek Monday, February 27: Morning tour of ancient Dubai, including the Dubai Golf and Yacht Club, the Dubai Museum, the Gold Market, the Spice Market, Dubai Old Town, and of course, the obligatory ride on the abras (ancient ferry boats) across Deira Creek. Lunch will be an elegant High Tea at the world's only 7-star hotel, the Burj al Arab. This was one of the highlights of the trip for those who took part in it this past February. Mid-afternoon we will board the RCCL Brilliance of the Seas, our home for the next 7 nights. Tuesday, February 28: Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Free day to shop or book an excursion through the ship. Wednesday, February 29: Muscat, Oman. A half-day tour of this ancient city is included in the tour package. Thursday, March 1: Muscat, Oman. A second full day in Muscat. Shop in the famous souk (market), or book a tour through the ship and explore the wild desert regions of Oman. Friday, March 2: Day at sea to enjoy the facilities aboard the Brilliance of the Seas. Saturday, March 3: Abu Dhabi, Capital of the United Arab Emirates. A half-day tour is included, featuring the Grand Mosque, one of the most stunning architectural wonders of the world. Sunday, March 4: The Brilliance of the Seas arrives back in Dubai in the morning. We will have a bus available for our group to shuttle us around Dubai to the markets and malls etc. Overnight on board the Brilliance of the Seas. Monday, March 5: Full day to enjoy Dubai and do more exploring. We can use the ship as our base until late afternoon, then we'll go out for dinner and head for the airport for flights home. The cost of the cruise and pre-cruise tour (not including air) is: $2300 per person double occupancy in an outside cabin $2600 per person double occupancy in a balcony cabin $2900 per person double occupancy in a junior suite (352 sq. ft. - double the size of the balcony cabin!) Rates for singles, triples, and other suites available on request. INCLUDED in the tour price: * 7-night cruise on the RCCL Brilliance of the Seas with all meals included * Government fees and taxes for the cruise * 2-night pre-cruise tour in Dubai in the 5-star Radisson SAS Deira Creek in the heart of Dubai * Breakfast both mornings in Dubai * Dinner Sunday night in Dubai * High Tea (lunch) at the 7-Star Burj al Arab * 1/2 Day Tour of ancient Dubai * 1/2 Day Desert Safari with Bedouin Dinner * 1/2 Day Tour of Modern Dubai * 1/2 Day Tour of Muscat, Oman * 1/2 Day Tour of Abu Dhabi, UAE * Transfers to/from Dubai airport * Private shuttle bus in Dubai for our group Sunday and Monday at the end of the cruise. NOT Included in the tour price: * Sunday lunch in Dubai (before the cruise) * Monday dinner in Dubai (after the cruise, before going to the airport) * Onboard Gratuities (suggested amount $70 per person) * Your shopping allowance for the Fabulous Markets!! * Trip Insurance (highly recommended) HOTEL: The 5-Star Radisson SAS is one of my favorite properties in Dubai and all rooms have balconies facing Deira Creek. It is in downtown Dubai, within walking distance of lots of shopping and lovely strolls along Deira Creek. SHIP: The RCCL Brilliance of the Seas was commissioned in 2002 and can accommodate just over 2100 passengers. It is 90,000 tons and over 3 football fields in length. AIR: Air is not included, but I'm happy to help anyone with booking air. Depending on your departure city, air will probably be about $1000 to $1500. Delta Airlines has a nonstop flight from Atlanta to Dubai, departing about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and arriving in Dubai the following evening, just in time to check into the hotel and go to bed! The flight isn't quite as long as it sounds - there is a 9-hour time difference. United offers nonstop service from Washington Dulles to Dubai with similar timings and Emirates Air offers nonstops from New York and Houston. Delta/KLM also offers service via Amsterdam if you want to break up the flight a bit. DEPOSITS: The sooner you book the better, but by August 1 at the latest. I am holding cabins in several categories, but cabin numbers are assigned as they are actually booked and the ship sells out fast. Our group size will also be limited to about 30 people. A deposit of $500 per person is required to book. FINAL PAYMENT December 1, 2011 CANCELLATION: All payments are refundable until December 2011. Thereafter trip insurance provides protection should you have to cancel based on a doctor-verified medical reason. I STRONGLY recommend trip insurance (if I could make it obligatory I would!). RCCL offers trip insurance for all passengers for only $59, which covers the cost of the cruise and medical. It does NOT cover the non-cruise portion of the tour so if you want full trip coverage, consider CSA through Isings Travel. You can get a quote at the time of booking. All deposits and payments may be made by check, made out to Isings Travel, or if you prefer, the cruise portion may be paid by credit card. NOTE: Passports must be valid for at least 6 Months after the end of our trip, i.e. at least through September 5, 2012. OK, that's a lot of information, but I want people to know as much as possible about the trip. Let me know if you have any further questions! Salam! Kent Kauffman kentkauffman@ymail.com Tel. 406-586-5078 311 S. Grand Bozeman, MT 59715 Isings Travel, 2441 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33431 Click here for a link to the 2010 Dubai Blog we created on this past tour with photos and commentary: http://fabulousdubai2.blogspot.com/ Click here for a link to our fabulous 5-star Radisson SAS Deira Creek Hotel in Dubai: http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-dubaideiracreek