Emirates renews partnership with TUI Cruises for integrated air-sea travel

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Emirates renews partnership with TUI Cruises for integrated air-sea travel

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Sir Tim Clark President, Emirates Airline | Emirates Airline

By Sky Industry News

Mar 4, 2025

Emirates and TUI Cruises have renewed their partnership, aiming to enhance integrated travel experiences that connect air travel with maritime journeys. The renewal was formalized during ITB Berlin by Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airline, and Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.

Emirates will continue collaborating with TUI Cruises in various areas, including marketing initiatives, planning, and operational strategies. The airline will coordinate flight schedules with TUI Cruises' itineraries to ensure optimal connectivity between air and sea segments for cruise customers. Additionally, they will work on dedicated capacity in the form of 'cruise blocks' to meet demand from key markets across the airline's network.

In Dubai, Emirates will collaborate with stakeholders on enhanced ground transportation solutions between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Port Rashid Cruise Terminal.

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Adnan Kazim said: "Emirates takes immense pride in our pivotal role elevating Dubai's status as a premier global cruise destination... Our renewed collaboration with TUI Cruises aims to further enhance cruise passenger arrivals in our home and hub. "

Wybcke Meier commented: "We are thrilled to renew our partnership with Emirates... By seamlessly integrating air and sea journeys, we are able to offer our guests unparalleled convenience and connectivity. "

The partnership also seeks opportunities beyond Dubai, focusing on Far East cruises. TUI Cruise’s Mein Schiff 6 includes a 14-day itinerary starting from Singapore and docking in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan before returning to Singapore.

Additionally, the partnership involves leveraging data-driven insights to elevate service delivery and deploying specialised support personnel for cruise passengers to facilitate a more streamlined check-in process. The Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal at Port Rashid can support up to 14,000 daily cruise passengers.

Dubai's cruise sector growth is supported by coordinated collaboration within the tourism and aviation ecosystem. This includes expedited customs processes, duty-free services, complimentary city shuttles, and Emirates' remote check-in facilities at Port Rashid. Sixteen dedicated check-in counters allow cruise passengers to process luggage and secure boarding passes up to four hours before departure.