4 of the best Middle East cruises to book for January 2023

As the region's cruise market grows, here are some exciting itineraries to sell in the New Year

Cruise lines sailing the Middle East next year include Emerald Cruises, Cunard and MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises. Here are some of the itineraries on offer in January, ranging from just four to 22 nights.

Ship: Emerald Azzurra
Cruise line: Emerald Cruises
Departure: 2 January 2023
Duration: 8 Nights
The 'Gems of the Arabian Peninsula' journey departs Doha on the 2 January 2023, making stops in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Khasab (Oman), Fujairah (UAE) and Zighy Bay (Oman Peninsula) before making a final call in Dubai (UAE). The eight-night cruise takes place aboard the Emerald Azzura, an intimate luxury yacht accommodating just 100 guests on board.

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Ship: Queen Mary 2
Cruise line: Cunard
Departure: 11 January 2023
Duration: 22 Nights
Christened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2004, Queen Mary 2 had a US$110 million transformation in June 2016. Departing from the UK, the Southampton to Dubai cruise will take in the sights of Lisbon, Portugal; Heraklion, Greece; the Suez Canal and Safaga in Egypt, Salalah in Oman and Abu Dhabi in the UAE before reaching its final destination.

Ship: MSC Splendida
Cruise line: MSC Cruises
Departure: 7 January
Duration: 4 Nights
MSC Cruises’ eco-ship MSC Splendida takes guests on a four-night Middle East cruise across Egypt and Jordan before making a final stop in Saudi Arabia. After departing from Egypt's Ain Sokhna Port, the vessel, which has a capacity of 4,363 passengers, will make calls in Safaga, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan before ending the journey in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah.

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Ship: Costa Toscana
Cruise line: Costa Cruises
Departure date: 12 January
Duration: 7 Nights
Costa Cruises' new flagship, Costa Toscana with new LNG propulsion engines makes for increasingly sustainable travel. Having made her maiden voyage in 2021, the sizeable Costa Toscana comprises 2,600 suites and 15 restaurants. This seven-night journey departs from the UAE capital and sails to neighbouring Dubai, as well as Doha in Qatar and Muscat in Oman before returning to Abu Dhabi.