Dubai is known to offer luxurious holidays for those looking for a good time while spending loads of cash. Now, adapting with the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new mode of travel has become popular - Yachts!
¡°It¡¯s more private, you¡¯re with only family and friends, and it¡¯s the ideal outing during a pandemic," said Nada Naeem, a 36-year-old Saudi citizen living in Dubai.?
According to an AFP report, several white yachts are seen every day sailing through the emirate's bays, canals and islands, while others are docked along the coast in Gulf waters overlooking the skyline of high-rise towers.?
¡°You feel like you can breathe," Naeem added. She hasn't left Dubai since the pandemic began last year. She also said, ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯ve travelled."
Dubai opened its doors to tourists just a few months after the coronavirus pandemic came into existence last year.?
Life returned to largely normal, with restaurants and hotels up and running and beaches open to the public. The UAE made up of seven emirates including Dubai, launched an energetic vaccination drive with some of the highest inoculation rates worldwide, and continues to enforce strict rules on wearing masks and social distancing.
However, some are still fearful of overseas travel and want to avoid crowded places to avoid the risk of getting infected with COVID-19.
So, for those who can afford to pay the hefty amount, yachts are the way to go!
¡°When they eased the lockdown¡ people preferred something secure and safe with regulations," said Mohammed al-Sayyed, manager of Royal Star Yachts charter company.?
¡°We are providing them with the proper customer service, following all the rules, sanitising the yacht," he added.?
Right now, yachts are allowed to operate at 70 per cent capacity. The company has a fleet that includes a 141-foot (42-metre) yacht able to host 80 passengers at full capacity ¡ª if you can afford the $4,900 price for a three-hour cruise.
According to charter companies, there has been an increased interest in yachting after the coronavirus measures eased up, especially among those who want to spend some quality time with their friends and family.
¡°People want to do sightseeing, cruising," said Sayyed, who has been in the yacht industry for eight years. ¡°They want to relax."
There are also cheaper yachts to hire - like the company's 90-foot "Big Daddy" - it is capable of?carrying 65 people, at $1,225 for three hours ¡ª down to smaller boats.?
Some Dubai residents said that once split in a group, the price is not as high as it seemed at first.?
¡°It can actually be more affordable than an all-inclusive brunch at a restaurant," said Naeem.
Sayyed said that his company follows all the rules and that even on the most luxurious ¡°party yachts", there are Covid-19 regulations still in place, including the need for passengers to socially distance themselves from each other and wear masks.
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