While many of us have grown up all our lives in Karachi, a port city, it is difficult to find Karachiites who have ever been out to the sea on a boat. At the most you will be able to find people who have traveled to Keemari and the Manora Island. Somehow the port-city residents do not seem to have access to the sea-going vessels.
Well, that is expected to change now, at least for the financially privileged group. Gulf Dream Cruise, ocean going luxury liner, has reached the Karachi port and is set to launch on its first Karachi-to-Dubai trip on November 7th. This will be the first such trip for Karachi in decades. Several other licenses to other port-destinations have also been issued, including Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
The luxury liner weighs about 23000 tons, is approx 196 m long, has 540 rooms and with a crew of 400 it can carry approx 1250 passengers. According to its marketers, the Gulf Dream Cruise provides:
a time to relax and be pampered. First time ever in Pakistan, a complete luxury 5 day Cruise trip Karachi-Dubai-Karachi. Take a Gulf Dream Cruise and set sail on a dream.
This cruise ship promises a lot to the vacationing Pakistanis. Many of the items on the menu of offerings will appear quite familiar to the luxury seeking Pakistanis: Halal meals, gourmet dinners, five-star dining, day-care for children, live music, magic shows, card-tables, ping-pong, Karoke, sheesha lounge, teen-parties, 24-hr salon, 24-hr fitness center, and of course not to forget the duty free shopping.
And the prices? An inside facing 3rd floor room starts at Rs 33,000 and the price for a 7th floor suite is Rs 52,000. Frankly, that desn’t sound over-priced compared to what vacationers pay to travel to Middle East and Europe and stay in hotels etc.
I am sure many readers will be wondering how this opulence for the rich compares to the average monthly income of a Pakistani. It is hard for me to be a judge on that? It is an unfortunate reality that most Pakistanis would not be able to afford a luxury ocean liner cruise vacation, and hence the sea is still unaccessible to them. However, there is something to be said for developing an entertainment sector that at least makes options available to the public, especially our youth. And if this helps provide employment at the ports, even better.
Personally, I am waiting for a boat tour to start that will take me to the different islands and communities along the Pakistani coastline. Now that will be a cruise worth remembering!
dear pakistanees tum ye dekho in k pass kia tha jo ye batain kar rahay hain hamare khon choos k ajj ye yahan tak pohancay hain jab hamaray pass kuch hu jay tu ye kehtay hain k pehaly poverty khatam karo jaiisay jaisay taraqee hu ge kuch na kuch maslay hal he houn gay INSHAALLAH is tara blame karna apnay ap ko badnam karna hai in logoo k halat kia hain main janta houn bewe ghar rehte nai behen bhag jati kud apnay jism gays ko bech k ye paisay kamtay hain in main b saray ameer nai hain bass in k rang goray hain tu is ka matlab ye nai k ye saff hain toilet main bithana nai ata ina main abe dubai main houn aur tum yaqeen nai karo gay k dunayn k sab say unchee 2 builing jab say yahan banana shuru huee hain in goroo k comments itnay khilaf hain k soch nai skatay ye sirf muslims ko tareqe karta nai dekh saktay india main kitne poverty hain magar wo aista aista sare fasilities b lay rahay hain dunyan k sath hain poverty khatam nai hu sakte kuin k awam kud sudarna nai chatee goverment loans day tu ye usay aik month main khatam kar daitay hain na kam na kaj saray saray bahir janay k leye taraptay hain aur jitna bura hal india main hai pakistan ALHAMDULILLA hazar darjay behtar hai hamary sath yahan hain indians buhat saray abe tak banana k leafes pe khana rakh k khatay hain aur tum yaqeen nai karo gay k pak k logo ke zuban aur rehen sehen dekh k inai buhat ajeeb lagta hai kise 2 chezo ko compare karna hu tu 3rd jaga kharay hu k dekhoo recently main england gia aur jis jis nai pocha k whre u from i said i m pakistani but living in dubai then they said then u have lots of money ye goroo ke halat hai magar ye apnay ap ko show nai kartay aur tareeqee is leye nazar ati hai k in k zuban english hai is leye apnay ap pe rehem karo aur quran phar k ankahin kholoo in kambkhton k pas kuch nai siway dunyan k ALLAH PAK ap ko hidayat day ameen
AH
hi
west always jelous form asians i read the comment of eidee man hahahah but its true my friend u have to face it take care
[…] At ATP, we have written before about the Gulf Dream Cruise, which is now the talk of the town. Yesterday I had the opportunity to have dinner aboard the Dubai Dream Cruises and to check out what this cruise liner had to offer to its potential customers. (Click on images to enlarge them). […]
Sad…with the bulk of the nation living way below the poverty line and with little or no access to basic human needs such as drinking water, food, healthcare facilities and education for their children; we (myself included) are deliberating about a Vacation Cruise.
This is obviously a luxury cruise enterprise. And if it works, then good. Hopefully the benefits will also transfer down the economic chain. But it also highlights the possibility of starting more local cruises, which ae more affordable by the Pakistani middle class. A restaurant on the sea (on a boat) for example, that takes you on a 3 hour cruise plus dinner may not be a bad idea too.