BlaakLane.com books Mina Rashid cruise transfers at a fixed fare. Choose DXB, DWC, a hotel or the Dubai Cruise Terminal as the pickup, add the ship name and pick a vehicle. A vetted Dubai affiliate drives. Dubai International to Mina Rashid is usually 15-25 minutes; Al Maktoum (DWC) is 50-70 minutes.
How to book a car to the Dubai Cruise Terminal
Use the reservation engine on this page or go to book. Enter pickup, drop-off, date and time, the number of passengers and the number of large cases. Write the ship name in the notes so the chauffeur goes to the right terminal building. You see the full fare before you confirm and it does not change for traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Every Dubai trip is carried out by a vetted affiliate from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, bound by the BlaakLane.com written standard. The dispatch desk in Toronto is staffed 24/7, and the confirmation shows the operator, the chauffeur's name and the vehicle.
The terminals at Mina Rashid
Mina Rashid is the old commercial port in Bur Dubai, next to the Dubai Maritime City peninsula and a few minutes from the Al Shindagha heritage district. Cruise ships berth along a line of purpose-built passenger terminals; the largest, the Hamdan bin Mohammed Cruise Terminal, was designed to handle several thousand passengers in a turnaround. The former liner QE2 is permanently moored in the same port as a hotel.
| Place | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mina Rashid cruise terminals | Turnaround and transit calls | Most large-ship calls; car and coach forecourts at each building |
| Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal | Some ships and lines | Separate terminal in the Dubai Harbour district near Dubai Marina, about 30 km south-west |
| QE2, Mina Rashid | Hotel | A pre-cruise night within the port |
Check your cruise documents: a few lines use Dubai Harbour rather than Mina Rashid, and the two are 30-40 minutes apart. MSC Cruises, Costa, AIDA, TUI Cruises, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have all based ships in Dubai for Arabian Gulf winter programmes.
When is the Dubai cruise season?
The season runs mainly from about October or November to April, when temperatures are mild. Summer calls are rare. Winter Saturdays and Sundays can bring several turnarounds at once, which is when a pre-booked car with a known pickup point saves the most time.
Sailing day: drop-off at the terminal
The chauffeur drives into the port area, through the gate check, and stops at the forecourt of your terminal building. Porters take tagged cases at the kerb. Lines give each guest a check-in window; arrive at its start. From Downtown or DIFC, allow 20-30 minutes; from Palm Jumeirah or Dubai Marina, 30-45 minutes; from Abu Dhabi, around 90 minutes.
After the cruise: ground transportation pickup
When the ship returns, pre-arranged cars wait in the ground transportation area outside the arrivals side of the terminal, separate from the taxi rank and the coach bays. The chauffeur does not come into the baggage hall. Ships generally clear early in the morning and release guests in groups; book your pickup for your group's time plus 30-45 minutes. Fifteen minutes of waiting are included, and further waiting is charged in 15-minute blocks.
If you would like a name board at the exit, add meet and greet at booking. Add-ons are only available in selected locations, and the booking engine confirms availability for Mina Rashid on your date.
Airport-to-ship and ship-to-airport times
| Route | Distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai International (DXB) Terminals 1, 2 or 3 to Mina Rashid | about 15 km | 15-25 min |
| Dubai World Central / Al Maktoum (DWC) to Mina Rashid | about 60 km | 50-70 min |
| Mina Rashid to Downtown Dubai | about 12 km | 15-25 min |
| Mina Rashid to Abu Dhabi (AUH) | about 145 km | 1 h 30-1 h 45 |
At Dubai International the chauffeur is timed to the real landing and waits 60 minutes free on international arrivals. Allow at least three hours between disembarkation and a flight from DXB, and four from DWC. Private flyers can be collected at the business aviation terminals at DXB or DWC. Dubai Airports publishes flight and terminal information.
Hotels for a night before or after
The QE2 is the only hotel inside the port. Close by, the Al Seef and Al Shindagha waterfront has boutique heritage hotels, and DIFC and Downtown (Jumeirah Emirates Towers, the Address hotels, Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa) are 15-25 minutes away. Beach resorts on Jumeirah, the Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah hotels are 30-45 minutes from the terminals. A hotel to ship transfer is booked like any other trip.
Port-day and stopover tours in Dubai
Reserve an hourly chauffeur, three hours or longer, and the same car waits between stops.
- Old Dubai. Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood, an abra across the Creek to the gold and spice souks, and the Etihad Museum.
- Modern Dubai. The Burj Khalifa observation decks (book timed tickets), Dubai Mall, the Museum of the Future and a drive down the Palm.
- Desert edge. A dune-drive operator meets you at the edge of the city; the chauffeur takes you to the meeting point and back.
- Abu Dhabi day. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, about 90 minutes each way.
Mosque visits require modest dress for men and women. For other formats see city tours and day trips.
Driving in Dubai: tolls and rules
Dubai uses the Salik electronic toll gates on Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Maktoum Bridge and other routes, and the Roads and Transport Authority sets the rules for licensed limousines. Traffic peaks between about 07:00 and 09:30 and again from 17:00 to 20:00 on weekdays.
Vehicle guide for Dubai cruise passengers
| Party | Class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Couple, two cases | Luxury Executive Sedan | 2 passengers, 2 bags |
| Couple wanting the top sedan | Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) | Rear-seat comfort for the airport run |
| Family or four adults | Standard Black SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags |
| Six with full luggage | Executive Black SUV | Navigator or Escalade class |
| Extended family, up to twelve | Sprinter Van | 12 passengers, 12 small bags |
| Celebration group | Party Bus | Up to 14 passengers |
The full range of 9 classes is on the fleet page. Coaches for whole-ship groups are on request through vetted partners and are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing.
Fare and cancellation
The fixed price includes car, chauffeur, VAT and the waiting allowance. Child seats are free on request. There is no charge for cancelling more than 72 hours ahead, 10 % inside 72 hours, 50 % inside 48 hours and 100 % inside 24 hours or for a no-show. See rates, our services and cruise lines and ports for group and crew work. The Dubai chauffeur page covers the rest of the city, and Visit Dubai has the official events calendar.
