We chose Dubai for our first cruise as we had never been there and hoped for calm seas and warm sun, my wife is not a good sailor! Our party 3 couples started off with a 3 night pre cruise stay at the 5* Hilton Resort and Spa at RAK 1 1/2 hours from Dubai which was terrific, and perhaps spoilt our initial cruise experience!Instead of the bus from the Hotel to the ship, we took a private tour of Dubai for the day, dropping us off at the ship at 7.30pm, as I had read about delays boarding. It worked well, and I would recommend anyone doing the same stay/cruise holiday to do likewise, as you have very little time to explore Dubai any other time! Embarkation was smooth (we were the only ones in the terminal) and we soon found our cabin. (7580 balcony)1st shock. you could have fitted our cabin in the bathroom of the hotel (6'2" big build does not fit very well in small double bed with rounded end!)Dinner in main restaurant - great food and service. My Time Dining working well. Shock no2 The price of wine! cheapest $33 per bottle! - 6 people 1 White 1 Red (Jacobs Creek $45!) $80 per night incl the dreaded "graturity"! Still the food was good.
1st morning still in port; Breakfast Windjammer self serve - Great, no problem, everything you want incl "British Bar" with proper bacon and Black pudding! One exception, trying to force orange juice out of the bar staff.
Most sunbeds round pool "toweled up" Found 6 and did the same! Explored the ship. BOS is a great ship. Clean,tidy well run and something for everyone. Not sure about the "bellyflop competition" when we returned to our beds. Run by an overweight Sheffield man who constantly asked if you were from Scotland, Wales, England or Sheffield! (there were 33 different nationalities on the ship. Very UK holiday camp. God what did they think!) Fell foul of the sunbed police, and lost our beds! (can't complain, fair cop, pity it did not cover every sunbed on the ship, as some were reserved early morning, for those going on trips, that returned in the afternoon, either to sunbath, or collect their belongings!)