Tag Archives: dubai
Mariner of the Seas: Floating opulence
Floating opulence Staff Reporter / 23 May 2013 An ice skating rink, a rock climbing wall, a nine-hole mini golf course, a chapel on the highest deck complete with stained glass skylight… The list goes on. The luxury liner Mariner of the Seas was fleetingly docked at Dubai’s Port Rashid, and would have set sail for Goa, India, by the time you read this, taking with it its 15 decks, a giant outdoor movie screen (3-D enabled), three swimming pools, six whirlpools, 17 bars, clubs and lounges, and — perhaps most importantly — 3,000 guests, serviced by 1,200 crew members. Royal Caribbean International Middle East executive director Lakshmi Durai said of the liner: “She is one of the biggest cruise ships to arrive in Dubai yet from our fleet and belongs to the voyager class of ships.” Having arrived on Tuesday, the Mariner of the Seas called on Dubai (from Texas, turned around at Barcelona) and is en route to Singapore and Shanghai via port calls at Goa, Cochin, Penang and Kuala Lumpur. She will reach her port of destination, Shanghai, on June 18, said Captain Flemming Birger Nielsen. Welcoming the cruise liner, Dr Ahmad Belhoul, CEO of Strategy and Tourism Sector Development, Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: “In 2012, we received 105 ship calls carrying almost 408,000 visitors, and we expect this number to increase to more than 420,000 from 110 ship calls this year. This will continue to increase in 2014 and 2015 with an annual growth rate that is in line with the projected global cruise tourist growth of 3 per cent and we are looking forward to receiving over 450,000 passengers in 2015.” He said also that 5 per cent of all tourists in Dubai were cruise tourists and this number was expected to rise in the coming years. The liner herself is like a mini housing complex, replete with spas and casinos and video game parlours, day care nurseries fitted with games, and other plentiful distractions for the young ones. Speaking to Khaleej Times, one of the passengers, sun-shade wearing Melinda Roney, from Longbeach, California — who was travelling from Barcelona to Shanghai with her husband of 15 years Walter Wojak — said she could not believe she was so far from home. But, while waiting in the lounge for her husband to emerge from their cabin, she said they were “having a great time”, had met many interesting people, and were surprised by the number of childless couples on board. Roney said while everything was just as she expected, she wished the Internet would work better, and lamented the exorbitant call rates. She has three children, and a passel of grandkids back home and she wished it were cheaper to talk to them on the phone. And yet, it’s the price they must pay for the travel husband and wife get to do, as they looked forward to the rest of the trip, “especially Shanghai”. nivriti@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Govt of future is innovative: Shaikh Mohammed
Govt of future is innovative: Shaikh Mohammed (Wam) / 23 May 2013 His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday announced the post e-Government era with the launch of the Mobile Government (m-Government) initiative, marking a significant breakthrough in the delivery of government services to the public through their mobile phones, anywhere and round-the-clock. Emphasising the need to focus on measures to further enhance government services, Shaikh Mohammed called for creative efforts to provide services on par with global standards, adding that an innovative government thinks ahead and breaks the routine to become No 1. Courtesy: Youtube.com/Sheikhmohammed.ae “We are embracing the most modern concept in innovative government by moving towards the delivery of government services through mobile phones. We have one of the best communication infrastructures in the world today, with mobile phone subscribers in the UAE reaching 14 million, which represents an average of two mobile phones per individual,” said Shaikh Mohammed. “The objective now is to relocate customer service centres into every customer device, enabling them to obtain their desired service through their mobile phones anywhere and at any time. A successful government reaches out to the citizens rather than wait for them to come to it,” he added. ‘Govt of future is innovative’ em-Government: Twitterati respond enthusiastically Staff Reporter The government of the future is innovative and adaptive. It improves the quality of life and helps people achieve their happiness, tweeted His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Shaikh Mohammed posted on social networking site Twitter on Wednesday, after launching the m-Government project with an aim of providing all government services via smart phones. “Met with around 1,000 government officials today and announced our vision for the government of the future. The government of the future works 24/7 and 365 days a year. It is as hospitable as hotels, fast in delivering and strong in its procedures. We started working on this vision. Through m-Government, we aim to reach people instead of them reaching us. Through their smartphones we can make their lives easier. Our deadline for the m-Government project is two years. We will never tolerate any failure in achieving this goal,” read the tweet. Shaikh Mohammed emphasised that the new initiative aims to consolidate the UAE’s position in e-services delivery to be on par with international best practices. Shaikh Mohammed’s followers on Twitter and Facebook responded enthusiastically to the posts on his social networking websites. Most respondents said that the new services would definitely cut down on paper work and make things faster and easier for them. One of his followers on Facebook, Hatim Fathulla, said: “Another milestone is set in the progress of the UAE. Can you imagine having a visitor’s visa on your mobile or be able to renew the EmiratesID on m-portal.” Another follower Abdulla Altenaiji said: “Leadership of your highness should be transferred to next generations via implementing your vision into UAE education system. Being loyal Emarati, am really proud of your leadership. The UAE’s bright future has already been written.” – news@khaleejtimes.com Shaikh Mohammed emphasised that the new initiative aimed to consolidate the UAE’s position in electronic services delivery to be on par with international best practices. “In 2000, we became the pioneers in the region and the seventh in the world to launch the e-Government project. Now we have taken a more significant step by launching the m-Government,” Shaikh Mohammed said. “Our role as a government is to make the life of our citizens easier and ensure they are happy and satisfied. We need to reach all the community segments and provide them with the best possible service,” he added. Shaikh Mohammed directed all federal and local government entities to provide innovative services in easy-to-use format through mobile phones within 24 months, reiterating that the government has the resources to accomplish this mission effectively and efficiently. The new initiative aims to encourage government entities in the UAE to offer innovative services through mobile phones, portable devices and text message applications to ensure access to government services 24/7. Services under the initiative will be delivered in a highly efficient and transparent manner to meet the needs and expectations of customers, enabling them to benefit from communicating with government entities from anywhere. This is in line with the directives of the government to develop services and achieve a high quality of life for UAE nationals and residents according to the Vision 2021. The Mobile Government initiative was launched at a forum organised by the UAE Government with the participation of more than 1,000 government officials. This followed the directives of Shaikh Mohammed, during the Government Summit held recently in Dubai, to develop government services to make them more convenient for the public. The Mobile Government Forum looks forward to raising awareness among government entities to take advantage of mobile phone services by adopting innovation and the best technologies in the field to offer the highest level of services comparable to the private sector by sharing experiences with other outstanding entities in the world. In a quick response to the initiative, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Fund, an initiative of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, announced an allocation of Dh200 million in support of the mobile phone applications. The ICT will offer technical assistance and advice. Continue reading
Dubai set to stage charity bouts
A number of renowned sporting stars will take part in a series of amateur boxing matches in Dubai on Friday (May 24th).Former rugby and cricket players will square off against each other at Dubai Sports City, with the proceeds from the event going to the Fighting Chance Dubai charity.The bouts will pit athletes from the northern hemisphere against contenders from the southern hemisphere and it is likely to be a memorable occasion.Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake is set to take part in the fight night and he will be faced by ex-New Zealand rugby player Carlos Spencer.Hollioake told the National that he is looking forward to the charitable event.”I know [Spencer] is a big strong boy, there is no doubt about that. If it was a beauty competition, he would definitely beat me,” he was quoted as saying.”He has got the body, hasn't he? But I'm a pretty tough dude myself, so we'll just have to see what happens.”Hollioake is no stranger to competitive bouts, as he made the unlikely transition into cage fighting when he retired from cricket.Former Wales winger Shane Williams is also on the card and he will step into the ring with ex-South Africa scrum-half Bolla Conradie.Not only is this event being held for a good cause, but it also highlights Dubai's status as a sporting hub.The city is accustomed to staging high-profile competitions and more and more sports are considering the emirate when organising future tournaments. There is a certain glamour about Dubai that promoters seem to love.Rumours have been circulating that Dubai could be in line to host one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year.Manny Pacquiao revealed earlier in 2013 that he is looking for locations outside the US to stage his next big fight and his team suggested that Dubai is a possibility.While it is not clear exactly who the Filipino ace will face, the fact that Dubai is even being mooted as a potential destination for the encounter emphasises just how far the emirate has come. Continue reading
