"Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Very nice. This comes on top of the billions and billions of investment that the UAE is pumping into Pakistan. :k:

Musharraf launches Karachi-Dubai sea cruise

President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday said Karachi has been placed on the map of the world sea cruise with the launch of first ever sea cruise liner. Pakistan is blessed with unique landscape - loftiest mountains, vast plains, deserts, coastlines, rich cultural heritage, ancient civilisations and cradle of different religions. Karachiites must see up North and Northern Areas people must see coastal lines, he noted while addressing the select gathering of diplomats, senior officials, leading businessmen, bankers and notables onboard Gulf Dream Cruise Liner at the Karachi Port.

The President noted more than 500 destinations are covered by the sea cruise operation. He asked KPT to provide more facilities to attract more cruise operators. He noted more has to be done in the form of port infrastructure, passenger services, amenities to facilitate cruise operations. He asked Pakistanis to promote tourism within the country to attract foreign tourists into Pakistan. He asked people to first see unique places of the country. It would help in development of hotels, motels and other tourism facilities at the tourist resorts, he noted. “Pakistanis themselves must travel to see their own tourist attractions. Then foreign tourists will come,” the President said. First Lady Begum Sehba Musharraf, Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, ports and shipping minister Babar Ghauri were also present on the launching of first ever sea cruise vessel. Speaking on the occasion Babar Ghauri said, he will go to India by the end of this month to sign a protocol to start ferry service between Karachi and Mumbai.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=493143&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

nice, but this looks like more of booze and betting cruise on sea. cause it stays only few hours at destination before returning back.
but this will make 5 days out reach of Pakistani police hassling on drink and betting and wanna be get what they want out of it. :).

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

There were alot of problems on this maiden cruise for many people. Foremost was the fact that a large number of people who went had visa problems and were unable to leave the ship despite being cleared in Pakistan...
Still, this is good news.. I hope some day we can have a cruise that circles the entire Indian ocean and persian gulf...

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

We hear Karachi-Bombay may start soon too.

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

Any news about how this is going? Ive hardly heard anything about it since, except some negative stuff about the first few trips.
I hear it's over? Is it true? Some weird stories float around.

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

They are all true
and more

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

The cruise was shut down apparenlty on the behest of the Dubai authorites after about two people who got of the ship ran of and didnt return to it... So again, sucks!

me naraaz hoon sab sey *snooty*
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Re: “Gulf Dream Cruise” launched between Karachi & Dubai

^ and on top of that, the time that the ship spent at sea
was a mad party with booze and what not… :smack:

The innocent unsuspecting guys who had taken their families on this cruise describe a state of total chaos and ghunda gardi aboard the ship…

explicit Details can be googled …

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Re: "Gulf Dream Cruise" launched between Karachi & Dubai

well initially there will be problems

but once stringent security checks are in place then it will be ok

so has his cruise been closed down?

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Re: “Gulf Dream Cruise” launched between Karachi & Dubai

Damn, Pakistanis really need to act in order

This kind of idiotic behaviour is really giving us a bad name

Read this blog about the experience people had on this cruise

My brother in law along with his family took that maiden voyage of so called “Dream” cruise. The journey started on 07/11/06 and the ACs were not working since the time the cruise left birth at Karachi port, as per the information I have the cruise reached back Karachi in same condition. The cruised reach Dubai, with delay of 12 hours and visas were not arranged by the cruise liner’s management in time, more that 150 passengers were not allowed to put their step on UAE’s soil.

To begin with, the allocation of cabins were total messed up many many passengers were not provided the cabins they opted & paid for. There was a newly wed Pakistani-American couple on board. The groom left the whole world to take the cruise out of patriotism or love of land. They were promised by the management that a suite with view of sea and sun deck will be provided, flower bouquet will await at port of departure & destination along with a limo, but they were only given a cabin and lower deck and as expected the management denied any promise regarding limo & bouquet, once they were on board, last but not least the bride’s visa got rejected as her name was listed on the passengers manifest handed over to Port Saeed’s Immigration authorities.

Further. cruise management had also arranged ladies for entertainment of guest from Russia, Azerbaijan, Philippines, China and of course LAHORE. the mujras were performed all night in name of dance parties / disco. I haven’t been to European / American cruise lines, but have spent couple of days on Star - Virgo during my trip to Singapore, they also provide such “facilities”, but in very discretely. I have been told that people who were half drunk, were even misbehaving at the time of serving breakfast at 10 am and were loudly discussing their experiences with Russian last night. mind you there were families present in the restaurant for breakfast.

The broadband Internet, Casino and GYM facilities were also advertised but none was provided, as full dues were not paid to the ship chartered company.

Half of the leisure staff, including ladies in spa, waitresses and house keeping guys were not able to speak fluent English, let along Urdu. Porters were not arranged at Dubai, the passengers were left with option to take their luggage through a thin gangplank, as the cruise parked at a cargo birth.

The swimming pool was filled with sea water, by the way, no one took a swim during the voyage to Dubai. Mr. Mohiuddin the front man for this operation was also on board and was threatening some of the the drunk tourist of serious consequences once they arrive at Karachi port