Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 20/06/2026 20:52:00

A traditional dhow converted into a floating restaurant, Al Faris runs luxury dinner cruises along the Dubai Water Canal, boarding from the waterfront beside Dubai Festival City Mall. The vessel combines a glass-enclosed, air-conditioned dining deck with open-air seating, allowing guests to cruise comfortably year-round while taking in the city after dark. A typical cruise lasts around two hours, gliding along the canal and creek with an international buffet served on board. The route passes a string of landmarks, with views of the Burj Khalifa and Downtown skyline, the Business Bay bridges and the illuminated Dubai Water Canal waterfall bridge, which the dhow passes beneath before turning back. Guests are welcomed in Arabic style with coffee and dates, and the experience includes live entertainment alongside the meal. The boarding point near Dubai Festival City also offers views of the mall's Imagine show, a fountain and light spectacle on the waterfront. Departing in the evening every day, the cruise is aimed at couples, families and groups looking for a relaxed dinner with changing views of the city. It sits among a wider range of Dubai dhow cruises but is distinguished by its Water Canal route and glass-enclosed dining setting. The dhow itself echoes the wooden trading and pearling boats that plied the Gulf for centuries, now repurposed for leisure rather than commerce. Cruises are usually sold per person with the buffet included, and private charters are available for groups and celebrations. The Dubai Water Canal route, completed in 2016, links the historic creek to the Arabian Gulf through Business Bay and the Safa Park area, giving the trip a changing backdrop of old and new Dubai as the boat makes its way along the illuminated waterway. Boarding is usually a short while before departure, allowing guests to settle in before the cruise sets off.