I have a section in this blog called "weird" cruise news. This is one of those stories.

Dubai has been very active as of late conducting PR work to encourage cruises from its port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Another city in the UAE, Abu Dhabi (the capital), made an impressive showing at recent Cruise Shipping Miami 2013 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It had, in my view, the most beautiful exhibit at the trade show (photo left).     

The "Dubai Maritime City Authority," which is the official group responsible for the maritime operations in Dubai, recently announced a highly publicized cruise ship fire drill aboard Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas at the Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal. 

The photo (below) which the Dubai officials released announcing the fire drill may do more harm that good. Dubai did not release any photos of the crew members on the Serenade wearing life-vests or congregating at their muster stations.

Instead, the photos show 10 Dubai officials, wearing traditional dress, holding or trying to wear 6 life-vests. 4 men have no life-vests.  3 men are holding the vests as if they were just presented with a prize. And 3 men have them hanging around their necks. No one has the vests properly fitted with the straps in the correct locations and secure.

Does anyone in Dubai know how to wear a life-vest?

Where are photos of the the families and kids or the diverse array of multi-national crew members or at least a token woman or two wearing the vests properly and securely? 

Does this make you want to cruise out of Dubai?