Xclusive Marina Dinner Cruise: 90-Minute Buffet and Open Bar in Dubai
Quick answer
The Xclusive Marina dinner cruise is a 90-minute evening trip from Dubai Marina with a buffet, unlimited drinks and live music for $58 per person.
Check-in closes 15 minutes before sailing, wheelchairs are not allowed, and GetYourGuide rates it 4.7/5 from 6,000+ reviews.
Xclusive Yachts
Sunset or Dinner Cruise with Live Music & Open Bar
4.7 (6,096) · from $58
The Xclusive Marina dinner cruise is a 90-minute evening boat from Dubai Marina with an international buffet, unlimited beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks and a live musician, priced at $58 per person (about AED 213).
What changes the decision is the clock, not the menu. Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure, so the 30-minute early arrival is a real rule, and the listing prints no sailing times, which means the calendar has to tell you whether your slot catches any daylight.
For the full list of evening options, use the Dubai dinner cruise comparison, the Dubai boat tours guide or the Harbour Advisor home page.
| Operator | Xclusive Yachts, Dubai Marina |
|---|---|
| Boat type | Xclusive's website describes its 90-minute dinner cruise as a luxury houseboat with an upper deck |
| Price | $58 per person (about AED 213 at the 3.6725 peg) |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Departure times | Not printed in the listing; the calendar shows slots for your date. Check-in closes 15 minutes before sailing |
| Boarding point | Xclusive Yachts boarding point, Dubai Marina |
| Route | Dubai Marina, Ain Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Harbour and back |
| Food and drink | International buffet with a live pasta station; unlimited beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks, juice, tea and coffee |
| Languages | Not stated in the listing; the evening is built around music, not commentary |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund |
| Rating | 4.7/5 from 6,096 reviews on GetYourGuide |
What is the Xclusive Marina dinner cruise and what do you see?
It is a 90-minute evening trip around the marina and the nearby coast, with a buffet and an open bar as the main event.
The listing's selling points are the marina lit up at night, a live musician and a complimentary bar. Xclusive's own website lists the same 90-minute sunset and dinner cruise with a buffet, a live cooking station, a musician and a bar.
- Dubai Marina - the tower canal lit after dark
- Ain Dubai - the wheel on Bluewaters Island
- Jumeirah Beach Residence - the beachfront tower line
- Dubai Harbour - the newest waterfront, seen from the water
This is a marina cruise rather than a long coastal run, so do not expect the Palm or the Burj Al Arab, which the listing does not name.
Where does the Xclusive Marina dinner cruise leave from?
It leaves from the Xclusive Yachts boarding point in Dubai Marina, beside Marina Mansion and down the ramp next to the bridge.
The listing asks you to arrive 30 minutes before departure and wait in an air-conditioned lounge with WiFi, and it warns that check-in closes 15 minutes before sailing. Xclusive's website gives the office as Unit 3, Marina Level, Al Majara Tower, Al Hubob Street.
| Route | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Metro | Travel to DMCC station, then cross at Marina Mansion and take the ramp | Listing, meeting point |
| Taxi | Ask for Marina Mansion, cross at the pedestrian crossing, go down the ramp and turn left | Listing, meeting point |
| Car | Marina Mall, 3 hours free; 11 minutes, 832 m on foot to the dock | Listing; OSRM foot routing, checked 2026-10-17 |
| Cut-off | Check-in closes 15 minutes before sailing | Listing |
I could not time the walk from DMCC station because the free map data did not recognise it. Open live walking directions from DMCC station and see metro fares on the Roads and Transport Authority site.
What is the route, stop by stop?
The route stays on the marina and nearby coast, with four named points over 90 minutes.
| # | Stop | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boarding and buffet opens | Xclusive Yachts boarding point, Dubai Marina |
| 2 | Dubai Marina towers | Dubai Marina |
| 3 | Ain Dubai | Ain Dubai |
| 4 | Jumeirah Beach Residence | Jumeirah Beach Residence |
| 5 | Dubai Harbour | Dubai Harbour |
The route is a loop, so you return to the same dock. You can compare it with the longer coast runs on the Dubai sunset cruise guide.
What time should you sail, and how does it fit sunset?
The listing gives the length as 90 minutes and no start time, so your slot decides whether it is a sunset cruise or a night cruise.
| Month | Sunset |
|---|---|
| Jan | 5:51 PM |
| Feb | 6:13 PM |
| Mar | 6:28 PM |
| Apr | 6:41 PM |
| May | 6:56 PM |
| Jun | 7:10 PM |
| Jul | 7:11 PM |
| Aug | 6:53 PM |
| Sep | 6:23 PM |
| Oct | 5:52 PM |
| Nov | 5:31 PM |
| Dec | 5:32 PM |
Sunset on 15 October is at 5:52 PM, so a 6 PM departure would sail in the dusk and a 7 PM departure would sail in the dark. Neither the listing nor Xclusive's page states when this cruise sails, so I cannot tell you which you will get without the calendar.
What is on board and what is included?
The price covers the 90-minute cruise, the buffet with a pasta station, the open bar, soft drinks, hot drinks and a live musician.
- Food - an international buffet and a live pasta station
- Drinks - unlimited beer, wine and spirits, plus soft drinks, juice, water, tea and coffee
- Music - a live musician for the whole trip
- Seating - upper deck seats depend on availability, and the lower deck has an open area for photos
- Smoking - allowed in the marked areas of the boat
The include list also names hotel pickup. I would confirm it before relying on it, because the same list mixes in lines that are normally extras. Wear smart casual clothes, no swimwear, and carry a passport or ID card; electric wheelchairs are not allowed.
How does it compare with the other Dubai evening boats?
At $58 this sits between the $55 Dutch Oriental boutique cruise and the $82 mega yacht, with a pasta station and open bar in the price.
| Tour | Price from | Duration | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xclusive Marina dinner cruise | $58 | 1.5 hours | 4.7 (6,096) |
| Dutch Oriental mega yacht dinner cruise | $82 | Listed as 1 day | 4.4 |
| Dutch Oriental boutique sunset cruise | $55 | 2 hours | 4.7 |
| Amazon Tours canal dinner cruise | $56 | 2 hours | 4.6 |
The Sky Walker BBQ cruise starts at $25, but its BBQ is limited to some routes and it has no buffet.
Is a Dubai Marina evening buffet cruise worth it against the other boats?
For $58 it is good value if you will use the bar, and weak value if you will not.
At $39 an hour it costs about $11 more per hour than the city's median of $27.5, and that gap is the buffet and the unlimited drinks. One drinker with two courses recovers it. A non-drinker gets less for the price.
My pick: this cruise for a group evening at a fixed price, a longer boat such as the party yachts in the Dubai yacht charter guide if you want dancing, and a daytime sailing if you want to see the Palm.
When is the best time to go?
November to March gives the most comfortable evenings, with average highs of 24 to 31 degrees and a cooler deck after dark.
| Month | Avg high 2015-2024 | Avg high 2025 | Rain days | On deck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°C | 24°C | 2.6 | Comfortable on deck all day |
| Feb | 25°C | 25°C | 2.1 | Comfortable on deck all day |
| Mar | 29°C | 29°C | 1.9 | Fine on deck; hat and water at midday |
| Apr | 33°C | 35°C | 0.9 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| May | 37°C | 38°C | 0.1 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Jun | 40°C | 39°C | 0 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Jul | 42°C | 42°C | 0.3 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Aug | 42°C | 42°C | 0.1 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Sep | 39°C | 39°C | 0.3 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Oct | 36°C | 35°C | 0.3 | Deck before 11:00 or after 16:00; lounge at midday |
| Nov | 31°C | 30°C | 1.2 | Fine on deck; hat and water at midday |
| Dec | 26°C | 26°C | 1.2 | Comfortable on deck all day |
In summer the evening is still warm, but the lounge is air-conditioned and the sun is down after 7 PM. Rain is rare, at 0 to 2.6 days a month. Check the weather on the UAE National Center of Meteorology.
19.59 million international overnight visitors came to Dubai in 2025, up 5% on 2024.
With that many visitors, winter evenings are the slots to book early.
What do passengers say?
The reviews shown are five-star only, so they show strengths and not failure rates.
- Staff - attentive and friendly, the most repeated point
- Food - delicious, though one guest found the selection limited
- Music - live music sets the mood
- Hot dishes - GetYourGuide's summary says hot items should stay hotter
- Value - sub-score 4.7 and transportation 4.8
Who should skip the Xclusive Marina dinner cruise?
Skip it if you want a long coastal route, a quiet dinner or step-free access for an electric wheelchair.
- Electric wheelchair users - not allowed on board
- Non-drinkers - the price is built around the bar
- Daylight sightseers - try the Xclusive speedboat tour
- Swimmers - swimwear is not allowed
The Dubai boat tours hub shows other options.
How do you book the Xclusive Marina dinner cruise?
$58 per person for a 90-minute buffet and open-bar cruise from Dubai Marina, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityI earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
- Open the calendar and pick a slot against the sunset table.
- Reach the Marina Mansion ramp 30 minutes early.
- Be checked in 15 minutes before sailing or you may be refused.
- Bring a passport or ID card.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Xclusive Marina dinner cruise?
It lasts 90 minutes. Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure.
How much does a Dubai Marina dinner cruise cost?
This one costs $58 per person, about AED 213, with a buffet and drinks included.
Is the bar really unlimited?
The listing says beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are unlimited. Tea and coffee are included too.
What food is served?
An international buffet with a live pasta station.
Is there live music?
Yes, a live musician plays during the cruise.
What time does it sail?
The listing does not print times. Sunset is at 5:52 PM on 15 October, so check the calendar for your date.
Where does it leave from?
It leaves from the Xclusive Yachts boarding point in Dubai Marina, down the ramp beside the bridge at Marina Mansion.
When should I arrive?
Arrive 30 minutes before departure. Check-in closes 15 minutes before.
What is the dress code?
Smart casual, and no swimwear.
Is smoking allowed?
Only in the allocated areas of the boat.
Can wheelchair users come?
The listing excludes electric wheelchairs and lists wheelchair users as not suitable.
Is hotel pickup included?
The include list mentions it, but confirm with Xclusive before relying on it.
Sources: GetYourGuide listing 57982; Xclusive Yachts; Dubai DET annual visitor report 2025; Roads and Transport Authority; National Center of Meteorology; Open-Meteo archive and marine APIs; open.er-api.com; OSRM walking route.
