Kuwait City

Kuwait City is Kuwait's capital and largest city with a population of over 2,4 million. The city is located on the Persian Gulf (sea) forming (via the Gulf of Oman) an extension of the Indian Ocean. The city is located on Kuwait Bay (deepwater natural harbour waterway) and around 90% of the country's population lives within this coast.

The city is served by Kuwait Airport, Mina Al-Shuwaikh Port (cargo port), and Mina Al Ahmadi Port (cargo and ferry-cruise port). Kuwait Airport is in Al Farwaniya (Al Farwaniyah Governorate's capital city), approx 16 km (10 mi) south of Kuwait City. The airport is international (with 5 passenger terminals) and serves as homeport for the domestic carriers Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways. On its territory is also located Abdullah Al Mubarak Base (Kuwait Air Force's homeport).

The settlement was established in 1613 (as a fishing village) and by the mid-18th century developed as the principal hub for goods traded between India, Oman (Muscat), Iraq (Baghdad), and Arabia. The town also interlinked with the Persian Gulf with Syria (Aleppo). Shipbuilding started to develop in the late-18th-century by Iraqi merchants. The city's further importance grew after 1779 (when the Indian trade routes with Smyrna and Constantinople-Istanbul were diverted to Kuwait) and especially after 1792 when the East India Trading Company (1600-1874) was also diverted to Kuwait to secure the sea trade routes between India and Africa.

After WW2 (1939-45), Kuwait's economy was driven by oil export (Persian Gulf's largest). Current-day Kuwait economy continues to be petroleum-based (90% of the country's revenues), with main exports being petroleum, natural gas, and fertilizers. The 1960-introduced Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) is currently the world's highest-valued currency (per face value).

As cruise port, Kuwait City was first included in the schedule of the Germany-based cruise company Phoenix Reisen, with ships Artania (in 2021) and Albatros (2022). In 2020, the unique city is also included in the schedule of Crystal Cruises (top-luxury passenger shipping company) with the ship Crystal Symphony. The next table shows Crystal Symphony's 15-day New Year Cruise from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai.

The themed voyage was priced from USD 6000 per person (early booking, double-occupancy cabin rates).