Date: 4-Nov-2016
Organizer: 365 Adventure
Price: QAR 140 per person
I did Dhow Cruise several times, all the time, we chartered ourselves.
This time was my first time joining the cruise organized by a travel agent.
365 Adventure (https://365adventures.me/), I never heard about this company, I guessed they are a new company, seeing the staff on the day, looks like this company is managed by young Indian fellows.
Negative points:
- Insufficient meeting location information.
We arrived in the meeting location as informed, i.e. Banana Island Resort lounge opposite parking site, before 2PM, but nobody from the company was there. I called the phone numbers but no respond. We saw several participants were at the same conditions. Finally one Filipino lady participant informed us that she got in touch with the organizer and told to go to dhow stop lot no. 110.
If we had been informed in the first place to go to lot no. 110, it would have not this uncomfortable hustle.
When finally we got to lot no. 110, and I told the girl staff about my complain, she just showed "whatever" kind of face not really listening and paid attention to my concern/ critics on her company.
Moreover, we didn't depart at 2pm as promised, but after 2:30pm.
Considering they suddenly informed changing the departure time from 3pm to 2pm just 3 days before the day, they should have departed as their promise.
- Insufficient information on Zumba starting time.
There were about 4 dhow boats for the event, and we (my colleagues and me of 9 persons) was placed in one of the boat.
After the boat was anchored near the island, there was no information when or what time we should swim to the island, that we played ourselves diving from the boat. I just realized the Zumba had been started after coincidentally looked at the island. We started swimming to the island, but by the time we reached the island, the Zumba session was almost finished, since our boat was parked a bit far from the dance location.
Earlier, when I asked the only organizer staff on our boat about when we should started swimming to the island, he looked he had no idea and just pointed out the boat the was bringing the speaker to the island for the Zumba.
- The BBQ type and starting time.
Was quite disappointing, only two type (variation) of BBQ, chicken and beef satay, not even onion or pepper on the stick.
Moreover, it was quite late, we were left hungry for quite a long time.
- Dhow quality difference.
Though we paid the same price (I believe), the facilities between the dhows were quite different.
While our dhows had no chair/seating on the rooftop, other dhow had.
One dhow had the Zumba instructor on the boat, so they looked fun being able to do the Zumba quite a lot on the boat.
- Life jacket and island shore condition.
Life jacket condition was poor.
The island shore was filled with rocks that cuts your feet. I got lots of cuts on my feet.
Positive points:
- Great idea.
Great idea of the event, combining dhow cruise and Zumba.
- Good effort from the organizer.
Despite my disappointment expressed above, I appreciated the effort of the organizers, I think it is not easy to organized such event, I believe they risked unexpected cancellation since they didn't take advance/ deposit payment.
Below was the itinerary copied from the event details sent by the organizer
Organizer: 365 Adventure
Price: QAR 140 per person
I did Dhow Cruise several times, all the time, we chartered ourselves.
This time was my first time joining the cruise organized by a travel agent.
365 Adventure (https://365adventures.me/), I never heard about this company, I guessed they are a new company, seeing the staff on the day, looks like this company is managed by young Indian fellows.
Negative points:
- Insufficient meeting location information.
We arrived in the meeting location as informed, i.e. Banana Island Resort lounge opposite parking site, before 2PM, but nobody from the company was there. I called the phone numbers but no respond. We saw several participants were at the same conditions. Finally one Filipino lady participant informed us that she got in touch with the organizer and told to go to dhow stop lot no. 110.
If we had been informed in the first place to go to lot no. 110, it would have not this uncomfortable hustle.
When finally we got to lot no. 110, and I told the girl staff about my complain, she just showed "whatever" kind of face not really listening and paid attention to my concern/ critics on her company.
Moreover, we didn't depart at 2pm as promised, but after 2:30pm.
Considering they suddenly informed changing the departure time from 3pm to 2pm just 3 days before the day, they should have departed as their promise.
- Insufficient information on Zumba starting time.
There were about 4 dhow boats for the event, and we (my colleagues and me of 9 persons) was placed in one of the boat.
After the boat was anchored near the island, there was no information when or what time we should swim to the island, that we played ourselves diving from the boat. I just realized the Zumba had been started after coincidentally looked at the island. We started swimming to the island, but by the time we reached the island, the Zumba session was almost finished, since our boat was parked a bit far from the dance location.
Earlier, when I asked the only organizer staff on our boat about when we should started swimming to the island, he looked he had no idea and just pointed out the boat the was bringing the speaker to the island for the Zumba.
- The BBQ type and starting time.
Was quite disappointing, only two type (variation) of BBQ, chicken and beef satay, not even onion or pepper on the stick.
Moreover, it was quite late, we were left hungry for quite a long time.
- Dhow quality difference.
Though we paid the same price (I believe), the facilities between the dhows were quite different.
While our dhows had no chair/seating on the rooftop, other dhow had.
One dhow had the Zumba instructor on the boat, so they looked fun being able to do the Zumba quite a lot on the boat.
- Life jacket and island shore condition.
Life jacket condition was poor.
The island shore was filled with rocks that cuts your feet. I got lots of cuts on my feet.
Positive points:
- Great idea.
Great idea of the event, combining dhow cruise and Zumba.
- Good effort from the organizer.
Despite my disappointment expressed above, I appreciated the effort of the organizers, I think it is not easy to organized such event, I believe they risked unexpected cancellation since they didn't take advance/ deposit payment.
Below was the itinerary copied from the event details sent by the organizer
Event Agenda:
- Meet up at Dhow Harbor before 2PM (in
the parking opposite to Banana Island resort reception). If you are
looking for the map, please find the dropped pin on google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/EmR7
9x9DCS72 - Dhow cruise taking us from Dhow harbor to Al Safliyah Island (we have reserved 4 dhow boats).
- The dhow boat will park next to the island where you can get off the boat (optional) and swim to the island where we will have a Zumba session -- around 3:30PM that will last about 40 minutes. You can also dive from the boat. It's fun.
- We will swim back to the boat before the sunset -- if you wish to discover the island more; you are free to do so; but please head back to the dhow boat in time.
- We will catch the sunset on the boat with freshly cooked Persian BBQ. Soft drinks will be provided; as well as water.
- Pop music is available on the boat for you to enjoy and listen to. Dancing is allowed; if you wish to :)
Price and Payments:
140 QR per
person for the whole experience, including food and soft drinks. The
amount can be paid to the myself (AB) before the beginning of your
journey.
Highlights:
- Dhow cruise (Dhow boat with rooftop majles, indoor room, changing room / showers / W.C.)
- Swimming to the island
- Zumba at the island (optional)
- Fresh BBQ
- Music
Time (overall 6 hours experience):
- Departure at 2PM
- Back to the harbor at 8PM
What to bring:
Below is a lust of things you should bring to the event:
- Swimsuits / swimming gear
- Tanning cream / sunscreen - if you wish to tan
- Extra pair of clothes to change
- Towels
- Shisha (if you wish to enjoy your own shisha, you're more than welcome to)
- Cameras (in case you wish to capture the sunset, Doha skyline or the Museum of Islamic Art from the boat)
- Lots of positive energy -- you will be meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures.
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