The cruises compared here
The two cruises share a format and not much else. Both sail at about 8:30 pm, both serve a buffet, and both can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead. After that they part ways on the boat, the scenery, the drinks and the way you get there.
One thing to know before comparing: in this catalogue only the Creek cruise is described as a dhow. The Marina listing talks about a cruise ship with a panoramic restaurant.
1What you see from each boat
The Creek runs through the older part of the city. The listing names the Heritage Village, the souk and the Bur Dubai district among the things you pass.
The Marina is a channel lined with residential towers, shopping centres and hotels. From the dinner boat the listing promises the skyline, Ain Dubai on Bluewaters Island and Palm Jumeirah in the distance. Neither dinner cruise goes near the Burj Al Arab; for that you need the two or three hour yacht cruise or the 90-minute speedboat.
2The boat and the table
On the Creek you board a traditional wooden dhow. The listing does not say how much of it is enclosed, and it does not name the company running it.
On the Marina the operator is Xclusive Yachts. Its own page says the vessel depends on occupancy and can change, that you get a table for your party, and that the upper deck is an extra. If sitting outside matters, ask about the upper deck before you pay.
3Food and drink
The Creek dinner is a buffet of Middle Eastern starters, grilled meat, fish and sweets, with unlimited tea, coffee, soft drinks and water. Alcohol is not included.
The Marina listing prints a full menu, from lentil soup and hummus to grilled fish, lamb pie and Umm Ali, and adds an open bar and a live saxophone player. It lasts 90 minutes against two hours on the Creek, so the Creek gives you more time at the table for less money.
4Getting there
This is often the deciding factor. The Creek cruise can be booked with hotel pickup at around 7:30 pm and a return at about 11:30 pm, which turns it into a four-hour evening. Without pickup you meet at Al Seef Street or the Spice Souk.
The Marina cruise has no pickup. You make your own way to Al Hubob Street and must check in at least 15 minutes before departure. If your hotel is in the Marina, JBR or on the Palm, that is a short ride. From Deira it is a long one.
5Which one to book
Book the Marina dinner cruise if you want the safer choice on reviews, a drink with dinner and a modern skyline. Book the Creek dhow if the old town is why you came, if you need the pickup, or if someone in your group uses a wheelchair, since it is the only one of the two tagged as accessible.
If neither dinner convinces you, the shared yacht cruise from €24 shows you the Marina and the coast in daylight and leaves the evening free.