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Historic first: CBBC Sale makes waves with massive crowd at Queen Elizabeth II Cruise
Held from January 28 to February 1, the event drew overwhelming public interest, with queues of over 500 people forming at peak times just to enter the venue
- PUBLISHED: Fri 6 Feb 2026, 8:54 AM
The iconic Queen Elizabeth II Cruise at Port Rashid witnessed an unprecedented retail phenomenon as the CBBC Sale made history by becoming the first-ever large-scale retail sale event hosted on a cruise venue in the UAE. Held from January 28 to February 1, the event drew overwhelming public interest, with queues of over 500 people forming at peak times just to enter the venue.
The landmark event attracted shoppers from across Dubai and neighbouring emirates, all eager to access premium and international brands at highly competitive prices. The strong turnout underscored the growing demand for affordable access to branded merchandise, particularly in unique and experiential venues.
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Organised by Concept Brands Group, the CBBC Sale brought together a wide range of categories including fashion, footwear, accessories, fragrances, and lifestyle products. The choice of venue added a distinctive dimension to the event, transforming the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise into a vibrant retail destination while maintaining free entry for visitors.
“We are extremely grateful to our customers and visitors for the trust and enthusiasm they showed,” said a spokesperson for the organisers.
“Seeing hundreds of people queue up daily was both humbling and motivating. This response reinforces our commitment to continue offering similar opportunities for shoppers who seek big brands at affordable prices.”
Hosting a high-footfall retail sale on a cruise venue for the first time demonstrated the potential of alternative and experiential locations for large-scale consumer events.
Encouraged by the success of the CBBC Sale at Queen Elizabeth II Cruise, the organisers expressed openness to collaborating with other cruise operators interested in hosting similar events.
“We believe this model can bring exceptional footfall and engagement to cruise venues as well. We would be pleased to work with other operators who wish to replicate this success at their own locations,” the spokesperson added.
