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Emirates redesigns signature onboard experience

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Emirates is rolling out a redesigned onboard experience.

The celebrated A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa have resumed operations with the introduction of additional health and safety measures.

The airline has also enhanced its offering, introducing a nutrient-rich welcome drink for the winter season.

The A380 Onboard Lounge, which serves First and Business Class customers, will transform into a take-away bar with limited seating capacity and social distancing protocols in place.

The bar continues to serve wines, spirits, soft drinks and pre-packaged lounge bites for customers to take and enjoy in the comfort of their own seats. Customers can also make their orders from their seats if they prefer.

The social areas in Business Class on select Boeing 777 aircraft and in First Class also reopened with pre-packed snacks for customers to grab and go.

First Class customers can once again have a shower at 40,000 feet. Luxury spa products will be provided in individual amenity bags to each customer. The sets include pamper essentials from award-winning, organic and sustainable Irish brand VOYA, a disposable bath towel and a menu to choose additional amenities.

From November 1, Emirates’ onboard dining experience will return to its signature service while observing strict hygiene protocols.

Customers in all classes will enjoy multi-course meals and choose from a complimentary selection of beverages including wine and beer, as well as juices and soft drinks. Cocktails will also be served in premium classes.

In Economy Class, customers can choose from two wines. In Business Class, customers can choose from six wines including port and champagne, while in First Class, customers will have a selection of 11 wines including a dessert wine, port and Dom Perignon champagne.

The Emirates app has also been enhanced to allow customers on board to browse the menus on their personal devices both online and offline with the latest app update.

Emirates will soon launch a welcome drink in premium classes called Vitality Boost in First and Business Class.

The airline’s chefs and nutritionists have created a refreshing blend of apple, ginger and hibiscus to give customers a health kick on their journey. The vegan, nutrient-rich drink is packed with antioxidants, and free from gluten and added sugar. The health drink will be a staple on board and continually refreshed to offer different flavours.

Customers can also choose from a range of welcome drinks including champagne and other juices.

Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment, ice, continues to add new content every month.

In October, 25 new Hollywood blockbusters, 197 hours of new of TV as well as a selection from the MasterClass series were added to the entertainment catalogue boasting over 4,500 channels. Emirates is the first airline to show the MasterClass series, allowing customers to learn from the world’s best including Thomas Keller, RL Stein and Penn & Teller.

Emirates is also screening “My Story”, a TV series based on the book of the same name by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.

Health and safety

Emirates has implemented a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the customer journey to ensure the safety of its customers and employees on the ground and in the air, including the distribution of complimentary hygiene kits containing masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes to all customers.

Free, global Covid-19 cover

Customers can now travel with confidence, as Emirates has committed to cover Covid-19 related medical expenses, free of cost, should they be diagnosed with Covid-19 during their travel while they are away from home.

The cover is immediately effective for customers flying on Emirates until December 31, and is valid for 31 days from the moment they fly the first sector of their journey. This means Emirates customers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.

Daily service to Maldives

Emirates has increased its service to Maldives, in a bid to boost access to the popular Indian Ocean holiday destination in the upcoming winter season.

The Dubai-based airline now offers a daily service between Dubai and Male, using a B777ER aircraft.

Emirates, which runs the world’s biggest airline by international traffic, resumed services to the Maldives on July 16 after a three-month hiatus in the wake of border closures by the Maldivian authorities to control the coronavirus outbreak.

The Maldives reopened its borders on July 15.

Resorts and hotels on uninhabited islands as well as liveaboard vessels were allowed to host tourists (please see a rolling list of resort reopenings here).

Guesthouses and hotels located in outer atolls are also now allowed to reopen, but a ban in still in effect for guesthouses in Male region due to a limited community transmission in the capital city and its suburbs.

With the border reopening, 30-day free on-arrival visa is issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.

There is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, but tourists have to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 96 hours prior to their departure.

Visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms are also tested at their own expense.

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Westin Maldives Miriandhoo introduces Family Fun Summer package

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The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, aimed at families seeking longer island stays built around shared activities and rest. The offer is available for booking from 15 April to 15 June 2026, with a minimum stay of four nights for travel through to 20 December 2026.

Located within Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is positioning the offer around family wellness, marine experiences and time spent together in a natural island setting. Seasonal snorkelling with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay remains one of the area’s key attractions, while the resort’s collection of beach and overwater villas is designed to accommodate families looking for space and flexibility during their stay.

For larger families and groups, the resort also offers the two-bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence, which includes a living room, kitchen and dining area intended to support longer and more relaxed island stays.

The resort says the guest experience can be shaped around both activity and downtime, supported by Westin’s Sleep Well concept and Heavenly Bed. Children have access to the Westin Family Kids Club, which includes a children’s pool and pirate ship, while parents can make use of Heavenly Spa by Westin.

Away from the villa, the resort is also promoting shared family experiences through Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy activities focused on the culture and environment of Baa Atoll. These include traditional lacquer craft workshops, visits to local islands and guided marine activities in surrounding waters.

The Family Fun Summer package includes three meals per day, with children under 12 dining free of charge. It also includes a one-time dolphin cruise for two adults and two children, a 30-minute photography session with one printed photo, and a USD 150 resort credit.

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Reethi Faru Resort recognised in four categories at 2026 Haute Grandeur Awards

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Reethi Faru Resort has been recognised at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, receiving honours in four categories: Best Beach Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Pool Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Eco-Friendly Resort in Maldives, and Best Sustainable Hotel in Maldives.

The awards recognise performance across villa accommodation and environmentally focused hospitality, reflecting the resort’s emphasis on guest experience alongside sustainability and environmental stewardship.

According to the resort, the recognition supports its positioning within the Maldives market as a property that combines natural surroundings, accommodation standards and responsible hospitality practices.

Located on Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, Reethi Faru Resort features 145 villas, including beachfront and overwater accommodation designed in a style that combines Maldivian elements with contemporary comfort.

The resort’s food and beverage offering includes six restaurants and six bars, while its leisure facilities cover watersports, diving, yoga, spa treatments and fitness activities. Surrounded by coral reefs, the resort also offers guests access to marine-based experiences in the Indian Ocean.

Sustainability remains a central part of the resort’s operations, with initiatives that include coral reef restoration and guest experiences linked to environmental awareness.

Through its recognition at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, Reethi Faru Resort has added to its profile as a Maldives resort with a focus on both accommodation standards and sustainability.

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Sun Siyam Olhuveli launches Coral Frame Adoption programme on Earth Day

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To mark Earth Day, Sun Siyam Olhuveli, part of the Lifestyle Collection within the House of Siyam, launched its new marine conservation initiative, the Adopt A Coral Frame experience, during a morning event held on 22 April at Milano Beach on Dream Island.

The initiative forms part of the resort’s wider marine conservation efforts and is designed to give guests a direct way to engage with coral restoration while supporting the protection of the surrounding reef ecosystem.

During the launch, guests were introduced to the coral restoration process through a hands-on experience that explained how new coral growth can be supported through frame-based planting. Under the programme, guests are invited to select and adopt a coral frame, attach healthy coral fragments to it, and take part in placing it within the lagoon to help form a new reef structure.

The process begins with the collection of healthy coral fragments under the guidance of the resort’s marine biologist. These fragments are then secured to specially designed coral frames and placed in selected areas within the resort’s coral garden, where conditions are intended to support growth and marine biodiversity. Guests who adopt a frame will also receive updates on its progress, including photographs shared every six months.

The resort said the programme is intended to make coral conservation more accessible to guests while also highlighting the role of reefs in supporting marine life, protecting coastlines and maintaining ocean ecosystems.

Chaminda Upul, Group Sustainability Manager for Sun Siyam, said the initiative was designed to give guests an opportunity to contribute in a direct way.

“Earth Day is a reminder that even the smallest actions can shape something far greater,” he said. “With Adopt-A-Coral Frame, we wanted to create an experience where our guests can leave a positive mark on the ocean. It’s simple, it’s meaningful, and it stays with you.”

Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli, said the resort wanted to create an experience that combines guest participation with long-term environmental value.

“At Olhuveli, we believe the best experiences are the ones that stay with you long after you leave. Adopt-A-Coral is our way of inviting guests to be part of something lasting, while caring for the natural beauty that makes this place so special,” he said.

Part of the proceeds from each coral adoption will go towards Sun Siyam Care, the group’s sustainability platform, supporting marine conservation and reef restoration efforts.

Through the launch of Adopt A Coral Frame, Sun Siyam Olhuveli is combining guest experience with reef restoration, reflecting a wider focus on environmental engagement within its island operations.

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