DOHA, Qatar — The glass door to the La Plage pool deck slides open, I walk through, and it’s as if I’ve been transported into another world — one that is thousands of miles away from Qatar.
It’s a little after noon, and alcohol is flowing in all manner of ways. People are sprawled out on lounge chairs, sleeping off hangovers or perhaps just the game from the previous evening. And there’s more exposed skin sizzling in the sun than you’d otherwise see in months here in Doha — enough to keep a dermatologist employed for the rest of their life.
Yes, this is in Qatar — the small, conservative Muslim country hosting the World Cup — but this is not in one of its hotels or public spaces. Rather, it’s the cruise ship MSC World Europa, which is docked at Doha’s newly revamped cruise ship terminal. You don’t have to book a room to enjoy the ship’s amenities, either. For a cool $50, you can get a day pass, but for those staying overnight, it’s one of those places where the party never stops.
“This place is like Vegas on water, man. It’s been incredible,” said Marc Laszcz, 28, a real estate agent from San Diego. “We’ve been here about a week now and just living it up. It’s like you’re walking onto the Strip, you walk into one of the Bellagios. This place never sleeps. It goes 24 hours.
“The Welsh and the British people there are up at the bar, just keeping it going. And then they fall asleep, they wake up, they keep going, fall asleep around 4 or 5 in the morning. We’re up by 7 because the sun’s up and it’s just nonstop. It’s a great time. And we’re here to cheer on the boys in the red, white and blue.”
