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Maldives Fast Track (CIP) Service at Male Airport (MLE) is a way to bypass the immigration and customs lines on arrival and departure. It's a complimentary inclusion on arrival for guests of The Nautilus, and can be added (at time of writing) for a $220 per person fee if you're staying at a different resort. Here's a review of our recent experience. Your Maldivian resort can make the arrangements; be sure to reserve it well in advance of your stay, especially during busy holiday periods.
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Arrival: Met on Tarmac, No Lines
I was met on the tarmac after deplaning, with a representative holding a placard with my name on it, then escorted to a waiting vehicle. We drove a couple minutes to the CIP Terminal, where I was asked for my passport, my luggage was scanned, and I went through a metal detector. We then took an elevator to the lounge, where I was invited to take a seat while waiting for my passport to be returned.
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CIP Lounge Amenities
The lounge isn't huge, but there was ample seating for the 7-8 other guests who were there at the same time I was. WiFi is available and worked well.
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The women's bathroom, which was very clean, with individual toilet rooms, has a locked shower stall which I didn't ask to use, since I only spent about 15-20 minutes in the lounge.
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There's Evian water and other chilled drinks in a case, and on a counter next to it, Dilmah teas and an espresso drink machine.
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The midday buffet wasn't anything to write home about, but in addition to finger sandwiches it offered paneer tikka (quite tasty) as well as fried shrimp wonton, some desserts, and fresh papaya and pineapple, although the pineapple was running quite low by the time I got to it.
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The Verdict
While most passengers arriving or departing in first class or business class may not find it worthwhile to pay $220 per person for fast track CIP service at Male Airport, it was a wonderfully smooth and seamless way to transfer to our Maldivian resort lounge, bypassing all lines after a long day of travel from the U.S. It's an inspired move by The Nautilus to include fast track on arrival as complimentary to their guests, as it truly sets the tone for a more personalized experience.
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