The Genting Dream now sails from Port Klang in Selangor, in addition to its Singapore homeport. — Photos: Resorts World Cruises
Here are the five winners of the “Resorts World Cruises x StarLifestyle” contest, which ran from Aug 20 to 31. All winners will be contact by Resorts World Cruises representatives within the next week or so.
WINNERS
1. Lim Ah Moi
Winning slogan: I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because: "... it's now or never! Genting Dream, bring me on this journey of a lifetime and let me play among the stars!"
2. Mee Shell Su
Winning slogan: I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because: "... it offers everything: D - Dining, R - Relaxation, E - Entertainment, A - Amazing Accommodation, M - Magical Moments! Can't wait to experience this great adventure of a lifetime!"
3. Sheela Jayaraj
Winning slogan: I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because: "... this five-star hotel at sea gives me a chance to rekindle my romance with my husband, and overcome the 'rough seas' of our relationSHIP."
4. Mahzan Haron
Winning slogan: I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because: " ... it's now halal with no traffic and no flight delay! This is simply a dream come true, leaving our sorrow ashore and just sail away."
5. Ho Kai Hong
Winning slogan: I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because: "... A Genting Dream seacation with de-LIDO-cious (delicious) buffet temptation makes the best vacation! This fanta-SEA celebration is pure perfection."
Travel demand has steadily increased in the past few months, and experts say that this trend is expected to continue all the way to the second quarter of 2024.
Even with many hiccups and challenges in the tourism industry – including a surge in fuel prices that resulted in high airfare, and a global labour shortage that is particularly affecting the hospitality sector – most people around the world are still very keen on travelling. Holiday bookings have gone up significantly this year as compared to the past two years, while business travel is fast on the rise with plenty of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events taking place within the next few months.
Cruise tourism, meanwhile, is also seeing a “rebirth” of sorts with lots of cruise companies introducing news sailings, port calls and promotions every other month.
In Malaysia, Resorts World Cruises added Kuala Lumpur as its new homeport for its vessel, the Genting Dream, last month. The homeport in Port Klang, Selangor followed the mid-June introduction of Singapore as a Genting Dream homeport in South-East Asia.
There are plenty of wholesome activities that passengers can do onboard the Genting Dream cruise ship.
What the dual homeport system means is that Malaysian passengers can now choose to embark directly from Port Klang rather than Singapore, making the cruise a lot more accessible, especially for guests living within the peninsula. Plus, with the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) being an hour’s drive away from the port, international travellers will also have the option of joining the cruise on the same day they arrive the country.
Besides that, Resorts World Cruises offers one-way sailings between Singapore and Malaysia for folks who choose to travel by sea rather than by air or land. For example, if you’re planning a holiday to Singapore, you can now join a cruise to get there from Port Klang and vice-versa. You can begin your holiday as soon as you board the ship, without worrying about traffic jams or having to navigate through a busy airport.
“Resorts World Cruises is excited to take the lead in the cruise sector to boost inbound and outbound tourists for Singapore, and to bring cruising to the ‘doorstep’ of Malaysians residing in central Peninsular Malaysia as they can now depart from the Klang Valley, which is convenient and affordable,” said Michael Goh, president of Resorts World Cruises in a press statement.
There are several sailings that you can opt for, including the two-night round-trip cruise (Port Klang to Singapore, and then back to Port Klang) that departs on Thursdays and Saturdays, as well as a three-night cruise (Port Klang to Penang and Singapore, then back to Port Klang) that departs on Mondays.
Prices for these cruises start from RM599, and you can book from the Resorts World Cruises website (rwcruises.com), or call the hotline at 1800-814-852.
The Genting Dream cruise ship features facilities like a variety of activity rooms and spaces like a bowling alley, an arcade, and karaoke rooms, several F&B spots, a theatre, and a water park with a pool of six waterslides that’s fun for the whole family. There are regular cabins and suites to suit all kinds of passengers (solo, couples, families), and there’s also a luxury accommodation called The Palace.
The Palace is described as a “ship within a ship”, a private enclave with exclusive amenities and facilities, including a 24-hour European style butler service.
The ship also has a prayer room for Muslim passengers, something you don’t commonly see in most international cruise ships. Genting Dream is said to be the world’s first halal-friendly cruise ship, as certified by both the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC).
Prayer rooms are also available for Muslim passengers to use.
Enjoy a variety of special offerings onboard the ship as part of your cruise package, such as dining at Dream Dining or The Lido, both of which serve a wide spread of international and Asian cuisines (including a dedicated section for certified halal, vegetarian and Jain cuisines at The Lido); an all-day snack corner; international stage performances and movie screenings at the 1,000-seat capacity Zodiac theatre, and more.
With each sailing, all crew and guests are required to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19. In addition to that, guests will also have to undergo a self-paid, pre-cruise test for Covid-19 one day before departure.
For more information on this, head to the website.
A chance to win
Do you miss going on a cruise? Well now, here’s your chance to sail on the Genting Dream for free!
Resorts World Cruises and StarLifestyle are giving readers a chance to win some exclusive cruise tickets for Genting Dream. All you need to do is to answer a few questions and come up with a slogan to complete your entry.
There are FIVE two-night round-trip cruises from Port Klang to Singapore to be won, and this will include a stay in a Balcony Deluxe Stateroom for two people. The prize does not include port charges (S$75/RM 243 per pax, per sailing) and gratuity (S$21/RM68 per pax, per night); these will be borne by the winners and passengers themselves.
Winners must also go for a self-paid ART/RTK test for Covid-19 at any certified medical facility or practitioner, one day before the departure date, and present a negative test result before boarding the ship.
This contest begins today (Aug 20) and will end on Aug 31. Contest winners will be chosen by Sept 12, and StarLifestyle will be publishing the names of winners on Sept 15 on this very same article, so do save this link and wait for updates!
Email your entry to contest@rwcruises.com, with the title “Resorts World Cruises x StarLifestyle” in the subject box. Terms and conditions apply.
Questions:
- Resorts World Cruises’ Genting Dream now sails from Port Klang. ► TRUE or FALSE
- Resorts World Cruises is the world’s first OIC/SMIIC Standard halal-friendly cruise ship, which serves halal-certified cuisines at a dedicated section at The Lido. ► TRUE or FALSE
- Complete this slogan in not more than 25 words: “I can’t wait to go on a cruise holiday on the Genting Dream because ......”
