Goh (left) and Azrul during the press conference onboard ‘Genting Dream’.
I HAVE often dreamt of going on a cruise tour on those big ships, and that opportunity finally came my way.
To promote Selangor as the primary cruise ship hub in Malaysia and halal tourism packages, Tourism Selangor and Resorts World Cruises organised a trip for media aboard the Genting Dream cruise ship to experience its popular three-night cruise package to Penang and Singapore.
Our journey began from the Port Klang Cruise Terminal in Pulau Indah, Selangor, and we sailed to Penang before heading to Singapore.
Resorts World Cruises also recently announced Singapore and Port Klang as its first dual home port in South-East Asia.
This offers guests the flexibility to disembark at either port to explore the local attractions.
One-way cruises, an alternative to air and land travel for the millions of travellers between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, are also available.
From January next year to April 2024, Resorts World Cruises has two-night cruises to Singapore, and three-night packages to Penang and Singapore. These depart from Port Klang.
The company also recently announced a series of Phuket cruises departing from Port Klang that will start in May next year.
This includes a special five-night cruise to Penang, Phuket and Singapore on March 13, and a three-night cruise to Singapore and Phuket starting May 6on Genting Dream.
The ship provides complimentary all-day dining that features a wide spread of international and Asian cuisines, as well as an all-day snack corner.
According to Resorts World Cruises, it’s the first OIC/ SMIIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation/ Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries) standard halal-friendly cruise ship in the world.
Muslim travellers onboard have access to certified halal food and beverages at The Lido restaurant, which also provides vegetarian and Jain cuisine.
Prayer rooms are also available on the ship for the convenience of Muslim guests.
During the trip, we met with executive chef Saifol Iskandar, who said The Lido was equipped with a halal-certified kitchen.
“Our kitchen team comprises 224 cooks, and we can cater up to 4,000 passengers.
“With that number, our produce volume goes up to 100,000 eggs a day and 600kg of meat, including chicken, a day on average,” he said.
Onboard, there are stage performances and movie screenings lined up for guests at Zodiac theatre, which has a 1,000-seat capacity.
There’s never a dull moment as the ship has a water park at sea with a pool and six water slides, rope courses and ziplines, a rock-climbing wall and other recreational activities for the entire family.
During the trip, the media also enjoyed a foam party at the ship’s Zouk Beach Club.
We also disembarked in Penang and Singapore and were treated to memorable shore excursions.
Resorts World Cruises president Michael Goh, who boarded in Singapore, said, “I was amazed by the food from different cultures found in Klang. For passengers who board in Singapore, we can take them to explore Klang.
“It was a great experience, and Resorts World Cruises can use this platform to promote Selangor to our business partners all over the world.”
Goh added that the response for two-night and three-night cruises have been very positive.
“As such, the introduction of Phuket as a cruise destination is timely and will further fuel the growth of the domestic and FlyCruise markets in the region,” he said.
Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Azrul Shah said he enjoyed his first experience on the ship tremendously.
“What’s unique about this cruise is the provision of halal cuisine. Companies can also organise their team-building activities on the cruise ship,” he said.
Resorts World Cruises also offers many choices of onboard accommodation with best-in-class services, featuring Interior, Ocean View, Balcony state rooms and luxury suites.
Top of the range is “The Palace”, a private enclave with exclusive amenities, including a 24-hour European-style butler service.
Goh (left) and Azrul during the press conference onboard ‘Genting Dream’.
The Genting Dream cruise ship has a water park with a pool and six water slides, rope courses, ziplines and a rock-climbing wall. (Left) The Balcony state room is among the various accommodation options onboard.
