At a press conference held at the Zodiac Theatre on board Genting Dream, Dream Cruises’ primary luxury vessel and the first-ever Asian luxury cruise line, Michael Goh, Senior Vice President – Sales, outlined a spectacular growth in cruise tourism. Annually, the Asia Pacific cruise market has seen an increase of 29.3 percent in passenger capacity. While this does not indicate corporate travel and event numbers, such a growth is signifying an increased interest and potential in the cruise market.
Hong Kong’s flight connectivity to 1,128 cities has not surprisingly scored key markets for business events including China, India, Indonesia and South Korea, with growing interests from the U.S. and Thailand.
The structure of corporate cruise packages saves organisers the hassle of hosting events at separate venues, of coordinating with a multitude of suppliers, and gives companies an all-inclusive value for hosting their meetings and incentives on board a cruise ship, covering accommodation, meals, entertainment and the use of corporate and recreational facilities.
Launched in the last quarter of 2016, Genting Dream is a floating, 1,674-room “integrated resort” purpose-built for the Asian market. For meetings, the Zodiac Theatre offers 999 seating for conferences, live performances and even a 3D cinema. 395 headsets are also available for multi-lingual interpretation. Tributes, a stylish venue for functions and seminars, provide 244 sq m of events space, while two intimate boardrooms span 41 sq m.
Notable cocktail party spaces include Palm Court, which features an observatory, a bar, and a partition that enables the option to convert to a closed-door area for private events, spans 495 sq m and can accommodate up to 495 people standing.
Zouk
Unique venues comprise of, but are not limited to, the first-ever Zouk beach club at sea, Johnnie Walker House – also another world’s first out at sea – for an immersive whisky culture experience, and the Dream Dining Room, which is ideal to host a banquet or have an outdoor party with an oceanview.
Bistro by Mark Best
Some of the special dining options include Bistro by Mark Best, a celebrity chef restaurant featuring contemporary Western cuisine, Silk Road, a decadent, old-glamour Chinese fine dining restaurant, as well as Umi Uma, which serves premium Japanese cuisine throughout its sushi bar, alfresco, and grand teppanyaki tables.
Camaraderie is built naturally with its diverse and engaging host of team building facilities, including a waterslide park with six different slides, a stunning 610-metre wrap-around promenade, zipline, mini-golf, a thrilling ropes course and rock climbing wall.
The ultimate in luxury at sea is redefined in the Dream Palace, a “ship within a ship” experience featuring 142 suites with highly personalised European-style butler service, an exclusive pool and sundeck, fine dining in a private restaurant, and use of an exclusive gym.
Set in luxurious comfort, entertainment on board is highlighted by thrilling shows and gastronomic options showcasing 35 dining concepts. Other entertainment include sports bar with billiards and a four-lane glow-in-the-dark bowling alley, and an outdoor day and night party deck. Guests can also head to Bar 360 where the unique “theatre-in-the-round” design allows guests to enjoy live entertainment from all angles or unleash their inner rockstar in five private karaoke rooms on board.
Genting Dream also presented an opportunity this summer to discover a whole new underwater world in two state-of-the-art submersibles. Designed to carry one pilot and four guests, passengers can explore the spectacular sights under the Okinawan waters and marvel at the dazzling array of marine life and seascapes. The submersibles are also capable of hosting a wedding underwater.
To educate, stimulate and inspire, Dream Cruises envisions and creates a range of interactive activities and experiences presented by a portfolio of world-class speakers on board Genting Dream, with a diverse programme featuring a series of enrichment talks and events.
“Our goal is to deliver inspiring journeys and to help create memories that will last a lifetime,” said Thatcher Brown, President of Dream Cruises. “This summer, we are proud to launch the first-ever Little Astronaut Training Camp, to be hosted by Dr. Leroy Chiao, a former NASA astronaut who once stationed at the International Space Station for 229 days. As well, Mermaid Kat, the professional mermaid from Germany, will also host a Mermaid Academy on board Genting Dream, for a unique and truly unforgettable vacation experience on the open seas.”
Among the top 10 destinations by total calls in 2016, Japan took the top spot, with Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Philippines and Indonesia recorded as the top five growth markets.
In April this year, Genting Dream began her inaugural itinerary to Okinawa, Japan, from her dual homeports in Hong Kong and Nansha. Over four thousand International guests and crew joined the inaugural cruise which arrived in Naha on April 4, then Miyakojima on the following day, marking the official debut of Genting Dream’s Journey to the Island Gems of Japan summer itinerary.
Until November 2017, Genting Dream will have dual home ports, in Nansha, Guangzhou, as well as Hong Kong, before calling Singapore its home port starting December 2017. As the Asian cruise industry continues to grow, Genting Dream will increase available cruise days in Singapore by approximately more than 20 percent in 2018.
Itineraries from Singapore will include more tropical and urban destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Phuket, Surabaya and North Bali.
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