By
Rebecca Gibson |
Puan Sri Cecilia Lim christened Dream Cruises first-ever cruise ship, Genting Dream, during a ceremony in Guangzhou, China on 13 November.
Lim is the director of Star Cruises Travel Service, a company within the Star Cruises Group, and is also the wife of Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and CEO of Genting Hong Kong, which is Dream Cruises’ parent company. She is also actively involved in several national and international charities.
Chinese government officials along with executives from Genting Hong Kong and Dream Cruises joined the group onstage for the official christening and godmother’s blessing which was performed by the placement of a giant lotus flower, and the smashing of a bottle of champagne.
“I am honoured to be named the godmother for Dream Cruises’ new ship, Genting Dream,” said Lim. “As a brand that strives to fulfil their guests’ dreams and inspire them with a transformational journey at sea, I can truly identify with Dream Cruises’ aspirational philosophy and motivational sprit.”
Dream Cruises used the christening ceremony to introduce three of the first three beneficiaries of the new Dream Big initiative, which will support talented children to fulfil their artistic and athletic potential. These ‘godchildren’ were also able to meet leading practitioners in their respective fields to motivate them to achieve their goals.
The godchildren included 7-year-old Chinese Opera prodigy Zhang Chuyi, 12-year-old award-winning painter and calligrapher Xiao Yanlu, and 8-year-old Liang Wen Fei who is in the Guangzhou Yuexiu Youth Diving Team and was the Team Champion Award winner in the Guangzhou Youth Diving Championships 2016.
Genting Dream’s christening ceremony followed a day after her inaugural visit to her Hong Kong homeport on 12 November.
Around 1,000 guests were invited to witness the arrival of Hong Kong’s biggest homeporting cruise ship to date. They watched the official launch festivities in the Zodiac Theatre, which included a fit exchange, an exclusive preview of Dream Cruises’ signature ‘Voyage of a Lover’s Dream’ production show inspired by the hull art of Genting Dream.
A highlight of the performance was the appearance on stage of an astronaut – later revealed to be Dream Cruises’ president Thatcher Brown – who led the dignitaries in toasting the inauguration of Genting Dream with the activation of a giant lotus flower, symbolising the company’s close ties and commitment to Asia.
“As the first-ever Asian luxury cruise line to make Hong Kong its homeport year-round, we are deeply committed to helping to further develop the cruise market here,” said Thatcher Brown, president of Dream Cruises. “Tourism is vital to the economy of the city and our two itineraries originating from Hong Kong will help boost the industry overall, including for hotels, tour groups, local attractions, restaurants and other merchants. We designed the ship essentially as a floating, luxury, integrated resort, and we are confident that Genting Dream will make her mark as the newest ‘must-experience’ vacation attraction for both local and international guests.”
Following the welcome ceremony, guests were invited to enjoy lunch in one Genting Dream’s many restaurants and then join a guided tour to explore her venues and facilities. These include the extensive Dream Palace complex, Zouk Beach Club, Waterslide Park, Crystal Life Fitness and Spa, Bistro by Mark Best, JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE, Little Pandas Club, and much more.