By
Rebecca Gibson |
Dream Cruises, part of Genting Cruise Lines, welcomed its new World Dream to Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Centre for the first time on 14 November.
World Dream was officially delivered to Dream Cruises at Meyer Werft’s yard in Germany on 26 October and she called into Singapore on her journey to her Hong Kong and Guangzhou homeports. More than 800 guests including government dignitaries, business and trade partners and media representatives attended the welcome ceremony. Notable attendees included Captain Kevin Wong, port master at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and Lionel Wong, CEO of SATS-Creuers.
“We are truly excited to debut World Dream in Singapore, a popular and well developed travel hub for the region,” said Thatcher Brown, president of Dream Cruises. “Genting Hong Kong started building its dream in this very city over 24 years ago when Star Cruises chose Singapore as its first homeport for Langkapuri Star Aquarius. A pioneer of the cruise industry in the region, our first ship here marked the beginning of the present cruise industry boom and we have witnessed first-hand the phenomenal growth of the cruise market spanning nearly a quarter-century – from next to nothing in 1993 to over three million passengers in 2016.”
Built as a sister to Genting Dream, the 3,376-guest newbuild features 35 restaurants and bars, theatres, a climbing park, outdoor activities, virtual reality applications, Western and Asian spas, outer cabins with private balconies and Dream Palace, an exclusive ‘ship within a ship’ enclave. The ship is also equipped with a small deep-sea submarine that can take guests down to a depth of 200 metres, and a motorboat for excursions.
“Along with serving the regional high-end market, World Dream will appeal to multi-generational families with all-inclusive activities, the finest Asian and international dining and unforgettable entertainment – all delivered with service that is Asian at heart and international in spirit,” said Brown. “With World Dream and Genting Dream, Dream Cruises will continue to fulfil our mandate to deliver guests a transformational journey at sea and redefine the meaning of inspirational travel.”
World Dream will sail from her dual homeports of Hong Kong and Guangzhou, offering two-, five- and seven-night cruises to destinations in Vietnam and China.