Genting’s cruise line has finally made its way to Japan.
Genting Dream is the first ship of Genting Hong Kong Ltd’s Dream Cruises brand. Last week, the cruise ship made its maiden voyage to the island of Okinawa in the Asian country, carrying a total of 4,000 passengers and crew.
The 18-deck, 151,300-tonne luxury liner journeyed via its home ports of Hong Kong and Nansha in Guangzhou. It arrived in Naha, Okinawa, last April 4, then went on to Miyakojima the following day.
Thatcher Brown, president of Dream Cruises, described the island of Okinawa as “one of the most scenic destinations with its pristine beaches and crystal clear waters,” not to mention its “myriad cultural and historic attractions.”
After its year-long deployment, Genting Dream plans to make Singapore its home port in December. The cruise line expects to attract some 200,000 foreign cruise passengers and generate nearly US$60 million in tourism receipts, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
Launched in November 2015, Dream Cruises travels to a variety of destinations on the Pacific Ocean, including Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The cruise line is Genting Group’s latest investment on the high seas.
World Dream, the second ship of the Dream Cruises fleet, is scheduled to start its operations in November 2017.
But Genting isn’t the only entity that is getting in the water. Late last month, the government of North Korea is reportedly seeking international investors to back a cruise ship venture that would ferry customers from the port of Kosong to Russia’s far east and other southeast Asian destinations. The ship promises to feature “various amenities,” including “a casino business.”
Kuala Lumpur-based Podium Capital Group is also set to build what it claims to be the world’s largest casino cruise ship, featuring two special decks with a combined floor size of more than 190,000 square feet. In an interview with CalvinAyre.com, Podiumspot CEO Tim Leonard said they are targeting “the sizeable market of Asian gamblers from countries such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.”
