After two years of pandemic restrictions, Singapore's cruise ship industry seems to be finally getting back up to speed.
As part of Singapore’s resumption of safe cruise travel for international guests, the Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum-ultra class ship 'Spectrum Of The Seas' yesterday sailed on its much awaited maiden voyage from Singapore.
The cruise line has come up with solutions and rigorous protocols aimed at ensuring passenger wellbeing and enabling Singapore to re-establish its position as the premier cruising hub in the region, an official release stated.
Holidaymakers may be able to cruise to international destinations from Singapore by the end of the year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) had said earlier when the vessel had arrived in the Lion City.
'Spectrum of the Seas' will be undertaking cruises based from Singapore till April 6, 2023.
The package includes experiences such as the Sky Pad, virtual reality bungee trampoline, iFly, a skydiving simulator, and the Bionic Bar, where robots craft customised drinks. Guests can choose from a breadth of luxurious accommodation options, including the Ultimate Family Suite, an expansive, multi-room retreat complete with its own in-suite slide and cinema, to staterooms with private balconies.
It offers Indian travellers an exciting opportunity to cruise out of Singapore.
Cruising out of Singapore has traditionally been a popular offering among Indian families with young children, as well as with MICE travellers. With the post-pandemic resumption of international travel, the industry is seeing a strong resurgence in demand for cruise tourism, with Indian consumers looking forward to sailing again on top-of-range cruise experiences like 'Spectrum of the Seas', according to reports.
Speaking on the popularity of cruise tourism in India, GB Srithar, Regional Director, IMESA (India, Middle East & South Asia), Singapore Tourism Board, said that Singapore remains a major hub for cruise tourism, thanks to our strategic geographical location, robust infrastructure, and outstanding line up of cruising options.
"While cruise tourism has paused for the past two years, we are optimistic about capturing the resurging demand for cruise tourism. We are proud of our cruise partners who have been agile and resilient in incorporating innovative solutions for stringent hygiene and safety standards, to ensure a seamless and enjoyable cruise travel experience,” he added.
Pre-pandemic, the number of cruise passengers sailing in Southeast Asia was expected to grow up to 6.4 per cent per annum, to reach an estimated 4.5 million passengers by 2035.
“We are excited to welcome back the Spectrum of the Seas to Singapore and look forward to many Indians cruising on it this summer, and beyond. The demand for this innovative ship by Royal Caribbean International has been very encouraging since we opened to bookings a couple of weeks back, and we expect this to get stronger with lesser travel restrictions to visit Singapore,” said Varun Chadha, CEO, TIRUN Travel Marketing, Exclusive India Representatives of Royal Caribbean Cruises.
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“Royal Caribbean International’s Spectrum of the Seas is opulence on the move. From luxury dining experiences and adventure sports to staying in some of the most luxurious suites, I was thoroughly impressed both by my stay on the ship, and by the new and reimagined experiences in Singapore,” said Rahul Gaur, Senior Manager, B2B Sales, Leisure Travel, SOTC who was on board Spectrum of the Seas during its trial cruise from April 2-4, 2022.
Guests in India can now avail of a discount of 30% on the cruise fare, and guests 12 & under can sail free on select sailings by booking between April 1 to May 2, 2022.
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