According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Singapore currently accounts for a third of the world's cruises, owing to the roaring success of its "cruises to nowhere" at a time of crisis in the industry globally.
Cruises have yet to restart in many parts of the world after taking a beating from the coronavirus pandemic, with some of the earliest big outbreaks found on cruise ships.
The city-state launched what it called "round trips" on luxury liners in November 2020, which have no port of call and last only a few days. The Singapore cruises are open only to its 5.7 million residents, who have been unable to leave the tiny country for leisure and have settled instead for activities like staycations and even indoor camping.
The cruises recorded about 120,000 passengers, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), and run at lower capacity, with stringent health protocols.
Some cruises from the Caribbean are expected to resume from June while the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has retained tight curbs on resuming cruises from the United States.
Royal Caribbean said this month that it was extending the season in Singapore for its Quantum of the Seas ship due to "overwhelming demand" through October. Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean launched their pilot cruises late last year.
STB Chief Executive Keith Tan said Singapore did not expect to be leading in cruises for long.
"Over the next few months, I certainly believe there will be more resumption of cruise business in the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean as well," Tan said.