Genting Hong Kong launches new cruise line

MANILA, Philippines – Seeking to claim Asia’s premium cruise market, the Genting Hong Kong unveiled its new cruise line brand that would be sailing across Asia-Pacific next year.

Genting chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay formally launched Dream Cruises, the first-ever Asian based premium cruise line brand, which its first ship Genting Dream is expected to sail in November 2016 while its sister ship, World Dream in November 2017.

“Dream Cruises’ ships will be the most spacious ships in Asia Pacific and provide the highest level of guest service in the region,” company officials said.

 “The launch of Dream Cruises completes the company’s mission of having a brand for each of the three major cruise market segments – Crystal Cruises for the luxury segment, Dream Cruises for the premium segment and Star Cruises for the contemporary segment,” he added.

The Genting Hong Kong established its presence in the Philippines in August 2009 by opening the Resorts World Manila, its first land-based attraction in the country. 

Thatcher Brown, president of Dream Cruises, assured guests of great hospitality and fun-filled activities while they are on board the Asia’s largest cruise line.

“It is our mission to transpose the legendary six-star service standards of Crystal Cruises and to customize them to serve the fast growing Chinese market and all our Asian guests. All front line staff will be able to speak Putonghua, along with English, as the secondary language onboard,” Brown said.

Brown, who is one of the first employees of Crystal Cruises when the Genting Hong Kong began 25 years ago, will be backed by Norbert Tesar and Ural Korkmaz.

Tesar, a 20-year Crystal Cruises hotel management veteran, will train all 2,000 crew on board while Korkmaz, a 15-year head butler with Crystal Cruises, will train all butlers serving guests in the 142 Dream Suites on board Genting Dream.

The Genting Dream, a German-built ship, can accommodate 3,400 guests and 2,000 crew members, giving the 150,000-ton vessel the largest guest space ratio of 45 tons per guest as well as the highest crew-to-guest ratio at 1:7 of any Asia pacific ship.

It also has two exclusive floors of “Dream Suites” measuring from 32 to 183 square meters, and 70 percent of Genting Dream’s staterooms offer private balconies, and more than 100 connecting rooms that will accommodate larger extended families.