Over 80,000 people have taken a “cruise to nowhere” out of Singapore since the programme was launched late last year.
The cruises were launched in November by two cruise lines — Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International.
The US cruise giant is said to have completed a total of 25 sailings since its introduction with more than 35,000 guests, while more than 47,000 passengers have sailed with its Malaysian rival, according to reports in Singapore’s The Straits Times.
Genting Cruise’s Dream Cruises was the first to launch, with its 150,600-gt World Dream (built 2017) sailing on its first cruise on 6 November. It has since completed 45 sailings.
However, it has not all been plain sailing, with the first cruise on Royal Caribbean’s 169,000-dwt Quantum of the Seas (built 2014) cut short over a suspected Covid-19 infection that later proved to be a false alarm.
Cruises to nowhere are capped at two to four nights, with passenger capacity capped at 50% for at least the first three months.
“We are constantly in discussion and working very closely with the Singapore authorities to ensure that capacity limits are in line with the local requirements,” Genting told The Straits Times.
However, last month Royal Caribbean chief executive Michael Bayley said during an earnings call with analysts that passenger capacity may be increased to 65%.
Singapore Tourism Board’s director of cruise Annie Chang told the daily newspaper that the passenger capacity limit of cruises “remains at 50%”.
The city-state has been piloting the cruise to nowhere concept, which is open only to residents, makes no stops and sails in waters just off the island.
The initial cruises where well subscribed due to pent-up demand from Singaporeans who have been living under Covid-19 restrictions since April 2000.
In early February, Qatar became the latest country to try to breathe life into its local cruise market with the launch of a series of cruises to nowhere.
The tiny Middle East nation has teamed up with French luxury expedition cruise line Ponant to run six consecutive departures aboard the 184-passenger Le Champlain (built 2018).
