Phones have been ringing off the hook at the offices of Genting Cruise Lines, with the company receiving more than 6,000 bookings for its “cruises to nowhere” in just five days.
Each of these bookings is likely for at least two people. A total of 23 Genting Cruise Lines sailings, each with a maximum capacity of 1,700 passengers, are scheduled for next month and December.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced last Thursday that round-trip cruises without ports of call will take place under a pilot programme.
Under it, only two cruise lines – Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International – can take to the seas.
Without disclosing specific numbers, Royal Caribbean International also said that the demand has “exceeded expectations”.
A spokesman said bookings are up 500 per cent compared with the past two weeks. Its first sailing on Dec 1, which is capped at about 1,000 guests,