World Dream sailing in Singapore last year.
It's the end of the line for Singapore-based World Dream following the cancellation of all sailings by Dream Cruises from March 2.
World Dream is the only ship in the Dream Cruises fleet, owned by Genting Cruise Lines, currently operating, but it will cease operations this week. Dream Cruises has cited “challenging circumstances” for the move.
World Dream has been operating ‘seacation’ cruises from Singapore since the winter of 2020. However, Genting Hong Kong has confirmed that after guests have disembarked from its the current cruise, there will be no more ships operating the Dream Cruises brand.
Sister ship Genting Dream was forced to stop seacation sailings in Hong Kong following the outbreak of the city’s ‘fifth wave’ earlier this year. And Explorer Dream, based in Taiwan, also ceased seacation cruise operations due to falling demand in the domestic cruise market.
Genting Hong Kong, owner of Dream Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Star Cruises, announced it was filing for bankruptcy in January this year. The company, with headquarters in Hong Kong, was once hailed as a pioneer of the Asian cruise industry; Genting Dream, the company's flagship, launched in 2016, followed by World Dream in 2017. But despite hugely successful launches, in the end the fleet was unable to keep its head above water as it was hit by wave after wave of pandemic restrictions. On January 7, Hong Kong government halted all cruises due to rising Covid-19 infections.
According to reports from Singapore Cruise Society, liquidators are now assessing Genting’s ability to meet refund claims for guests booked on sailings after March 2. Passengers are advised to submit a refund claim with booking confirmation and payment records.
Keep up to date with all the breaking travel news by following Asia Family Traveller on Facebook.
Comments