Singaporeans will soon have an international cruise experience without leaving the country. The government of Singapore has approved the idea of ‘cruises to nowhere’ which will allow people to have a round-trip on a cruise without any stops. Also, to ensure the safety of the travellers, the cruises will operate only with 50 percent capacity. Only the residents of Singapore will be able to avail these cruise services. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, Genting Cruise Lines’ World Dream will be the first ship to operate on November 6 under this scheme. In December, Quantum of the Seas of Royal Caribbean International will also begin sailing. Travellers will have to take mandatory coronavirus tests before boarding the ships. Meanwhile, Air India has also planned to start scenic ‘flights to nowhere’ after Taiwan and Australia.
Singapore To Launch Cruises To Nowhere; Ships To Operate With 50 Percent Capacity
A unique cruise service, known as ‘cruises to nowhere’ will be launched in Singapore in November 2020. It will take travellers on a cruise tour without halting at any port. In other words, the passengers will have to remain within the ship for their entire journey. The ships will be permitted to sail only with 50 percent capacity. Also, passengers will have to wear mandatory face masks. There will be additional cleaning schedules as well to ensure proper sanitisation. The cost of a trip on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas will be around $257 ( ₹18,751.03). The luxury ship, which has a capacity of 4,180 people, will glide through Singapore Strait and the South China Sea. Also, UAE residents can soon go on a 118-night iconic cruise tour, covering 16 countries.
COVID-19 Tests Mandatory For Boarding The Ships
Travellers will have to take mandatory coronavirus tests before their journey. They need to maintain safe distances from co-passengers. Only Singaporeans will be allowed to enjoy these cruise rides. Crew members from outside Singapore will have to undergo 14 days of quarantine in their home country and another 14 days of quarantine in Singapore, prior to boarding the ship.
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According to a report by The National, Keith Tan, chief executive of Singapore Tourism Board, said, “This cruise pilot is a valuable opportunity for cruise operators to reinvent the entire cruise experience in order to regain the confidence of passengers.” However, The National report also mentions about CDC stating, “The current scientific evidence suggests that cruise ships pose a greater risk of COVID-19 transmission than other settings because of the high population density onboard on ships, which are typically more densely populated than cities or most other living situations.”
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The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major blow to the global cruise industry. Through the ‘cruises to nowhere’ initiative, the government plans to assist the country’s tourism sector that has been severely hit due to coronavirus. However, CDC’s surveillance data has stated that reduction in onboard population would not put an end to virus transmission. Meanwhile, here’s a sneak peek into Genting Dream Cruise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxKd9tya0Ck