Genting Dream Cruise: The Experience of a Lifetime

Ship exterior (Source: Wikipedia)

A glorious experience to enjoy if you happen to visit Singapore is the Genting Dream Cruise. It is a luxurious cruise line connecting several Asian destinations. We had selected one that travelled between Singapore and Malaysia.

Since we had limited time on our hands, we had decided to go for a two night, three day trip. However, if you want to explore the cruise fully, I recommend you to book it for a longer time period.

The Arrival 

View from the room balcony

The first thing we did was arrive at the The Marina Bay Cruise Centre for the check in formalities. That was one experience that wasn’t so rosy as we had to wait in really long queues before the final boarding. However, the wait was worth it because the fruit at the end was extremely exciting. 

We walked up the connecting ramp to witness a huge ship covered with colourful graffiti that shouted holiday like nothing else.  We were then escorted to our respective rooms. The cruise offers various room categories from general indoor rooms, balcony rooms to luxury suites. You can choose one depending on your budget. We had selected balcony rooms which were adequately spacious and as the name suggest, had an accompanying balcony that faced the ocean. The view from the balcony was nothing short of mesmerising. 

One major problem as well as boon of being on the cruise line is that there is absolutely no network. Nonetheless, you can always buy the wifi plan available on the ship if need be. We had refrained and since we were a large group this had presented multiple challenges. 

The Cuisine 

The family at 'The Lido'; View from 'The Lido'

Our package included breakfast, lunch and dinner in The Lido which is a restaurant serving an international buffet. We were given individual cards that authorised entry into the restaurant included in our package as well as any other purchases we wished to make. These essentially work like credit cards. There are several other restaurants on deck that offer a varying range of cuisine, although they are chargeable to general guests.  If you choose a palace suite, these are included in your package. 

Pancake at 'The Lido' being covered in Maple Syrup (my favourite topping)

Nevertheless we were quite happy with The Lido because it offered a huge array of delicacies, had an exceptional sea view and was situated very near to the happening pool area. We enjoyed delicious pancakes and waffles with a choice of toppings for breakfast and Japanese desserts along with several starter options including a pizza and pasta bar for lunch and dinner.  These are only some examples, there had been a curated selection of food from every world cuisine. They also offered fries and wedges 24/7. 

The Pool area and Activities

Pool area and waterpark (Source: Asia Gaming Brief)

The pool area is another wonderful area on the cruise. It is situated right in the middle of the ship, making it visible from every tier. Not just this, it consists of a full fledged water park and a gazebo in the middle where several DJs and musicians play during the extravagant, free night parties. The pool is also flanked by two jacuzzis for enhanced relaxation. 

Me photobombing my maternal grandparents and parents at the upper deck auditorium

The upper deck consists of a small auditorium where movies are screened for free and the welcome and exit parties are held. This area also has a small jacuzzi for those who need to rejuvenate while getting away from the hustle. The beautiful cane furniture and futons, all in neutral shades, make the aesthetics even more calm and serene. 

A glimpse of the 'Soniyo' show

Apart from these night parties by the pool, there are several free activities one can enjoy on the cruise (respective of the package they choose). We had heard a lot about the ‘Soniyo’ show and hence we decided to attend. And we were not disappointed. The show was performed at the state-of-the-art Zodiac Theatre and it consisted of various dance performances of many styles. There was the fun dance numbers with gym balls as props and others with a contemporary dance routine performed in the form of a musical. They also managed to merge a magician in one of their performances. Everything from the ambience of the stage, the lights and sound spelled out perfection. The performers were beautiful and to the level where by the end I aspired to be them.

The Zip-line on deck

In addition to this, we also enjoyed the small adventure area on the cruise consisting of a rope bridge and a zip-line. Some of us decided to try our hand at basketball on the on cruise court while the others chose to enjoy a round of mini golf. 

There were several other activities that we didn't get a chance to enjoy. But then to experience everything in two days was almost impossible because the cruise had so much to offer. 

The Casino and Bar

The Genesis band, the Chinese ribbon dancer and the 'pas de deux' duo performing at Bar 360

Most of our time was spent at the Bar 360. This magnificent area was a three-storeyed bar with a round stage in the middle for several musical and dance performances. These performances are free for all guests and are just as enjoyable. We witnessed the Genesis band that sang several songs including international renditions that I swear are some of the best I have heard. In addition, there were traditional Chinese dancers who performed the ribbon dance and sword dance. We were also lucky to be able to witness a beautiful pas de deus performance with extraordinary lifts. 

The casino (Source: Triba East Travel)

A floor of the bar consisted of the lounge where several contests and games were held such as “Guess the celebrity” and more. Another floor consisted of the grand casino where we won and lost a lot of money. All the counters and video games were so exciting that I swear we would have turned into broke gamblers had we stayed longer. I literally had to pull my mother off the video gambling machine so that she didn’t end up losing all the money she had won by luck like she had already done many times. 

Additionally, one floor consisted of a small bakery cafe where I had the best Blueberry Cheesecake in my life and a food court like area that served several asian cuisines. This floor also consists of on cruise shopping opportunities at discounted prices. I brought myself a DKNY perfume for extremely reasonable prices from here. 

The Farewell Party

A glimpse of the farewell party

One thing I remember distinctly on the cruise was the fabulous farewell party held at the outdoor auditorium (the one that consisted of futons). It consisted of bright disco lights, Zumba dancers and staff members, all of who encouraged the guests to dance with them. They blasted some wonderful music and later blasted off fire crackers. The various performers on board, including the ’Soniyo Show’ dancers also performed some exciting numbers. It was like an amazing party that made us all feel warm and special 

Us at the lowest deck

The entire cruise trip helped us create memories for a lifetime. It is that one experience that will have a singular place in my heart.