Genting's 'cruises to nowhere' to go ahead as planned

GENTING Cruise Lines' Dream Cruises has said that its "cruises to nowhere" will operate as scheduled, with the current health and hygiene protocols in place.

For now, Dream Cruises is "aware of the Covid-19 situation on board Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas, and is continuing to monitor developments," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

Its current cruise, the World Dream cruise, departed earlier than scheduled on Wednesday to facilitate the disembarkation of passengers of the Quantum of the Seas.

A passenger on board the Royal Caribbean vessel had tested positive for Covid-19 during the cruise, prompting the ship to return to Singapore on Wednesday, a day ahead of schedule. The remaining passengers and crew on board have to remain on the ship until contact-tracing is completed under existing infection-control protocols, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a statement.

They also have to remain on the ship until the World Dream completes embarking all passengers for its next sailing, to prevent intermingling between passengers or crew from the two vessels, STB added.

There were 1,680 passengers and 1,148 crew on board the Royal Caribbean ship.

Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean were given the green light to offer "cruises to nowhere" from last month, but with their capacities halved, and with with strict safety measures and infection protocols in place.