Genting Cruise Lines to develop cruise itineraries from Hainan

Genting Cruise Lines is a division of Genting Hong Kong comprising of three distinct cruise brands – Star Cruises, Dream Cruises, and Crystal Cruises – that provides a range of products from contemporary cruises to ultra-luxurious vacation experiences. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Genting Cruise Lines announced that it is working to forge a strategic partnership with Sanya CBD Administration and a prominent national travel industry corporation to build a company to facilitate operations of its subsidiary Dream Cruises' flagship operations in Sanya.

The new joint venture will launch domestic cruise itineraries out of the central cruise hub of Hainan, as well as support the development of a free trade pilot cruise tourism zone on Hainan Island.

"We are keen on supporting the Chinese government's efforts in rebuilding its travel and tourism sector by providing a safe and carefree vacation option for consumers," said Kent Zhu, president of Genting Cruise Lines.

"Genting Cruise Lines has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with China, and especially on Hainan Island, for nearly 30 years and we will continue to build on the strong collaborative spirit we have forged together." 

Genting Cruise Lines' rich history with Hainan Island has been marked by numerous milestones. From as early as 1994, Genting Cruise Lines' ships have been visiting Hainan as a regular port of call, introducing millions of international travelers to the fabled beauty of Hainan Island via the convenience of cruise vacations. In 2011, Genting Cruise Lines became the first international cruise company to homeport in Sanya, developing the city into an international cruise destination.

Sanya boasts an abundance of advantages to complement the pilot implementation of the "Hainan Cruise Port Sea-Upstream Route" plan, such as the first dedicated cruise terminal providing the only cruise itineraries to the Xisha Islands in the country. The city's location also allows for the longest number of cruising days for domestic sailings, and there are plans to further develop Sanya into the largest cruise homeport in China.

The Sanya CBD, one of the 11 districts and parks implementing Hainan's Free Trade Port policies, manages the Sanya headquarters economy division, the CBD division, as well as the cruise and yachting division, with the goal of establishing a modern industrial system supported by professional services for the leisure sector.

"Genting Hong Kong is the first cruise company to homeport in the city, with the longest deployment period and the highest number of sailings to date. Since its establishment, the Sanya CBD Administration has initiated planning for the industry and devised policies in support of the industry. We have also established a cruise and yachting service center, a representative system for commercial stakeholders, as well as hosted the Forum on the Innovation of the Cruise and Yachting Industry," said Wu Haifeng, vice mayor of Sanya and head of the Sanya CBD Administration.

"Moving forward, the Sanya CBD will collaborate with the government to diversify the supply of cruise travel products in the market, to develop cruise destinations, and to extend the industry chain, with the aim of building Sanya into a key cruise travel hub in the Asia-Pacific region." 

Wu added that the Sanya CBD Administration will continue to strive for excellence in its public service to the industry to foster an ideal business environment for investors, as well as to work with companies to rebuild consumer confidence in cruise travel and to drive the sustained development of the cruise industry.

To further boost tourism and reinforce the positioning of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Hainan government announced a pilot plan to provide more options for cruise companies earlier this year.

The establishment of a joint venture company in Sanya demonstrates our commitment and determination to further drive the development of cruise tourism in Hainan, Zhu noted.

"Our aim is to provide a dedicate presence in Sanya focused on promoting the rich cultural heritage of the island coupled with the wealth of cruise experience of Genting Cruise Lines. In the post-pandemic era of travel, we hope that the authorities will further relax their policy for cruise companies operating domestic cruises and we will leverage policies in Hainan, such as the 'Flag of Convenience' pilot program, to entice inbound international travelers," added Zhu.

"The long-term goal is to put Hainan on the map as one of the most popular global cruise homeports and the central hub among popular destinations that can be easily reached within 24-hours." 
As the first cruise company in the world to launch updated preventive measures for a post-COVID-19 pandemic era and to ensure the safest environment for everyone on board its ships, Genting Cruise Lines has completely re-examined and enhanced all of its health, hygiene, and operating protocols including: thorough sanitization, disinfection, and enhanced hygiene practices for guest cabins and crew member quarters, public areas, and recreational facilities; social distancing in dining, entertainment, and public areas; as well as safe food and beverage handling procedures.

All cruise ships in the Genting Cruise Lines fleet also feature 100 percent fresh air ventilation in staterooms and public areas, preventing cross-contamination of air flow to provide total peace of mind to passengers.

"A testament to the efficacy of the company's enhanced health and safety measures, we are proud to also report that Explorer Dream, the first cruise ship to resume operations after the global industry shutdown, has been operating in Taiwan for over a month without any incident and garnered high scores in terms of passenger satisfaction. The successful resumption of operations of Explorer Dream helped us gain invaluable experiences for our upcoming deployments," added Zhu.

"It is our goal to provide our guests in the Chinese mainland with same opportunity to enjoy a much deserved vacation experience marked by Dream Cruises' reputation for unbeatable quality, hospitality, and safety."