Advertisement

First cruise in Asia since pandemic offers glimpse into future 'big ship' experiences

Dream Explorer will be the first large cruise ship to sail in Asia since March
Dream Explorer will be the first large cruise ship to sail in Asia since March

Cruise returns to Asia this month after the coronavirus pandemic halted voyages across the globe, giving an early glimpse into the post-lockdown experience on board larger vessels.

Dream Cruises will be the first cruise line in Asia to return when it welcomes passengers aboard from July 26, according to Tan Sri KT Lim, chair and chief executive of parent company Genting Hong Kong.

Explorer Dream, which can carry almost 3,000 passengers, will leave Taiwan on two- or three-night domestic island-hopping itineraries, stopping off at Peng Hu, Matsu and Kinmen.

The operator is not well known in Europe and it predominantly sails the Asia-Pacific region; their sister line, US-based Crystal Cruises, is more recognisable.

However, this is an important milestone as cruise looks to ease back into operation, especially given the size of the ship. The vessels that have returned to river and ocean in Europe are much smaller – the largest, Hurtigruten’s Finnmarken, carries a maximum of 919 passengers – and until September ships with more than 250 people on board (passengers and crew) are unable to operate in the USA.

The Matsu Islands are one of the stops on Dream Cruises' first itinerary - GETTY
The Matsu Islands are one of the stops on Dream Cruises' first itinerary - GETTY

One cruise insider told Telegraph Travel that “the eyes of those looking to cruise will be watching.”

With fewer than four weeks until the first voyage, Dream Cruises have revealed their concrete health, safety and hygiene plans – something that the majority of larger cruise lines have not yet done, many citing ongoing discussions on what guidelines should be in place.

However, much of the world has dealt with coronavirus in similar ways – face coverings, social distancing – so cruise fans in Britain and Europe can expect some of the measures to be adopted.

According to Dream Cruises, passengers will notice changes to the experience before the board the ship, with mandatory temperature checks and pre-boarding health declarations. An infrared screening system will check for fever at the gangway, and an online check-in will be used to stagger arrivals at the cruise terminal.

Cabins will be fogged when empty and sanitised more frequently. It’s a similar approach in public areas – lifts will be disinfected every two hours, for example.

Self-service buffets have been suspended, all staff will be wearing masks and gloves when serving food, and venues will be limited to half the usual capacity.

The adapted medical centre now has isolated wards, and Explorer Dream is now the first cruise ship in the world to be awarded the “certification in infection prevention for the marine industry’ by DNV GL, a classification society based in Norway.

The cruise line’s new operating protocols came about after “months of detailed planning with the authorities to ensure the safety and health of guests and crew”, said Lim, and “draws on our first-hand experience from the charter of two of our ships in Singapore to house foreign workers” during the pandemic.

Kent Zhu, president of Genting Cruise Line, said: “This is truly a remarkable achievement which was made possible by the Taiwan authorities’ swift and effective handling of the Covid-19 crisis and their foresight in resuming the tourism industry to benefit all the ports, the economy and the lifestyle of the people of Taiwan.”

The coronavirus outbreak has had a remarkably small impact in Taiwan, with only 447 reported cases and seven deaths.