A First Cruise from Singapore: What to Know Before You Board the Genting Dream

A short cruise from Singapore is one of the simplest ways to try a holiday at sea: two or three nights, calm water, and you unpack once. A few things work differently from a hotel stay, and they are easier to learn before you sail than at the gangway.

Sails from

Marina Bay Cruise Centre, Singapore

Length

2 or 3 nights on most sailings

Usual ports

Penang and Port Klang or Melaka, in Malaysia

Sailing days

Fixed days only; three-night trips do not run every week

Indian passports

A Singapore visa that allows more than one entry

What the fare covers

• Your cabin for the nights on board.
• Meals at the restaurants included in the fare.
• The pools, water slides and evening shows.
• Port charges, when your agent has included them. Ask.

What is charged on board

Everything on board is charged to your cabin card and settled before you leave the ship, so keep an eye on the running total.

• Gratuities, a set amount per person per night, added to your on-board account.
• Speciality restaurants and most drinks.
• Wi-Fi, spa treatments and some activities.
• Shore excursions at each port.

Choosing a cabin

An interior cabin has no window and costs the least; it is fine if you plan to be out on deck all day. An oceanview has a window. A balcony cabin gives you your own outdoor seat and is the one families tend to be happiest with on a first cruise, because there is somewhere to sit while children nap.

Papers and timing

Carry your passport, valid for at least six months, and your Singapore visa. Because the ship leaves Singapore and returns, the visa must allow you to enter again. Check-in closes well before sailing, so plan to be at the cruise centre in the early afternoon, and book your flight home for the evening of the day you return, not the morning.