Top 10 exciting things to dive into aboard the Genting Dream cruise
Resorts World Cruises (RWC) is flying (and floating!) high with Singaporeans snapping up tickets on the Genting Dream since its inaugural post-Covid voyage in June 2022.
In mid-October, I jumped at the chance to discover this seaborne wonderland on a 4-day, 3-night cruise to Malaysia that included stops at Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
This time, it was in the luxury of The Palace, RWC’s all-suite concept within Genting Dream. My 37m2 Palace Suite came with a gigantic bed, huge sofa and a really big balcony for a ship! I could have lounged around in there all day if not for the vast array of exciting activities that lured me out every day. Here are 10 of them.
1. The Palace experience
The Palace is like an exclusive ship within a ship. However, the royal experience begins even before you board. Guests receive VIP lounge access at the terminal and fast-tracked security clearance as well as priority luggage handling at embarkation (and disembarkation).
Board, and the real magnificence begins. First, there is a private restaurant where you can dine away from the crowds every mealtime.
There’s even an exclusive access card-activated Palace elevator that takes you to The Palace club with its own pools, jacuzzis and lounge.
Your 24-hour butler will handle anything you throw at them, from making reservations for shows and meals to finding a safety pin for your dress (true story!). There’s exclusive access to restaurants and premium seating at shows, all with no queueing. All Happy Hour drinks are free, every day.
Stay connected in the middle of the ocean with complimentary Wi-Fi and sleep like a baby on luxurious beds fitted with premium Italian linen. If you’re looking for a ‘dream’ getaway, The Palace has my strongest recommendation!
2. Night bowling
Alone, in a pair, or as a family, who doesn’t love bowling? If you crave that beautifully satisfying sound of pins flying in all directions, Genting Dream’s polished lanes will let you have your fill from late night to early in the morning. Located on a high deck so you have a view of the sky and the sea, it is a hotbed of fun and excitement every evening.
The best thing is that if you throw a gutter ball, you can always blame it on the supposed rocking of the ship!
Night bowling brings a really fun vibe to the experience, with the lighting and pumping music adding to an already exciting affair. Zouk Club is just next door so if you’re feeling exhausted from all the heaving and throwing, liquid rescue is always at hand.
If you find bowling balls too heavy, head over to the pool tables located right next to the alley for more manageable ones.
3. Live Shows
I am so surprised but I enjoyed the shows on board the Genting Dream even more than the last time. RWC has gathered one of the most talented troupes of performers I have had the privilege to see live in action.
It doesn’t matter if you have never been to a live show before; there is something for everyone here— death-defying acrobatics, modern dance, traditional Chinese opera, Bollywood numbers, and a whole lot of zany antics. Hats off to both the performers and the choreographers for creating such an enjoyable medley.
The Love Matters show was especially good and the audience participation element makes this production a real deal-sealer. The talented performers and emcees had the entire audience rolling with laughter. Pro tip: if you are the shy type like I am, just tell the ushers to put you in one of the non-participation seats.
4. Learn to salsa
The show performers don’t just work out and lounge about looking pretty when the shows end. No, they make themselves very useful by conducting dance classes. I have always wanted to learn one of the Latin dances and Genting Dream gave me the chance to at least dip my toes in the water, so to speak.
Remember, no one expects you to learn to dance on your cruise; these classes are about letting your hair down on holiday and picking up some small pointers to help you learn quickly when you really get down to serious lessons back on dry land. And the fact that the instructors are heavenly cute (and fit!) only adds to the thrill.
5. Excursions
The sheer size of Genting Dream and the range of activities available on board will hardly make you yearn for terra firma. However, if you are confident you have got your sea legs, make the trip ashore for a dose of culture and discovery. The 2 stops on this cruise were Port Klang and Penang Island.
When Genting Dream docks at Port Klang on Day 2, a tour bus will take you to Kuala Lumpur after first stopping at Batu Caves and Chinatown. Then, it’s on to the shopping paradise of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur with its 700 restaurants and retail outlets.
On Day 3, Genting Dream arrives at Penang Island. Similarly, a tour bus takes guests on a tour of the cultural, historical and popular sights about town.
6. Zip lining
Yes, zip lining is cool enough but how about doing it off the edge of a 20-storey chasm above the ocean? Now, that’s what you get on board (or, more accurately, off the side of) Genting Dream. Better still for thrill seekers, the launch platform of the zipline is located at the end of an optional high obstacle course in a setup very similar to Sentosa’s Mega Adventure.
I skipped the obstacle course but the zipline gave me a nice little adrenaline rush. As someone very nervous about heights, I’d say that it’s long enough to give you a thrill but not so much so that it’s upsetting.
Just adjacent to the rope course and zipline course is the rock-climbing wall with 5 different levels of difficulty. All of these are included in every cruise package.
7. Dining
Some people tell me they go on cruises for the food and for those people, Genting Dream is, well, a dream.
Dining at 2 restaurants— The Lido and Dream Dining— is included, free. Just walk in at meal times and grab a table. There are several fine dining options, too. They are complimentary for The Palace guests but others can make reservations and pay before disembarking.
My favourite dining experience was at Uni Uma, which specialises in Japanese teppanyaki. The dinner performance consisting of eggs being spun about and juggled off the edge of spatulas, food origami and a beating heart of rice (you need to see it) were immensely entertaining and had the tables ooh-ing in amazement and roaring with laughter.
Bistro is where you should head if you want fine steak (and a reason to dress up) while Hot Pot delivered a dinner that far exceeded my expectations of a cruise meal.
8. Foam Party at Zouk Beach Club
If ‘foam party’ and ‘Zouk’ aren’t enough to give your party persona a shot in the arm individually, putting them together just might! Held on the deck from the late afternoon, the Zouk Beach Club Foam Party is a family-friendly version that sees guests of all ages let down their hair and dance their cares away.
It is held in an amphitheatre-like venue so if you are shy or just want to let your eyes do the work, have a drink delivered to your lounge or sunbed and ogle away. Shout out to the resident DJ for spinning some of my favourites, new and old.
9. Casino
Let’s call a spade a spade: there’s no thrill like the thrill of anticipation as you wait for the final reveal in any game in the casino. I lost a *ahem* very nominal amount but the rattling sound that the roulette ball makes on the wheel as it totters towards its fated destination still makes me yearn for those green tables.
Genting Dream has almost every game that you could wish to play. Or maybe not, but I’m no gambler and there were way more games than I recognised. Outside the casino, you will find simpler games of chance such as the ‘coin pusher’ machine.
Another crowd favourite is Bingo, which is held in the main lobby area, and it seemed to be in progress every single time I passed through.
10. Spa
Well, you are on holiday so why would you not while the time away in the spa? Crystal Life Spa is your getaway from the noise and frenetic activity that pervades all cruise ships where people are having a lot of fun.
Offering a range of Asian and Western wellness treatments, this is your destination for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Bonus: The RWC Genting Dream team!
No experience is enjoyable without the people factor and this is where RWC and Genting Dream truly excel. All the staff that I had the pleasure of interacting with on board, from my butler, Noel and the wait staff to the zipline operators and the tour guide, were extremely hospitable. Each went out of his or her way to not just meet my needs but to anticipate them before I said a word.
I had a wonderful time on board and can’t wait to go a-cruising aboard RWC Genting Dream again real soon!
Other articles you might like:
10 best staycation packages Singapore has to offer in 2022
The post Top 10 exciting things to dive into aboard the Genting Dream cruise appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
