Cruise companies may soon be allowed to launch “cruise to nowhere” trips from Singapore, as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is developing a health and safety framework to restart these sailings.
If the plan goes ahead, this will mark the first sailing from Singapore since March 13, when cruise ships were barred from calling at the port.
Dream Cruises will be partnering Chan Brothers Travel to sell “cruises to nowhere” from Singapore
According to a tender document by STB, for the first three months when sailings resume, ships will be allowed a maximum capacity of 50 per cent of the usual capacity, reported The Straits Times. The tender did not specify a date or timeline for this resumption.
On September 23, STB had appointed classification society DNV GL Singapore to create a cruise compliance audit and certification programme, which will be benchmarked against global health, safety and hygiene standards, according to the report.
Under this programme, DNV GL will establish a set of health and safety protocols, conduct compliance audits, certify cruise ships that meet the requirements, as well as develop a penalty framework for non-compliance.
Cruise companies that wish to embark on sailings must be audited and certified by this programme. For the first three months, inspectors will also conduct onboard checks for each sailing.
Annie Chang, director, cruise, STB, said: “Singapore is monitoring the Covid-19 situation and in discussions with cruise lines on putting in place appropriate measures that will enable cruises to resume in a safe manner. Cruise lines that pass the compliance audit will be given a certification, which serves as a quality mark to assure consumers that the cruise has met these required standards. More details on the cruise certification will be released at a later date.”
Chang told the Straits Times that the SingapoRediscovers domestic tourism vouchers, which will be issued to all adult Singaporeans in December, will not be redeemable for cruise tickets, as they are valid only on hotel stays, attraction tickets and approved tours.
The report also stated that Chan Brothers Travel will be partnering Dream Cruises to market and sell “cruises to nowhere” from Singapore.
Dream Cruises’ Explorer Dream had previously received certification under DNV GL’s programme in infection prevention for the maritime industry, which was developed in June. The vessel has been operating island-hopping cruises in Taiwan since July.
Cruise companies may soon be allowed to launch “cruise to nowhere” trips from Singapore, as the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is developing a health and safety framework to restart these sailings.
If the plan goes ahead, this will mark the first sailing from Singapore since March 13, when cruise ships were barred from calling at the port.
According to a tender document by STB, for the first three months when sailings resume, ships will be allowed a maximum capacity of 50 per cent of the usual capacity, reported The Straits Times. The tender did not specify a date or timeline for this resumption.
On September 23, STB had appointed classification society DNV GL Singapore to create a cruise compliance audit and certification programme, which will be benchmarked against global health, safety and hygiene standards, according to the report.
Under this programme, DNV GL will establish a set of health and safety protocols, conduct compliance audits, certify cruise ships that meet the requirements, as well as develop a penalty framework for non-compliance.
Cruise companies that wish to embark on sailings must be audited and certified by this programme. For the first three months, inspectors will also conduct onboard checks for each sailing.
Annie Chang, director, cruise, STB, said: “Singapore is monitoring the Covid-19 situation and in discussions with cruise lines on putting in place appropriate measures that will enable cruises to resume in a safe manner. Cruise lines that pass the compliance audit will be given a certification, which serves as a quality mark to assure consumers that the cruise has met these required standards. More details on the cruise certification will be released at a later date.”
Chang told the Straits Times that the SingapoRediscovers domestic tourism vouchers, which will be issued to all adult Singaporeans in December, will not be redeemable for cruise tickets, as they are valid only on hotel stays, attraction tickets and approved tours.
The report also stated that Chan Brothers Travel will be partnering Dream Cruises to market and sell “cruises to nowhere” from Singapore.
Dream Cruises’ Explorer Dream had previously received certification under DNV GL’s programme in infection prevention for the maritime industry, which was developed in June. The vessel has been operating island-hopping cruises in Taiwan since July.