Hundreds of passengers were setting sail from Singapore Friday on a 'cruise to nowhere' with safety measures in place to prevent coronavirus outbreaks, as the industry seeks to bounce back from a pandemic-induced crunch.
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Cruises were halted worldwide in March after travel restrictions kicked in and several vessels were hit by major outbreaks, but have now resumed in a few places.
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The 'cruise to nowhere' - starting and ending at the same place, with no stops - has proved a hit, and mask-wearing passengers lined up for virus tests conducted by workers in protective suits before boarding the World Dream liner.
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The liner departs Friday evening into the Malacca Strait, a major shipping lane between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and will head into international waters before returning to the city-state Sunday.
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Vinoth Arun, 27, a financial consultant accompanied by his girlfriend, was among about 1,400 passengers on board - half the ship's capacity, to ensure social distancing.
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"The fact that you carry your luggage and you bring your passport out, I guess it's just the mindset that you're going on holiday," he told AFP. | Passengers walk toward the World Dream cruise ship docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre before its departure.
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He felt it was safer to sail now compared with earlier this year, when cruise ships were hard hit: "Now everyone knows about Covid and they're not so nonchalant about it any more."
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The cruise operator, Malaysia's Genting Group, has introduced a raft of safety measures. | A set of COVID-19 coronavirus test kits is seen at the medical facility for patients onboard World Dream cruise ship.
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Rooms and public areas are disinfected regularly, restaurants have reduced capacity, guests have to book the swimming pool in advance, while the ship's clinic is kitted out with a machine that churns out virus test results in an hour.
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The ship also has an intensive care unit, in case anyone does contract Covid-19.
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Despite not making any stops as a regular cruise would, there is plenty of entertainment on board such as a casino, movies, water slides and a Christmas show.
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Accounts executive Renee Toh, 56, who was cruising with her husband and daughter, said she was excited to be able to take to the seas, and was looking forward to a 'relaxing time' with her family and having some fun at the casino.
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Tourism operators are rolling out new services as they struggle to survive.
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Airlines are operating 'flights to nowhere' and travel-stranded diners last month ate aboard two parked Singapore Airlines jets turned into pop-up restaurants.
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