Genting Dream Cruise: 14 Muslim-Friendly Insider Tips

Gone are the days when cruises used to mean ‘eat and sleep on repeat’. Genting Dream gives cruising a whole new meaning with its exciting array of activities and facilities onboard! There’s no room for boredom here, as there is just so much to do ?

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From ziplining to an outdoor movie experience, this cruise is set to blow you away. To help you make the best of your experience, we’ve gathered 14 essential tips for the best cruise vacay ever ☺️

P.S. Set sail on Genting Dream from SGD219 per person for a 2-night Kuala Lumpur cruise. The package includes your room, meals onboard and a string of activities you wouldn’t want to miss out on!

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1. Board early

The cruise remains docked for a few hours before it actually sets sail, but don’t wait till right till the last boarding call to get on! You can start enjoying the myriad of facilities and activities onboard once you board, so we highly recommend boarding the cruise as early as you can.

Boarding time differs according to the cruise and destination, so do check your cruise ticket prior to your trip!

2. Download the Dream Cruises app

Activities and timings differ according to the cruise, which is why having the schedule at your fingertips is super crucial. And no, we don’t mean that you have to carry around the hardcopy schedule? There’s no need for that when everything is available on the Dream Cruises app!

Download the app before you board! You can check out the cruise schedule and book your seats for performances all in one place with this app ? And yes, we know how important it is to stay connected to your social media apps even during the cruise. That’s why we recommend purchasing your Wi-Fi on the app!

3. Get a balcony stateroom

Having a comfortable and spacious room is a must when you travel. And the balcony stateroom is just that! We loved the room’s plush bedding and well-equipped washroom. There’s even a pull-out sofa that can fit an extra person.

Our favourite part of the cabin was the cosy balcony! From the comfort of our cabin, we could enjoy the beautiful ocean view and nothing comes quite close to that experience ?

P.S. Elevate your cruise experience by staying in The Palace! Your exclusive all-suite accommodation is on the upper decks of the cruise. You will experience top level hospitality from the dedicated European-style butler concierge service, and enjoy exclusive privileges!

4. Savour yummy halal-certified food

What truly sets Genting Dream apart from other cruises is the halal-certified food served onboard! Yes, this is the only cruise in Asia which has JAKIM halal-certified food ? Head to The Lido and savour a wide array of yummy food up to 3 times a day. The buffet spread is made up of a soup corner, mains and desserts and we especially enjoyed how much seafood there was.

Do note that only a section of the restaurant is halal-certified! No pork or lard is served in the whole restaurant though.

On the first night, we were even treated to a special BBQ dinner in addition to the normal buffet spread. From sirloin steak to grilled butter prawns, the fresh and mouth-watering seafood made it a dinner to remember ?

Note: BBQ dinners vary with cruises. This BBQ dinner is not halal-certified, but we’ve confirmed with the chef onboard that the spread is from halal sources. Do dine at your own discretion!

5. Scream your heart out on the slides

Time to put all the energy you gained from the food to good use? Genting Dream’s giant waterslide park is every thrill-seeker’s dream come true. There are 6 waterslides of varying intensities, so take your pick! We personally felt the purple slide was the most thrilling, followed by the yellow slide next to it. But the blue slide tops the list as it’s the only one with a swirling tube in the middle!

6. Overcome your fear of heights

Don’t let your thrilling adventure stop at the slides! Challenge yourself at the Rope Course, where you will face your fear of heights head-on by walking on an outdoor plank 18 decks above the sea. Your reward comes at the end as you glide across the ocean on a 35m zipline ? This one’s definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Seeking a challenge, but one that’s not too intense? The rock climbing wall is your answer! At first glance, the wall looked pretty short and we thought climbing it would be easy. But we quickly realized just how challenging it was going to be once we took our first step up ?

The professional instructors were really patient and helpful in guiding us though! The best part is that these activities are completely free ?

7. Bond over family-friendly activities

If you’re looking for activities to do together as a family, mini-golf would be a good place to start. Playing golf usually costs quite a bit of money but on this cruise, you have the chance to play for free! Get the whole family together for a friendly game of golf – with a gorgeous sea view ☺️

Alternatively, head indoors for a game of bowling! This activity is chargeable (from $2 per game) but you’ll definitely enjoy chilling out with your loved ones ? Head here anytime from 1pm till late!

P.S. From just SGD 219 to Kuala Lumpur (2N), your dream cruise adventure awaits! Bask in the comfort of a beautiful room, yummy meals onboard and endless activities on Genting Dream.

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8. Watch a movie under the stars

Speaking of late-night activities…take your movie experience to a whole new level by watching it outdoors! As our cruise was Spiderman-themed, we had the chance to watch the Spider-man Homecoming movie. Lounge on the day beds and relax as you enjoy your favourite movie (with your favourite people!) under the stars ☺️

P.S. Screenings differ according to cruises – do refer to your cruise schedule for the screenings and timings.

9. Book your show seats early

There’s so much to do and see on the cruise, but nothing quite tops the jaw-dropping performance of Sonio – A Tale of Two Dreams, a signature show onboard Genting Dream. We were blown away by the acrobatic and dance moves, singing and the incredible LED graphics! The performers are so talented that they left the whole audience gasping in disbelief ?

As show tickets are limited and available on a first come, first served basis, we highly recommend booking your seats before the show to avoid disappointment! Head to the Box Office onboard or book them via the Dream Cruises mobile app.

10. Take part in free classes

Take some free workout classes while you’re onboard! Exercise classes differ according to each cruise, but we managed to learn taichi on ours. The instructor was patient in guiding us through the warm-up exercises and the various taichi moves. We were surprised to have learnt so much during the short span of an hour?

There are also classes at Crystal Life Fitness if you’re up for learning some yoga, pilates and more! Classes are private and taught by professional trainers, so you can be assured that they will be tailored to your level of fitness. Do note that classes at Crystal Life Fitness are chargeable.

11. Work out (with a view!) at the 24-hour gym

Work out at your own pace and time, at the gym! Crystal Life Fitness is equipped with the newest and most innovative workout equipment. But the highlight of the gym is the gorgeous sea view. It’s not everyday you find a gym with such a breathtaking view, so you’d have to add this to your cruise bucket list ?

Note: The gym has a minimum age requirement of 16 years old.

12. Drop the kids off at Little Pandas Club

Looking to spend some alone time with your partner? Well, the Little Pandas Club is the perfect place to drop the kids off for a few hours. From arts and craft activities to Mario Kart games, the kids will be so occupied they won’t even notice you’re not there ?

Enjoy your time alone worry-free, as all the staff at the club are certified childcare professionals! Do note that entrance to the club is not included in your room package, but you can enjoy the first 2 hours free ?

13. Enjoy thematic activities and programmes onboard

During our cruise, we had the chance to take part in a Spider-man themed experience at sea thanks to Genting Dream’s collaboration with Sony Pictures. We even had the chance to meet and greet the man himself ?

Some of our favourite themed activities includes the Spider-man Velcro wall. We suited up in a Velcro costume (it was hard even walking in it!) and hopped on the inflatable to stick ourselves to the Velcro wall. From 4^th January onwards, be sure to look forward to the next themed experience - Monopoly festive fun at sea! ?

If you’re a fan of Sheila Majid or Warna FM DJs A B Shaik and Mariam Mas’od, here’s your chance to cruise with them! From SGD 630, book the 5N Surabaya – North Bali cruise (13 to 18 Jan 2019) to cruise with the Warna FM DJs. Experience a 60-min live concert by Sheila Majid when you book the 5N Penang – Phuket – Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur cruise (27 Jan to 1 Feb) cruise! You can enjoy SGD 100 credit onboard too.

14. Instagrammable spots for the perfect feed

And of course, your cruise would not be complete if you do not have any beautiful pictures to remember your experience onboard, right? ? Lucky for you, there are many instagrammable spots around the cruise! Head to Deck 19 Forward to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the entire ship. These cool-looking chairs are also perfect for the ‘gram ?

You wouldn’t want to miss snapping away at the jacuzzis overlooking the sea! There are many jacuzzis around the cruise but these are our favourite as they are a tad less crowded and boast a gorgeous view ?