April 2017

14 APAC / April 2017 , 1702AP42 Sailing the Seven Seas Genting Hong Kong is a holding company that operates cruise and resort businesses. Thatcher Brown, President tells us more about the firmand the exciting new line-up of luxury cruisers planned for launch in 2017. Genting Hong Kong brings over 23 years of Asian cruise industry experience together with internationally-acclaimed luxury cruise expertise in creating its new cruise line – Dream Cruises. With a heritage of international and regional cruise expertise embedded in its DNA, Dream Cruises is Asia’s first-ever luxury cruise brand and caters specifically to the large and rapidly growing premium market in China and Asia. Dream Cruises aims to be a pacesetter in the cruise industry in the region, meeting the needs of the ‘emerging generation’ of confident, independently- minded and affluent Asian travellers. Dream Cruises offers inspirational luxury, which is Asian at heart and international in spirit. Purpose-built for the China and Asia market, Genting Dream, the first ship of the fleet, had its debut last November 2016, with its sister ship World Dream scheduled for November 2017, offering guests the highest levels of service and spacious comfort in the region. Accommodation reflects both size and choice for travellers with over 70% of staterooms featuring private balconies and 100 connecting rooms catering to extended families and groups. Two floors of lavish suites in the exclusive Dream Mansion will feature European butler service and special guest privileges. With the finest Asian and international dining, exceptional service, enthralling entertainment and inspirational experiences, Dream Cruises aims to redefine vacation travel with a transformational journey at sea. Business Objectives The first business philosophy of Dream Cruises is to make sales simple and clear. The second is to keep its business balanced while realising diversified business models. Dream Cruises has built strong partnerships with travel trade partners who have better understanding on the concept of luxury vacations as well as the demands of travellers. Together the Dream Team is dedicated to address the guests’ every need and to fulfill dreams on board. Dream Cruises is very fortunate to have a great sales team in Asia, which is extremely dedicated and loyal. As a result of the Star Cruises team’s continued efforts on nurturing, developing and strengthening their relationships with partners over past decades, Dream Cruises is able to offer its luxury products, currently fly-cruise products, to partners who have been expecting the new product launch to make their product portfolios more comprehensive. The partners are very satisfied with the arrival of Dream Cruises. However, Dream Cruises will never rely solely on the loyalty of its partners as it’s always difficult to lead in the market merely through distribution relationships. Differentiation Dream Cruises is proud to be the first-ever Asian based luxury cruise line, created and based in the region that specifically caters to Asia’s high-end sector with a purpose-built new ship for this market, Genting Dream. Currently, the majority of ships with homeports in Asia are mainly targeted at the mass-market consumer with the occasional high-end ship deployment in the region on a more seasonal rather than a permanent basis. However, Asia continues to take a bigger percentage of the global cruise industry each year and, as the cruise market continues to evolve and mature, so will the competition. At the very core, what differentiates Dream Cruises from the other cruise lines is its commitment and ability to offer inspirational luxury which is Asian at heart and international in spirit for all guests. The cruise line will introduce a new standard of excellence in service and quality at sea. Dream Cruises encourages healthy competition as it is essential in driving innovation and furthering growth in the overall cruise industry. Staying Ahead of the Curve In terms of the evolution of the cruise industry, it is impossible not to observe the power of technology in supporting the cruise industry’s ability to improve the 360 degree guest experience (pre-cruise, on board and post cruise), engage and develop our employees and connect with our partners. The innovations in marine technology that make our ships more efficient are impressive as well. Cruise ships have become destinations in themselves with product innovations that mimic large resort environments, with theme park and entertainment venues. Over the years, the industry has consolidated and expanded into new markets offering multiple vacation options through multiple brands to new markets – the growth of the cruise market in Asia is a good example of this. Of course, some things remain constant. There is no substitute for brilliant service and exceeding guest expectations. Dream Cruises has found that Asian guests are very discerning when it comes to their many types of regional cuisines. Just as an Italian guest from Liguria is particular about eating the right pasta with the perfect pesto sauce, an Asian guest from Guangdong, China is particular about the preparation and flavor of their dim sum or, if they are from Shanghai, the authenticity of their xiao long bao. In the hotel business, we say the most important consideration is ‘location, location, location.’ In the Asian cruise market, one could alter the phrase to ‘food, food, food.’ This also means, Dream Cruises considers meal times, pace of service, style of service delivery, presentation, and many other elements of its ‘software.’ While it is important to customise its products and services to Asia and, more specifically, the Asian market, there is a balance where Dream Cruises integrates the right amount of international elements for the aspirational and curious. For example, alongside its authentic Asian food and beverage offerings, Dream Cruises introduces international options ranging from an Italian gelateria to a modern Bistro. Guests can indulge their passion for the finer things in life at the