Fly cruise boom as Asian bargains lure Aussies

Royal Caribbean is currently expecting 30 per cent upsurge in fly-cruise bookings for ships in Southeast Asia from Australia. As the season cools Down Under, Aussies are seeking more affordable winter cruise destination alternatives from the Mediterranean.

RCL’s corporation communications manager of Singapore & Southeast Asia, Ying Duan Chin said that thousands of Aussies are looking to the Orient for a short-haul fly-cruise holiday.

“Australians in general have a great attraction for Southeast Asia as a travel destination and their growth in fly-cruise for us can be attributed to our stronger marketing efforts and intensified joint-promotions with Australian trade agents,” she said.

“A lot of Australian guests prefer the longer cruises of five and seven nights or longer, a pattern similar to international guests. We usually have only one ship berthed in Singapore at each time, so their travel preference is based more on the itinerary length and holiday season.”

Ms Chin said that due to the line’s increasing deployment in Asia with Voyager of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, more Australians are looking to sail from Asia rather than fighting for cabin space in Australia.

“Overall, we are experiencing an estimated 30 per cent increase for fly-cruise bookings for Southeast Asian sailings out from Singapore, comparing 2017 with 2016.

“This corresponds with the growth of our deployment here,” she said.

Royal Caribbean cruises to destinations like Penang, Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia as well as Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.

Voyager of the Seas has the capacity for 4,269 guests and accommodation choices range from suites to promenade staterooms and virtual balcony interior staterooms showing real‐time ocean views.

Guests onboard can expect a wide range of leisure options as well. The ship’s facilities include various duty-free boutiques at its Royal Promenade, a full-sized sports court with a FlowRider surf simulator and rock‐climbing wall, a library and an ice-skating rink.

Other entertainment options are a three-tier theatre with live shows, and a Dreamworks Entertainment experience featuring cartoon characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other Dreamworks movies. Families have exclusive opportunities for interaction, photo sessions and breakfasts with characters.

As for dining, cruisers can choose from staples like the 24-hour Café Promenade and Windjammer Cafe buffet restaurant, which serves an array of international and Asian fare. Specialty restaurants like Chops Grille Steakhouse, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi and Johnny Rockets are also part of the ship’s gourmet selections.

On offer are up to 90 sailings from April 2018 to June 2019, covering numerous regional destinations.