Resorts World Cruises has proven to be a popular vacation option for those looking for a short vacation break from Singapore. So popular that more than one hundred guests were left stranded at the Marina Bay cruise port this week due to the ship being overbooked.
Due to depart Singapore on Sunday evening, guests arrived in the port expecting to spend a few days onboard the Genting Dream visiting two ports in Malaysia, only to be told they would not be sailing.
Guests Left Behind As Cruise Ship Overbooked
New cruise operator Resorts World Cruises only operates one cruise ship, the Genting Dream, but is clearly suffering from some start-up issues. This became clear on Sunday as guests arrived at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre on September 4.
Representatives of the ship informed guests that due to the vessel being overbooked, they would not be able to board their cruise, despite having confirmed tickets.
One guest posted on the Resorts World Cruises Facebook page, stating that a system error in the booking system was to blame:
“My family recently booked a Sunday cruise for 4th September 2022. To our greatest disappointment, when we were at the cruise gates getting ready to check in and get on board, we were denied entry, with staff stating that we did not book and did not have a cabin. In the end, we were told that it was due to a system error and the cruise was overbooked.”
“It was supposed to be a fun and enjoyable holiday getaway for the family but turned out to be the biggest disappointment.”
A spokesperson for the cruise line told the Singapore newspaper The Straits Times that the voyage was indeed overbooked. According to several other reports, more than one hundred guests were affected by the issues, leaving them stranded in one of the most expensive cities in the world.ย
Guests In Malaysia Also Affected
Resorts World Cruises operates dual homeports in Singapore and Malaysia, with guests in Malaysia also affected on Monday. In a notice to passengers, Resorts World Cruises informed guests embarking on the Genting Dream in Port Klang that the cruise line would also cancel their reservations and they would be denied boarding.
The cruise line said they would compensate guests who have been denied boarding in the last few days. The cruise line stated all affected guests would receive a full refund. They will also receive a complimentary cruise on the Genting Dream for sailings before April 28, 2023, subject to cabin availability.
Resorts World Cruises started operations from Singapore on June 15. The company operates Genting Dream, a cruise ship formerly operated by the now-defunct cruise company Genting Hong Kong.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the management behind Resorts World Cruises is the same as those behind Genting Hong Kong. Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, a Malaysian Chinese billionaire businessman, owns and operates Resorts World, a casino and resorts conglomerate, and is the former CEO of Genting Hong Kong.
With a guest capacity of 3,352 guests, the 150,695 gross tons Genting Dream is one of few cruise ships operating in Asia currently. The cruise ship was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, and completed in 2016.