Tag Archives: Penang

SURIA FM Becomes First Malaysian Radio Station to Broadcast Onboard

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Malaysia’s Suria FM made history by becoming the first radio station in the country to broadcast live from a cruise ship.

The milestone was achieved during a three-night round-trip cruise on the Genting Dream, operated by Resorts World Cruises, which set sail from Port Klang, Malaysia on January 9, 2023.

The partnership between Suria FM and Resorts World Cruises began in mid-November 2022, to celebrate the station’s 15th anniversary.

Michael Goh, president of Resorts World Cruises, said: “Our collaboration is timely as our ship continues to homeport in Port Klang until early 2024 to offer a series of cruises to Penang, Singapore and Phuket with certified Halal food and beverage offerings, enabling us to further grow and promote cruise vacations as an option among Malaysians, especially for the Malay market segment.”

To mark the occasion, the Malaysia Book of Records presented certificates to Suria FM and Resorts World Cruises during a ceremony held on the ship.

For the Malaysia Book of Records attempt, Resorts World Cruises hosted 71 guests on the Genting Dream including SURIA FM’s local DJs, lucky radio contest winners, crew and technical sound engineering, as well as Malaysian celebrities, influencers, media and also the Malaysia Book of Records official representatives.

Royal Caribbean Returns to Thailand

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The Spectrum of the Seas from Royal Caribbean is featuring longer sailings, and more of Southeast Asia to explore in the coming months as she will embark on cruises with Phuket featuring as one the core stops on four- to seven-night cruises, joining popular destinations like Penang and Port Klang in Malaysia.

Sailings are open to book on Royal Caribbean’s website.

“Thailand is hugely popular with our guests from Singapore – its distinctive food, culture and welcoming locals have made the country a destination of choice for many, and we are thrilled to be able to visit Phuket again so travellers can fully experience the wonders and rich heritage of the Southeast Asian region,” said Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International. “

Thailand’s travel and tourism industries can anticipate a lift from the weekly sailings Spectrum is scheduled to deliver into Phuket. We continue to work closely with governments in the region to connect our guests with new destinations, adventures, and experiences, and to become a gateway for fly-cruisers from around the globe looking to experience the spice of Southeast Asia.”

“As Thailand’s largest island, Phuket is the pearl of the Andaman Sea, with her magnificent beaches,  beautiful sunsets at Phromthep Cape and spectacular local culture and lifestyle. Tourists also love the distinct local architecture and row houses that speak to Sino-Portuguese influence, which today house museums, boutique hotels and cafes. Phuket’s famous cultural shows, as well as the Phuket Fantasy theme park which combines Thai arts and culture with cutting-edge light and sound, shows altogether make for a memorable experience for visitors to the island,” said Governor Narong Woonsiew, Governor of Phuket, Thailand.

Photo: Angie Stephen, vice president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, Royal Caribbean International, and His Excellency, Narong Wun Siew, the Governor of Phuket, doing the exchanges as part of the plaque and key ceremony in recognition of the return of cruise tourism in Phuket, Thailand.

Star Pisces Beached for Scrapping in India

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The Star Pisces was beached for scrapping in Alang, India, on July 12.

Formerly operated by Star Cruises, the 1991-built vessel will now be dismantled by one of the many local ship-breaking yards.  

During the process, its building materials, fixtures, engines and systems, are set to be sold off for repurposing or recycling.

Ending a 31-year sailing career, the Pisces was originally built for Viking Line as the cruise ferry Kalypso.

After being acquired by Star Cruises in 1993, the 40,000-ton ship spent the last three decades offering cruises catering to the Asian market.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vessel used to offer one-night cruises to nowhere departing from Hong Kong.

More recently, in December, the 1,090-guest ship started what turned out to be its last operation, kicking off a series of short cruises in Malaysia.

Sailing from Penang, the program marked its return to service after a two-year operational pause.

With Genting filing for liquidation shortly after, however, the ship found itself out of service again in late January.

After spending four months laid-up in Southeast Asia along with other former Star Cruises vessels, the Pisces began its last voyage in early June.

With the Star Pisces now beached, a total of ten cruise ships have been sold to ship-breaking yards in 2022.

The list includes the SuperStar Libra, another cruise ship formerly operated by Star Cruises.

The 1988-built vessel arrived at Aliaga in May, following a four-year stint serving as a floating hotel at a Genting-owned shipyard.

After leaving Southeast Asia along with the Star Pisces, two additional ex-Star Cruises, the SuperStar Gemini and the SuperStar Aquarius were also expected to arrive at scrapyards soon.

The vessels, however, sailed to Sri Lanka, where, according to local news reports, they are set to spend a month in lay-up.