Two cruise ships and 3,800 guests help terminal operator SATS-Creuers mark the milestone
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the help of around 3,800 guests and two large cruise ships on 26 May 2017.
Operated by SATS-Creuers Cruise Services (SATS-Creuers), MBCCS officially opened on 26 May 2012 with a call from Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas. The ship called during the anniversary celebrations and Royal Caribbean joined with SATS-Creuers to conduct a prize draw to give a guest a free three-night cruise onboard Voyager of the Seas.
“There’s no better way for us to celebrate with MBCCS on its fifth birthday, than having our Voyager of the Seas back here like on day one,” said Sean Treacy, managing director of Asia Pacific at Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We are very proud of how much the cruise terminal has grown with Royal Caribbean through these years, from hosting our first mega ship to even larger and newest Quantum-class ships that redefine cruising in the region. We look forward to many more successful years ahead in working together to boost Singapore’s status as a regional cruise hub.”
Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess also arrived at MBCCS on 26 May. The cruise line has been basing ships at the terminal since 2012. In addition to Dawn Princess, Sapphire Princess has homeported at MBCCS, as has Japanese-themed Diamond Princess, which was one of two ships to call at MBCCS for the terminal's official opening ceremony five years ago.
“For our upcoming season, Sapphire Princess will return to homeport in Singapore,” said Farriek Tawfik, director of Southeast Asia at Princess Cruises. “The newest, largest and most luxurious ship in our fleet, Majestic Princess, will also be making her maiden call to Singapore on 18 June and we are looking forward to welcoming her to MBCCS. The deployment of Princess cruise ships to Singapore is a testament to MBCCS' innovative design and excellent berthing facilities that can accommodate large ships, and it is becoming an integral part of cruising within the region.”
Guests at the anniversary celebrations were also able to participate in family-friendly activities, such as balloon sculpting and face painting, and listen to music from a live DJ who gave away MBCCS merchandise.
Since opening five years ago, MBCCS has welcomed more than two million passengers and 500 cruise calls. In the last financial year, which ended on 31 March 2017, MBCCS handled a total of 147 ship calls, a 33.6% year-on-year increase.
The terminal has also helped Singapore to become an attractive homeport, doubling the country’s cruise berth capacity by being able to accommodate the world’s largest cruise ships. This November, for example, Asia-based operator Dream Cruises will base Genting Dream at the port year-round. This is expected to attract around 200,000 international cruise passengers and generate around S$80 million in tourism receipts.
“Singapore’s cruise tourism achieved 16% year-on-year growth in terms of passenger throughout in 2016, and we are proud to be part of its growth story,” said Lionel Wong, CEO of SATS-Creuers. “We look forward to forging closer partnerships with existing cruise lines, and welcome other new cruise lines at MBCCS in the future. We will continue to play an active role in anchoring Singapore’s position as the premier homeport in the region.”