ALL
ABOARD!
A high-seas holiday sure has its advantages.
Sneha Mahale sets sail from Shanghai
to experience the luxury cruise lifeT
o seasoned travellers, going on
a cruise often feels like a loll in
sheer luxury. Over the years,
I’ve dragged suitcases up long
stairways to European train
platforms, packed and unpacked several times
a week on multi-city tours, woken up at unearthly
hours to catch a flight to the next destination, and
wasted countless hours fretting about where to
grab a bite. All because I was entirely sure I didn’t
want to board a gigantic floating condominium.
Movies like Titanic and Poseidon didn’t help
matters, and the fact that I can’t swim meant
a constant worry about being trapped in a hotel
that rocked in choppy seas.
But a previously jinxed trip had made the idea
of touring China seem improbable. So when the
opportunity to attend a cruise ship’s inauguration
in Shanghai presented itself, I jumped.SET SAIL
Aboard Genting Cruise Lines’ Explorer Dream,
I unpacked. Once. It is undoubtedly the first great
thing of cruise travel. You can put your socks in
the drawer, hang your clothes in the cupboard,
stove your suitcase away and take your room
along on your journey. My ocean view room,
one of 928 cabins aboard a ship with a lower
berth capacity of 1,856 passengers, had a small
bathroom, a desk, and a bed. It also had a balcony
with two lounge chairs and a view of blue to call
my own.
The Explorer Dream offers a variety of
itineraries and flexibility. Sailings from the
Shanghai homeport take guests on cruises to
popular destinations in Japan, such as three-night
cruises to Kyoto, Osaka, or Kobe, or a two-night
round-trip cruise to Okinawa.
For those looking to live the good life, The
Palace is highly recommended. It’s the signature,
luxury “ship within a ship” enclave of Dream
Cruises. The average suite size here is over
42 sq m. Guests can enjoy authentic local
delicacies, get set meal entitlements at specialty
restaurants, and have priority access to the larger
ship’s extensive offerings. There’s even a 24-hour
butler concierge service!Clockwise from top: A model showcases the Voyage
collection at sea; the Parthenon Pool on the top deck;
the Explorer Dream sets sailLIVING travel