Blog Post

Cruising Halal

Thameenah Abrahams • Dec 31, 2020

The Rise of The Halal Cruise Liner

Muslims make up one of the fastest-growing segments of the global travel industry. In response, hotels, tour operators, and even cruise liners are striving to meet their dietary and religious needs.

The Halal tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global travel industry. For it to be deemed 'halal,' there should be no trace of pork on the hotel menus, no alcohol on the drink carts, and hotels and resorts should have separate swimming and recreational facilities for women and men. Additionally, travel itineraries should have built-in time slots for the five daily calls to prayer.

According to a report by Mastercard and Crescent Rating (a research group that tracks halal-friendly travel) projects that over the next decade, that sector's contribution to the global economy will jump to $300 billion from $180 billion. With a population that is young, educated, and upwardly mobile, they are one of the fastest-growing demographics on the global tourism scene.

You may experience a thrilling trip abroad, but the daily search for halal-certified food can dampen the fun of the itinerary. For the halal-conscious consumer, the number one factor is quality halal food. After that, the second priority is finding prayer facilities. Mikhael Goh, the founder of Have Halal Will Travel, states: "...there are Yelp and TripAdvisor and so many popular apps and services to tell you where to eat and where to travel, why on earth is there so little information for Muslims? Not just about food — yes, halal food is the basis of a lot of things, but also about safety and prayer. There was a general lack of information out there, and the information that did exist was so fragmented."

Only recently, the gap in the niche market of halal tourism is finally being filled. In 2018, Dream Cruise served a portion of that gap by becoming the only cruise ship in Asia to offer Halal-certified cuisine with Genting Dream. Finding halal food on travel – let alone on a cruise liner – can feel like a rarity. With the abundance of alcohol that surrounds the dining quarters, to pork and exotic meats that can make it challenging to distinguish between what is halal and what isn't, the emergence of the halal travel sector is a necessity for the halal-conscious traveler.

Under the regulations of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Lido, one of Genting Dream's most popular onboard restaurants, offers a dedicated Halal buffet section for the halal-conscious traveler. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner while providing an indoor and outdoor dining experience with a breath-taking view of the open seas.

Additionally, the chefs on board have crafted a series of Halal inspired-dishes, including many popular favorite Asian and international delicacies, offering a wide spread of buffet choices to please the palate. These include popular local favorites such as 'Ayam Madu' (Honey chicken), 'Pari Asam Pedas' (Sour & Spicy Stingray), 'Opor Ayam' (Javanese chicken in coconut milk), 'Tandoori Kambing' (Mutton tandoori), 'Gulai Daging Kawah' (traditional Kelantanese beef), 'Tempe Goreng Pedas' (Spicy fried soya bean cake) and more. Travelers can look forward to a cruise vacation with Dream Cruises sailing from Singapore to exciting destinations across the ASEAN region and be assured of a variety of halal-friendly cuisine options on board Genting Dream. "As an Asian homegrown brand, it gives us great pleasure to launch Dream Cruises' first Halal-certified cuisine offerings onboard Genting Dream to meet the growing demand. Our award-winning Dream Cruises chefs have created a wide array of Halal cuisines for our guests, which are available at the dedicated Halal buffet section at The Lido. Our Halaal certification will also support our meetings and incentive business partners who have requested this important offering," said Mr. Thatcher Brown, President of Dream Cruises.

With Genting Dream's year-round homeport deployment in Singapore, Muslim guests will now have the convenience and assurance of certified Halal cuisine options during a series of enticing 2-Night, 3-Night and 5 Night cruise itineraries visiting Penang, Phuket, Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Surabaya, North Bali and MacLeod Island. Genting Dream also offers a wide array of suites, including interconnecting rooms suitable for families, as well as The Palace accommodations – "a-ship-within-a-ship" enclave, as well as private facilities for the halal-conscious traveler such as swimming pools, spa, gym, and dining venues.

Going the extra mile, Dream Cruises will be providing Ramadan-based services during the Holy month. For suhoor (the morning meal), meals will be delivered to rooms, and iftar (evening meal with which Muslims end their fast at sunset) will be prepared for those who are fasting in the form of a buffet. Tarawih (nightly ritual prayer) services will also be held at night, allowing Muslim guests to comfortably carry out their religious obligations.

Additionally, Dream Cruises has taken special considerations to curate women-friendly services, such as women-only healthcare services and female therapists for spa treatments. The ship also has reserved timings for swimming pools and sports centers to be women-only, for Muslim women to enjoy the full cruise experience with peace of mind.

While Halal tourism caters towards the needs of the halal-conscious traveler by making it easier for them to find food, prayer facilities, and alcohol-free activities, they also support those travelers to branch out of their comfort zones and feel empowered to explore the world knowing that their basic needs are being met. From private swimming facilities where women can bathe without men to disturb them and more than this, Dream Cruises offer the halal-conscious traveler the chance to experience something completely different from the norm.New Paragraph