Genting Dream, Star Voyager guests departing from Singapore will have fuel charge waived

SINGAPORE — Those setting sail from Singapore on board the Genting Dream, Star Navigator or Star Voyager cruises will no longer have to pay a fuel surcharge for trips departing from June 26 onwards.

Cruise operator StarDream Cruises said in a statement on June 23 that guests sailing from Singapore and Malaysia will enjoy a full waiver of the fuel surcharge, which was introduced earlier in March.

The fuel surcharge will be halved for guests sailing from Taiwan and Hong Kong, it added.

The updated fuel surcharge waiver and reduction apply to passengers of cruises departing from June 26 onwards.

In March, StarCruises and Dream Cruises rolled out a fuel surcharge of $15 a person for each night for some sailings as a result of rising fuel costs amid the Middle East conflict.

The surcharge applied to Genting Dream sailings from Singapore and neighbouring home ports and to Star Voyager sailings from Singapore and Port Klang, Malaysia. 

It was applicable to new bookings made on or after March 20 for guests aged two and above.

A HK$200 (S$30) surcharge was also applied to Star Voyager sailings from Hong Kong, while passengers of the Star Navigator leaving from Keelung in Taiwan had to pay a surcharge of NT600 (S$25).

StarDream Cruises, which operates StarCruises and Dream Cruises, said that the fuel surcharge relief takes into account the operating requirements of different deployments in the region and reflects the gradual improvement in fuel market conditions.

StarDream Cruises president Michael Goh said: “As fuel prices have continued to stabilise, we are pleased to reduce and, where possible, fully waive the fuel surcharge across our deployments.

“We have always taken a transparent approach to fuel surcharges, introducing them only when necessary and reviewing them regularly. As operating conditions improve, we believe it is important to pass these benefits on to our guests.”

The cruise operator added that it will continue to monitor global fuel price movements and review its surcharge arrangements where appropriate.

In March, several ferry operators announced that they would impose a fuel surcharge of $6 for one-way trips departing from Singapore.

The surcharge is about $11 for a two-way trip between Singapore and Batam, Indonesia, and $12 for a return trip between Singapore and Bintan, Indonesia.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.