Zouk sets sail

Zouk sets sail

For its newest outlet, Zouk sails into new waters by opening a club on a luxury cruise ship.

Called Zouk At Sea, this new club will be housed in Genting Dream, the newest ship by Genting Hong Kong (GHK), the casino and cruise-line conglomerate which bought the home-grown nightlife institution from its founder Lincoln Cheng last year.

GHK will run Zouk At Sea on this 18-deck, 3,352-passenger liner, which cost €707.2 million (S$1 billion) to build.

Singaporeans can join a two- night cruise, starting from $561 a person, when the ship stops in Singapore on Nov 4 on its maiden voyage to its home port in Guangzhou.

Alternatively, they can join a seven-night cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong on Nov 6, with stops in Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Danang. Prices start at $1,759 a person, including one night's stay in Hong Kong and a return flight on Cathay Pacific.

And, of course, a highlight of the trip is partying on the high seas in the iconic club.

Like its Jiak Kim Street original, Zouk At Sea encompasses several nightlife concepts.

It is divided into three areas: an indoor dance club; a retro-American sports bar with billiards and a two-lane glow bowling alley; and Zouk Beach, an outdoor day and night party deck.

Zouk Beach has terraces leading to a splash pool ideal for foam parties. Music will be supplied by resident Zouk DJs and top international DJs, who will be brought on board for special events once a month.

This collaboration is the first expansion of the Zouk brand that GHK has announced since buying the club for an undisclosed sum last year. It owns Zouk and its annual beach festival ZoukOut, but Mr Cheng still owns the outlet in Kuala Lumpur.

Genting Dream is part of a new cruise line by GHK called Dream Cruises. Catering to the more lifestyle-oriented and affluent Asian traveller, it fills the gap between the company's family-oriented Star Cruises and its more internationally minded luxury line Crystal Cruise.

Facilities on board Genting Dream include 35 restaurants and lounges, such as a truffle room, champagne bar, whisky bar and cigar lounge.

There are more than 1,100 sq m of luxury shops and entertainment options such as ballroom dance performances, a Tributes Bar for comedy acts and tribute bands, and Silk Road, a 1920s Shanghai-style lounge for cabaret and burlesque acts.

The upper decks are more adventurous, with features such as a waterpark with six looping slides and a ropes course with a 35m zipline that extends out over the side of the ship.

The ship is also the only vessel in Asia to offer underwater tours in two submersibles - submarines which take four guests and one pilot on a 45-minute trip to explore life under the sea.

For accommodation, beyond the basic cabin, which starts at $430 a person for two nights, there are 142 Dream Mansion suites starting at $920 a person for two nights, with butler service and private lounge and pool areas.

Top of the line are Dream Grand Villas, 224 sq m duplex suites featuring a private sundeck, whirlpool, grand piano and daily bottle of champagne on ice. Prices start at $2,140 a person for two nights.

Once the ship reaches Guangzhou in November, it will cruise the waters of southern China and Vietnam. Its three-, six- and eight-night fly-cruise itineraries will stop at cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Danang and Hong Kong.

A sister ship, World Dream, will be launched in November next year and Zouk will also be a key feature on board.

vlydia@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on May 29, 2016.
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