Cruise Travel

More than 14 million people a year pass through the Singapore Cruise Centre's passenger terminals on their way to and from equatorial adventures throughout Asia. Many of the international lines, including Crystal Cruises of Los Angeles, Cunardine of New York, Holland America Line of Seattle, and Seabourn Cruise Line of San Francisco, have a Singapore stopover as part of their multi-week cruise itineraries.

Star Cruises, Singapore's most popular cruise company, covers the immediate region, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam in particular, as well as longer-distance (usually fly-cruise) to Hong Kong, China, and Japan. The larger ships are fully equipped with karaoke, swimming pools, gyms, libraries, cinemas, discos, and restaurants (as well as casino facilities). In the simplest package, the overnight "Cruise to Nowhere," the ship heads into the open sea and starts up its gambling tables and duty-free bars, which close as soon as it reenters Singapore's waters. Depending on how far you go, for how long and in what class, you're looking at costs ranging between S$450 and S$1,400 per person, or even up to S$2,510, but this does include great comfort and an abundance of food. To get the best deal on a cruise, consult a cruise-only travel agency or look for special deals in Straits Times' classified section.