A Look at the 2.8 Billion Peso Facelift of This Asian Cruise Ship

"Our crew did a fabulous job transforming this ship," Michael Goh, President of StarCruises and Dream Cruises, proudly told us over an intimate dinner at Silk Road, one of the restaurants aboard the newly refurbished Star Voyager. "If you had seen this ship three days ago, you wouldn't believe it could sail."

Esquire Philippines was part of a small group who was invited to a familiarization tour, in time for the relaunch of the legendary StarCruises and Dream Cruises, brands that are considered pioneers in the Asian and global cruising industry.

According to the press release, the company, formerly known as Resorts World Cruises, invested 50 million US dollars (roughly 2.8 billion pesos) in refitting the Star Voyager ship, demonstrating its commitment to fulfilling consumer wants and needs.

The poolside area of Star Voyager at dusk

Inside Star Voyager and Genting Dream

During our tour in March, the newly acquired 13-deck Star Voyager (formerly Star Scorpio) featured water slides, a bowling area, an adventure park with wall climbing and a zipline, a theater, an e-gaming area, a casino, a gym, a salon and spa, along with numerous restaurants, bars, and boutiques that carry international luxury brands. The public spaces are impressively posh, although many of the cabins have yet to be updated. Goh assured that these improvements will occur in the coming weeks. The ship has 972 staterooms that can accommodate 2,000 guests.

Oceanview Stateroom at Star Voyager

Palace Penthouse at Star Voyager

Star Voyager joined the fleet last March 26. She will begin her journey by exploring more of Southeast Asia until July 21, 2025, with Singapore as her primary homeport, alongside Jakarta, Melaka, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh City serving as dual homeports.

"You see, in any business, not just the cruise business, you must really understand what the consumers want. Just because [this strategy] worked last year, or five years ago, doesn't mean it'll work today. So, we need to be constantly checking in, figuring out exactly what people are looking for," he said.

Silk Road at Star Voyager

Interior of Mozzarella Ristorante & Pizzeria

Inside Bistro restaurant at Star Voyager

Genting Dream, the more upscale cruise ship under the Dream Cruises brand, features 18 decks and 1,674 staterooms that can accommodate 3,000 passengers and offers premium amenities. It will be homeported in Singapore year-round, offering itineraries to Malaysia and Thailand—perfect for travelers seeking a seamless combination of a Singapore city stay and an opulent cruise escape in the region.

A cigar and bar lounge in Genting Dream

Boutiques inside Genting Dream

The Star Navigator, also under the StarCruises brand, has been deployed to Taiwan for an exclusive eight-month operational period starting March 28. During this time, she will offer diverse itineraries connecting Taiwan’s scenic coastlines with destinations in Japan and South Korea, allowing guests to experience cherry blossoms in spring, vibrant summer seascapes, and stunning autumn foliage. 

"For Star Cruises, we want to make the trips very affordable, while Dream Cruises cater to those who prefer more luxurious experiences," explained Goh, differentiating the two brands.

A private dining area at North Star Dining Restaurant

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Tapping the Younger Market

During our experiences on both cruises, we've noticed that while there is a significant number of older travelers, younger demographics, including Millennials and Gen Z, are showing a growing interest in cruising. Which is not surprising, as tickets for these cruises already include free meals at select restaurants onboard the ship, access to various amenities, and opportunities for short but enriching excursions or city tours.

Velvet Lounge at Star Voyager has a play area for kids.

In Penang, Malaysia, we explored the Kek Lok Si Temple, admired the visually engaging Mural Street Art, savored local delicacies like refreshing cendol and hearty char kway teow in George Town, and picked up some pasalubong at Coffee Tree.

One of the striking street murals that can be found in George Town, Penang, Malaysia

The following day, during our stop in historic Melaka, we immersed ourselves in the local culture by sampling traditional foods, purchasing more pasalubong at Beryl's on Jonker Street, and capturing plenty of souvenir snaps.

Jonker Street, also known as Jalan Hang Jebat, is the vibrant heart of Chinatown in Melaka City, Malaysia.

We also made stops at Fatahilah Square, Istiqlal Mosque, and the National Monument as part of our Jakarta City Tour, and had a chance to try traditional Indonesian cuisine, including Sundanese specialties from West Java, at Ikan Bakar Cianjur.

Jonker Street in Melaka, Malaysia is a great place to do pasalubong shopping. 

The Cruise Continues

Goh told us he has been working in the cruise industry for a total of 26 years, and his family had been urging him to retire. But there were two reasons that led him to continue his journey in the cruise business. "First, if I come back, many of my colleagues can get their jobs back, whether they're part of the crew, the back office, or the front office. We have been colleagues for 26 years," he explained.

Michael Goh, President of StarCruises and Dream Cruises

He shared an encounter with some of their Filipino and Chinese crew members who thanked him "for putting rice on my plate," for helping to provide for their families' needs. "At that moment, I felt that I did the right thing. I got emotional hearing that."

The second reason was he couldn't bear seeing an Asian cruise brand disappear from the market. "Our boss, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay [Chairman and Chief Executive of Genting Group], invested money to set up a new cruise line to revive the Asian cruise industry. If nobody else invests in bringing back the Asian cruise line, the market will be dominated by American and European cruise brands. That is why I decided I must return."

The starting rate for a two-night cruise on the Genting Dream (Singapore-Melaka-Singapore) is 229 US dollars per person, based on twin sharing in an Interior Stateroom (cabin without a window). Cruise fare inclusions are cabin accommodation, meals onboard, use of specified amenities, and daily entertainment. Exclusions from the fare include roundtrip airfare, shore excursions, gratuities, and other incidentals such as transfers and visas, if needed.

The Star Voyager offers a four-night cruise (Singapore-Ho Chi Minh City-Singapore) with rates starting at 350 US dollars per person, also based on twin sharing in an Interior Stateroom.

For more information, visit www.stardreamcruises.com or email [email protected].