What
Taking a cruise holiday is one of the most fuss-free ways of vacationing, as one has the benefit of an entire integrated resort moving along together from one destination to the next. A cruise guest has all the dining and recreation they could ever want conveniently located at his doorstep, and can elevate the experience with various packages.
Cruising as a guest of The Palace, however, takes fuss-free holidays to a whole different level. There is no need to consider what adds-on are necessary because the Palace guest gets them all, from free high-speed Wi-Fi for up to two devices and priority show arrangements, to complimentary dining at any of Genting Dream’s six specialty restaurants as well as free-flow tea, coffee and juices all day, every day within the luxurious and exclusive cocoon that is The Palace enclave.
In keeping its promise of luxurious hospitality, The Palace speeds guests through check-in at the cruise terminal. A staff will handle the procedure while guests take a short rest in a lounge where coffee and tea are served.
Once on board, a butler is assigned to guests booked into every suite, and mine was Anya. She whisked me and my family off to the Palace Restaurant to make the most of the remaining hour of lunch service, while she brought our bags to our suite.
Later, she joined us to find out what we hoped to do over our two-night cruise, and recommended various restaurants, activities and shows that were suitable for us. As I was travelling with my little boys, Anya marked out a variety of attractions that will charm the young ones and proceeded to book and plan our itinerary on our behalf.
A handwritten programme, which packed in front-row seats at Yin.Yang theatre show (stunning, with a nice surprise at the end), art & craft workshops at the lobby deck (so fun), meals at specialty restaurants we were keen on (all delicious), and family karaoke (in a private room so nobody discovered how tone-deaf we were), was deposited in our room when we got back from lunch.
For our remaining time onboard, Anya was always present to say hello, find out how we were doing, and to escort us to our next programme. Should we need help, Anya was just a phone call away, no matter the time of day.
Facilities
The Palace is truly an exclusive space that requires the right key card for access. Occupying the forward section of Genting Dream, The Palace offers a dedicated elevator to bring guests through decks 13 to 18 where all the private facilities and Palace accommodation are.
Palace guests have their own pool, Jacuzzis, sun deck and poolside café on deck 18. This is a wide open space dressed in rattan, white and beige and with lounge and pop music playing overhead. The vibe here is laid back and elegant, and lies in contrast to the boisterous party scene over at the public pool and sun deck.
Also exclusive to Palace guests is the Palace Restaurant on deck 17 where main meals, afternoon tea and supper are served every day of sailing; Genting Club on deck 16; the Palace Spa, gym and fitness studio on deck 18; and complimentary fitness classes led by a professional trainer at Crystal Life Fitness on deck 15.
With limited access, these facilities were often serene and partially occupied throughout our cruise. In fact, we had the pool, gym and fitness studio all to ourselves most of the time.
The only crowd I came across within The Palace confines was in the afternoon at the Palace Restaurant, when it was time for Afternoon Tea – a complimentary F&B treat that is very popular with The Palace regulars, according to Anya.
Room
We had the Palace Suite – the lead in room category for The Palace.
The spacious unit comes with a queen bed with quality linen, sofa bed that sleeps two, walk-in wardrobe, pantry with premium coffee-making facilities and a minibar stocked with complimentary drinks and snacks the first round, roomy bathroom with his-and-her basins, bath and shower, and balcony with a pair of sun loungers.
The young ones were particularly impressed with the selection of animated movies on TV.
Verdict
As the default trip planner of the family, I was unused to leaving someone else to organise our programme on board. However, The Palace’s 24-hour butler service is a luxurious entitlement I could get used to. I love having the Wi-Fi, specialty dining and beverage add-ons as a default, which saved me from having to purchase them piece-meal. I love even more the serenity and privacy offered by The Palace’s exclusive facilities. I would gladly return to The Palace for a rejuvenating me-time getaway.
Paul Wilson has been made executive vice president.
Brands he has worked for include IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott, Mayfair, Mutiara, Resorts World, Tradewinds and more.
He then joined the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel in Saudi Arabia as director of F&B in 2012 and subsequently moved to the flagship properties at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park in Australia and W Bangkok in Thailand.
Dwi’s experience spans almost two decades in numerous luxury hotel brands, such as The Andaman, Banyan Tree, InterContinental and Alila, in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and UAE.
He possesses extensive experience in sales and marketing, operations and guest technology engagement solutions across hospitality brands like Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Stamford Hotels and Resorts.
Malaysia Airlines’ Platinum Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is back in business to support the flag carrier’s ramped up international services.
The reopening of the airline’s flagship Platinum Lounge also marks the full restoration of its lounges at KLIA, including its domestic, regional and Satellite Golden Lounges, following two years of pandemic-associated restrictions.
Passengers and frequent flyer members travelling via Business Suite, Enrich Platinum, Enrich CIMB World Elite, First Class on codeshare flights operated by Malaysia Airlines, oneworld First Class, and oneworld Emerald can enjoy end-to-end premium services offered by the airline, including access to the Platinum Lounge.
The Platinum Lounge offers guests exclusive fine dining experiences and spacious facilities to refuel before their flight.
The 24-hour lounge is equipped with private shower suites, nap rooms and serene seating areas.