I decided to write this post about our 3D2N weekend cruise on Genting Dream because I was unable to find good and updated details about the cruise before we boarded the ship. I hope this post will help those who are planning or have already booked a cruise with Genting Dream.
There were mixed reviews and information online, and based on our own experiences, many of them were inaccurate—likely due to the rebranding of Genting Dream (details here).
This led to a lot of uncertainty and confusion before our embarkation date, and we wished we had better and more accurate information so we could be better prepared for our cruise.
So here it is: accurate information based on our personal experiences during our 3D2N cruise from 10th to 12th October 2025!
Arrival and Check-in
There was a designated check-in time period indicated on your ticket. We followed our allotted time (4pm), and the entire process—from check-in to boarding to entering our cabin (we booked a Balcony Deluxe Room)—was very smooth, taking less than 30 minutes.
We had paid for an advanced season parking reservation at S$68 for three days through this website. The process was simple: just register an account with your vehicle details, select your cruise, and pay online. This convenience was definitely worth it for us, as we had to drop off our pet dog at a dog boarding facility (nearby) before coming to the cruise center and fetch her immediately after we finished cruising. It saved us a lot of hassle, as we did not need to book additional taxi rides for our trips to and from the port—which would have cost us more than the season parking!
Upon arrival at the Marina Bay Cruise Center, an usher directed us to drive up to Level 3, where the sheltered season parking lots are. We parked the car, took the lift down to the 2nd floor, and walked across the zebra crossing to reach the Departure Hall.
Upon entering the Departure Hall, we were given a piece of paper each to indicate our Boarding Group. This system helps to prevent overcrowding during boarding and it was very orderly. We joined the queue, and since there were few people at that time, we quickly reached the front and presented our e-tickets. Please have your e-ticket ready or print out a copy for checking purpose before entering the Departure Hall to avoid any delay.
After our tickets were checked, we went through a metal detector while our luggage and personal items, such as mobile devices, went through the X-ray machine.
While one person went to the boarding counters to finalise our boarding details, the rest of the family members will wait with their luggage at a designated seating area with the number given. This took a while but the process was still smooth.
At the boarding counter, our cruise cabin cards were issued to us. The cruise cabin cards were red and showed our room number, indicating that we belonged to the Balcony Class.
On Genting Dream, most rooms were Balcony Class, so we were ‘regular’ passengers. Contrary to what was publicised by the cruise company, we did not notice any special priority for check-in or entering the Zodiac Theatre for shows. The “Palace Class” passengers were the VIPs with more privileges, but their fares were significantly higher (abt 1K difference).
We should have prepared our own lanyards, as one will need to carry the cabin card at all times for the activities. You can pay extra to purchase a Resorts World Genting lanyard on the spot but we were not interested. The Cruise card is required for entering into restaurants, participating in certain activities and making purchases.
We then took our luggage and went down an escalator to reach the departure counters. There were plenty of counters to do our iris scan-in. We might need to use our passports if the machine does not work, thus, do keep passports with you at all times until you exited the auto departure counters smoothly.
Boarding the Cruise Ship and Getting Cruise Cards
Upon entering the Genting Dream cruise ship, I passed the staff our passports who checked it and returned them to us.
The check-in process was much smoother than we had expected or read about online, which was a pleasant surprise and there were plenty of usherers telling people where to go, making sure nobody is blocking anyone and making the tourists move smoothly. Kudos to them.
Once onboard, we saw the QR code for The Concierge website link.
The Concierge App
There is no app for the cruise that needs to be installed before boarding. After boarding, you would find QR codes around the ship that will direct you to their website, which contain all the necessary information regarding your cruise.
Note that to access the website, we must first connect to the free ‘Dream Cruises Wifi’ once we were onboard. We had to disable the mobile network on our phone, as it may interfere with connectivity to the website.
Through the website, you can find information about restaurants and activities for your cruise.
Wifi Package During the Cruise
While docked at Marina Bay Cruise Center, you can use your mobile data to connect to Singapore’s network providers. However, once the ship departs, you will lose the ability to use your mobile network.
You can still connect to the cruise’s free Wifi, but it only allows access to the Concierge website and a few essential sites, such as the SG Arrival Portal.
This is a good opportunity to disconnect and enjoy a disturbance-free journey, but we still wanted a way to communicate with each other. In that case, one will need to purchase one of the Wifi packages offered by the cruise, which provides unlimited bandwidth for the duration of your cruise.
There are two main factors to consider when purchasing your Wifi package:
- Speed of Access: There are Standard and Premium options. Although the Concierge website suggests the Standard package is only suitable for checking emails and simple communication, we found it worked well for us (it’s probably slower than 5G but still very acceptable). Occasionally, the signal is weaker in crowded areas, like inside the Zodiac Theatre. We did not try streaming videos, but the Premium package would likely be better for high-quality streaming.
- Number of Concurrent Devices: Up to four devices can be connected at the same time, depending on your chosen package. This makes sense since the Wifi package is tied to your cabin, and the maximum occupancy per room is four people.
To purchase a package, click on the ‘Wifi’ icon on the Concierge website or type ‘wifi.com’ into your browser. Log in using your cabin room number and the main traveller’s birthdate. After choosing your package, the charges will be billed to your cabin card. After that, you should not need to log in again on the same device.
Note: We purchased our Standard Package for up to 4 devices at S$82.
Cruise Accommodation – Balcony Deluxe Room
[Written by Cat] The balcony deluxe room was big enough for four of us. When we first entered the room, there was just a sofa bed and a queen bed. Puzzled, we looked for the mattress cover for the sofa bed and a blanket but could not find it anywhere.
The second time we came back to the room after exploration, we were surprised to discover a bunk bed above the sofa bed. It had been hidden and was now “pulled down” from the ceiling! The staff had placed a mattress cover and quilt on the unfolded sofa bed. The bedding was super comfy and we had a good night’s sleep. We were unable to adjust temperature for the air-conditioning however and it was not very cool.
My 9-year-old immediately declared she wanted the top bunk bed and climbed up the metal ladder. Indeed, it was more suitable for her (130cm) as the height of the top bunk bed was closer to the ceiling. For my boy who is of adult height, he might knocked into his head while moving across the bed. We also ended up knocking into the bunk bed when we got up from the sofa sometimes.
However, there was only a narrow path between the sofa bed and the dresser cabinet to walk and we needed to open our luggage. Thus, we folded up the sofa bed again and opened the luggage to take our stuff. Usually, we would not take our stuff out of the luggage but because there was no space, we had to place our essentials like clothing into the shelves in the wardrobe so we could avoid opening the luggage for the next two days. They had a tall cabinet full of shelves for this purpose which I was glad they thought of it. (In other hotels, usually the wardrobe is mainly for hanging and had a lack of shelves)
Bathroom and Balcony
I was surprised that the bathroom was huge (for cruise standards) and had two sinks for family use. Toothbrush and toothpaste were available. The shampoo and shower gel was a combined one so I regretted not bringing my own shampoo to use. I usually bring my own for overseas trip but this was just a short trip so I thought they would provide proper shampoo. The best part was the balcony area which was bigger than other balcony class and extended out on Level 8. There was two deck chairs and it was very breezy to dry our swim suits for next use. We enjoyed looking out into the open sea and spotted some stars at night.
Redeem Cruise Welcome Drinks and Cabin Credits
Our room came with welcome drinks for everyone and S$120 worth of cabin credits.
You should be able to redeem your welcome drinks at most of the beverage stations and restaurants, and the options include soft drinks, juices, wine and beer. Anyway, bubble tea was also available near the reception area on Deck 6 (S$8 per cup) so if you are craving for bubble tea, that place could be for you! Note that the bubble tea is not covered under the welcome drink benefit though. We bought once to try.
We were told that the cabin credits could only be used on Food & Beverages, and during our dinner on the the first night, one of the staff approached us and tried to convince us to use the credits on a limited-edition lobster dish at S$98! We were not fans of lobsters so we turned down the offer.
Later on, after we purchased our Wifi package from the Concierge website, we found out that the fee for the Wifi package was automatically deducted from our cabin credits too! We were glad that we did not splurge on the lobster, else we would have to pay for the Wifi package separately then.
Foodie Paradise: Where to Eat
There are five inclusive restaurants (one of which is not listed on the website) included with your cruise booking, so you do not need to pay extra to dine at these places.
However, a nominal fee will be charged if you dine at more than one restaurant during the same mealtime (e.g., if you’ve already had lunch at The Lido and want to eat at Function 8 as well). This policy helps prevent diners from taking extra seats or creating longer queues.
The inclusive restaurants were:
1. The Lido (Deck 16 AFT):
The largest restaurant onboard, offering International, Halal, and Indian buffets. The queue is usually the longest, so try to avoid peak hours, such as going early in the morning. The queues generally moved smoothly for us though.
2. Function 8 (Deck 5 FWD):
We visited this restaurant the most while on cruise, thanks to its wide selection of western buffet, fresh cut section, soups, desserts, and fruits. There was also a Children’s Corner serving burgers, hot dog buns, and fried finger food—our daughter loved this! The western food selection was great too, with options like chicken, fish, mussels, pasta, vegetables, and rice. The queue here is usually shorter, as it was farther from the other restaurants.
3. Dream Dining Room Lower (Deck 7 AFT):
We dined here once and enjoyed a Chinese lunch set, including tea and dessert. Once seated, you have to wait for the waiters to bring your meal. The waiters served portions (like rice and cutlery) for those physically at the table, so if someone was in the restroom, please ask for their portions. The food was pleasant, and the waiting time was short. They also serve Dim Sum breakfast, which we gave it up for the international breakfast at the Lido as my child is more keen on a Western breakfast.
4. Dream Dining Room Upper (Deck 8 AFT):
We did not get a chance to dine here, as the queue was too long when we tried to have lunch on the second day.
5. The Oasis (Deck 15, near the Spa area):
The only inclusive restaurant not listed on the cruise’s website—we discovered it while browsing menus onboard. It serves a western buffet, and the food selection looked good. However, seating is limited, and we could not get a seat due to the long waiting list.
There are also several specialty restaurants where you can dine at your own expense, including Japanese, Chinese, Hot Pot, and others.
Dive In: Pools, Hot Tubs & Water Slides
One of the main reasons we chose this cruise was for the swimming! Our family loves spending time together in the pool, and it was a great experience to swim under the vast sky while surrounded by the ocean. Our girl had been taking swim classes since March and this time, she could finally swim by herself in the pool without any flotation device and needing us to constantly supervise her.
The main swimming pool on Deck 16 was relatively small (probably a quarter the size of a public pool), with a depth of 1.3m. It was comfortable for swimming, as long as it was not too crowded at the timings we had chosen.
Note: No goggles or loose items are allowed on any slide (including adult slides), so hand them to your companions before queuing. We had to take turns to look after our hand phones which were encased in handphone waterproof bags while the other parent follow our girl around. We needed the phone to take pictures/communicate and did not want them to be lying around in our bags which was placed in the open on the deck.
Cruise Slides
There was a gentle green slide for children and another five slides for older kids and adults—three on one side (yellow, red, and blue) and two on the other (possibly purple and orange). The last two looked very steep, so we were not keen to try them.
The yellow and red slides were tunnel slides with a transparent section, giving you a quick view of the ocean as you slide down. We really enjoyed the final splash at the end! The blue slide features a circular section near the exit, where you swirl around before coming out. However, we kept getting stuck and need to move ourselves near to the hole to continue sliding.
There was also a children’s play area with several water slides. We could go down two by two on the family slide and enjoy a splash!
Throughout our cruise, we hardly saw anyone else using the slides, so there was never a queue. Maybe it was the timing we chose to go swimming.
Choose this timing to avoid crowds:
First Day Evening (5pm-7pm): On embarking the cruise ship at 4pm plus, go for a swim around 5pm instead of dinner. We saw a long queue for dinner at Lido restaurant and not many people were swimming. After swimming, then we headed for dinner around 7pm. It was a perfect timing as after our dinner, we went for the show at 9pm.
Second Day Evening (5-7pm): Crowds of people will be swimming on this day (from morning until late afternoon) as we saw many children and adults lazing on the deck beds. We went there again during evening time where crowds of people started to go off for dinner.
Third Day (Disembarking Day) Morning (10-11.30am): There were even less people today who wanted to swim as they might have their fill of it yesterday so today, we had the entire pool again in the morning almost to ourselves with a few kids. We only had to check-out at 2 pm so there was plenty of time to shower, pack our luggage and head for lunch at 12 plus pm.
Hot Tubs (Our Favourite Thing To do)
Surrounding the pool were four hot tubs. Each could accommodate up to five people at a time (the staff ensures this capacity was not exceeded). Two tubs were shaded, and the other two were not. It turned out to be our family favourite as we all sat in it and relaxed with the warm water. Powerful jets spurting at our back did a good massage. This was especially handy when the winds picked up and we felt cold while swimming. Thus, we kept alternating between hot tubs, swimming and slides.
More Free Fun: Decks 17 & 18 – Obstacle Course / Ball Activities / Movie / Bridge Viewing Room
There were other amenities on Decks 17 and 18, close to the swimming pool area.
High Rope Obstacle Course
This included a rope obstacle course, where one walks through various obstacles at a height while safely strapped into a harness. Our 17-year-old went on it and right at the start, he was taught how to use the rope harness. It was not easy for him to coordinate using the rope harness and moving but he managed in the end. We went up a deck and observed him moving at the sides.
Tip: We need to wear sports shoes for this activity and before the trip, there was a miscommunication so Dar only wore closed sandals and did not bring any sports shoes with him. Fortunately, we improvised for him to wear my shoes with some socks stuffed into the front to make it tighter. Unfortunately, that means I could not do this activity right after him and the counter closed just when I wanted to try it after he had finished. Do take note of the timings in the morning and afternoon to do this activity.
Near the end of the rope obstacle course, there was a rock climbing wall which was the most difficult. A woman took a while to go through this as it required some hand strength to grip and co-ordination with legs and harness, blocking the rest from moving forward. [Cat says: “Seeing that, I was not confident to try this at all as I had never done rock climbing before. Taller people can move better through this ]. Fortunately, Dar managed it but also mentioned that this was the most difficult portion. The journey ended with him sailing across on the zipline above the ocean. Every person who did this went “woo-hoo!”
Below this was a children’s version of the obstacle course at a lower height which my younger girl tried for a while but quickly grew bored.
Other Family Activities
There was also a dedicated rock climbing wall although we did not see anyone using it. In the same area were table tennis tables—just pick up bats and balls at the side and start playing. We had a blast with it on our first night as it was the first time we played this sport with each other. There were lots of laughter as we tried to bat the ball but ended up picking them off the floor as they kept rolling away. Besides this, there was also a giant English chess board and a Jenga set.
A mini golf course was available, with clubs and balls freely scattered around. It was not really enjoyable as the balls were too soft and light to be hit for accurate shots.
Just beyond the golf course (accessed by a door leading to the stern of the ship) was an open movie theatre area, where movies were shown at night. There were also two hot tubs here, which were located far from the other pools. They were showing “Thor: Love and Thunder” movie.
On Deck 18, there was an outdoor multipurpose court for activities such as pickleball and basketball. There was also a gym for exercise.
While exploring the gym on Deck 15, we stumbled onto the Bridge Viewing room which was good for our kids to look at a giant model of the Cruise ship and learn about its history from the information on the walls. After that, Dar bought the display cruise model from the souvenir shop (original cost SGD$75). There was a 10 percent discount due to balcony class.
Expensive at $60+ but quite detailed. Dar loves collecting models of transport he had been on – airplanes, ships, trains etc
Paid Cruise Activities
There was an indoor bowling alley nearby with four lanes. Each game costs $10, and shoe rental is free. The lanes are well maintained, and we enjoyed playing a few games.
There were also a series of paid activities for both children and adults. We participated in a food preparation activity for Ling, which cost S$25 and included sushi and pizza making, as well as cake decoration. She had to dress up like a small chef and she loves decorating her cake with the whipped cream pipe provided. We missed the sushi making as we were stuck at lunch but was still given a box of sushi to eat. She wanted to make a “cat face” with the ham (Can you see it?) but it turned out combined.
Dar participated in the Bridge Tour at SGD$20. It turned out to be a private tour with the Third Officer, as the other registered participant did not show up. He enjoyed it very much.
Our family also joined the Helipad tour (SGD$15 per person, or SGD$20 per pair). It was a nice experience to enter the ‘restricted’ area, and we had some lovely views of the sea and the front of the ship. Except for photo-taking and enjoying the sea breeze, it was quite boring actually. If you need, there was a professional photographer to help take a family photo which you could get later at a price. We just asked the staff who led us here to take a family photo for us with our phone.
Other Activities Available which we did not attend:
There were several other children art activities, such as drawing, colouring or making lanterns, which my child said was too “kiddish” for her and more suitable for under 10 years old. There were other activities like dance classes too. The Zouk Dance Club is also located there, but we did not enter, so we could not comment on it. On the second night, a ‘Survival at Sea’ event (inspired by Squid Game) was held there, but we did not attend.
Casino
Since Genting and Resorts World Sentosa are well-known for their casinos, this was definitely a selling point for Genting Dream. The casino spanned three decks (Decks 6 to 8) but we were not interested in gambling so we did not partake in any casino activities. Interestingly, there were no barricades or entrances, so children could also access the casino and see the adults playing on the jackpots machines.
There were live band performances inside the casino at set times, which really livened up the atmosphere and people sat around on the high benches arranged in a circular way enjoying their drinks. I believe free food (cup noodles) and drinks were also available to encourage patrons to spend as much time (and money) in the casino as possible.
Cruise Entertainment – Night Shows
Last but not least, the nightly shows (no additional fees required) at the Zodiac Theatre on Deck 7! These shows were a must-see for us, as it was rare to have the chance to watch performances like these as a family.
The first night’s show was titled ‘Dazzling Departure Party.’ Based on the description, we expected a typical song-and-dance show. While it did focus on singing and dancing, the quality of the performances exceeded our expectations! One charismatic performer in particular did a fantastic job engaging the audience and getting everyone involved in dancing. Without giving too much away, we had a blast dancing along! Special mention to the female singer, whose fantastic voice and energetic dancing mesmerized us. It was a great show overall!
The second night’s show was titled ‘Harmony’ and focused on acrobatic performances. It was exciting and impressive as well. The different motion graphics backdrop were impressive and enhanced the performances.
Disembarkation from Cruise
Prior to disembarkation, these were the things that need to be done first:
- SG Arrival Card – All visitors are required to complete this by the Singapore Law. There was a link from the Concierge website and you could fill up your particulars from there.
- Full Payment of Outstanding Bills – Please note that a Gratuity Fee was payable for each passenger (ours were S$66 per person), and any additional fees charged to any cabin cards in your room need to be fully paid before you could smoothly disembark from the ship. You could access the ‘QuickPay’ link from the Concierge website to make your payment.
There was a notice to leave your larger sized luggage outside your room on the last day, so that the staff could check-in them. We checked with one of the staff and he told us that this practice is not compulsory, so we chose to carry all our luggage with us throughout the disembarkation without issue. We were glad for this as there was no need to wait to collect our luggage and we could just leave.
The notice also shared the location and time to assemble for each deck and room type. However, we were told by the staff that disembarkation was processed on a first-come-first-serve basis, so we just quickly went ahead to queue at our designated area at our convenience. That ensured a smoother and earlier disembarkation for us as we started queuing 30 minutes before the stated time and was way ahead in the queue, checking out faster.
Since we had already performed all the required actions prior to the disembarkation, everything went very smoothly for us.
Final Thoughts
While we started our journey with plenty of questions, the experience turned out to be smooth, enjoyable, and full of pleasant surprises for the whole family. From seamless check-in to endless dining options, relaxing pools, and captivating entertainment, there was something for everyone onboard.
Normally, we would not have considered a cruise to nowhere as we are always flying to other countries for travel exploration but this was also an apt birthday celebration trip for my 9-year old turning 10 years old, so we were willing to splurge. She thoroughly enjoyed the entire cruise trip and wished we could stay longer. She would surely remember these family bonding moments for years to come.
If you have any questions or want more tips, feel free to reach out or leave a comment below and I would be glad to answer.
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