Singapore re-starts cruise industry with trips to nowhere

I'm not ready; and lots of other travellers are not ready following the Dutton/Hawke debacle over the Ruby Princess. But in Singapore they say they are ready. 

Singapore has just approved the restart of cruise operations. 

Two cruise lines have been given permission to operate 'cruises to nowhere' from Singapore starting in November, Travel Mole reports. 

Dream Cruises' World Dream (above) will begin sailing on November 6, while Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas will start operations in December. 

The cruises to nowhere are round-trip sailings that do not call at any other ports, which rather defeats the purpose of cruising as far as I am concerned. 

The cruises were approved after the lines agreed to a "rigorous" set of safety standards. These include tests for all passengers prior to embarkation as part of Singapore Tourism Board's CruiseSafe program.

The STB said the cruises are currently only for Singapore residents with a reduced capacity of 50%.

Strict cleaning and sanitation protocols will be carried out and safe social distancing will be managed. 

I'm still not convinced. And it will only take one more Covid-19 outbreak on one of these ships for the cruise industry to be thrown into further chaos.