Dream Cruises, the first-ever Asian luxury cruise line, has named Puan Sri Cecilia Lim as the Godmother of its new ship Genting Dream.
On November 13, Genting Dream officially marked her debut in Guangzhou during a christening ceremony that culminated with the ship’s godmother helping to break the customary champagne against the bow. In addition to the traditional Godmother for the ship, the event also saw the launch of the “Dream Big” initiative and the naming of the first three Godchildren who will kick-off this new project developed by Dream Cruises to provide essential support to nurture talented children in the region.
“I am honoured to be named the Godmother for Dream Cruises’ new ship, Genting Dream,” said Puan Sri Cecilia Lim. “As a brand that strives to fulfill their guests’ dreams and inspire them with a transformational journey at sea, I can truly identify with Dream Cruises’ aspirational philosophy and motivational sprit.”
A part of the Genting Hong Kong family, Puan Sri Cecilia Lim is the director of Star Cruises Travel Service Pte Ltd, a company within the Star Cruises Group, and is the wife of Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Genting Hong Kong.
Puan Sri Cecilia Lim’s main passion lies in community work and volunteering her time with many charitable organizations. She has a particular affinity for causes relating to children, women, the elderly and minority groups. To date she is actively involved with and holds positions in several local initiatives including Deputy Chairman of the Roti 1Malaysia Charity Programme (a voluntary body which organises delivery of bread sponsored by hotels or bakeries to welfare homes in Klang Valley and the East Malaysian state of Sabah); Board of Trustee of the National Heart Institute and the JYWE Foundation (an educational trust fund) and as a volunteer at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Elderly. On the international front, Puan Sri Cecilia is a senior member of the Olave Baden Powell Society, a Girl Guide Association which endeavours to educate and nurture women in third world countries to become independent and successful individuals.
True to the spirit of Dream Cruises, during the ceremony, Puan Sri Cecilia Lim also helped to inspire a new generation of talented individuals to think big and reach for their dreams. Three gifted Genting Dream Godchildren ranging in age from 7-years-old to 12-years-old were selected as the first beneficiaries of the “Dream Big” programme, a new initiative from Dream Cruises developed to provide support to talented children to fulfil their artistic and athletic potential. As an added inspiration, the Godchildren were also introduced to leading practitioners in their respective fields to motivate them to achieve their goals.
7-year-old Zhang Chuyi is a Chinese Opera prodigy who became an instant sensation when she entered the Henan Television talent show 梨园春. Her big brother for the event was Qiu Jirong, the grandson of Qiu Shengrong, the founder of the Qiu school of Peking Opera, and who shot to fame through his performance on So You Think You Can Dance 2014.
Xiao Yanlu, an award-winning 12-year-old painter and calligrapher based in Guangzhou, was paired with contemporary Chinese artist Jacky Tsai, who created the stunning hull artwork adorning Genting Dream’s exterior, and Liang Wen Fei, an 8-year-old student of the Guangzhou Yuexiu Youth Diving Team and Team Champion Award winner in the Guangzhou Youth Diving Championships 2016, had the opportunity to meet eight-time world champion and five-time Olympic champion from China, Wu Minxia, during the event.
Chinese government officials along with executives from Genting Hong Kong and Dream Cruises joined the group onstage for the official christening and Godmother’s blessing which was performed by the placement of a giant lotus flower, symbolising the company’s close ties and commitment to Asia, and the smashing of a bottle of champagne.
Offering inspirational luxury and delivering the highest level of guest service and spacious comfort in the region, Genting Dream, the inaugural ship of Dream Cruises, will cater to the large and rapidly growing high-end market in Asia.
Genting Dream will accommodate a lower berth of 3,400 guests, attended by 2,000 crew members, forming the leading crew-to-guest ratio in Asia-based cruising. A range of comfortable accommodation options will be offered on board, with over 70 per cent of staterooms featuring private balconies and 100 connecting rooms for families and larger group vacationers. Guests can also experience the ultimate in luxury in the exclusive ‘Dream Palace’, a ‘ship-within-a-ship’ comprising of lavish suites and featuring European-style butler service and special guest privileges.
Foodies will delight in over 35 restaurant and bar concepts capturing the flavours of Asia and the world and a 610-metre wraparound promenade which will allow for dramatic sea-side dining and lounging from sunrise-to-sunset in a multitude of themed venues.
Inspirational onboard experiences will include a comprehensive and ever-changing program of opportunities for self-discovery, including guest speakers on a multitude of topics, wine and whisky appreciation, and a myriad of other educational activities and happenings to enrich guests’ time at sea.
