NEW COMPANY 'NOTHING TO DO' WITH GENTING HONG KONG
Although the new company has taken over the Genting Dream vessel, it maintains that Resorts World Cruises is separate from Genting Hong Kong.
It is also currently in negotiations with banks and interested parties to obtain two other ships formerly operated by Dream Cruises - Explorer Dream and World Dream.
“The provisional liquidator could not revive the (Dream Cruises) brand and so, we worked with the Chinese lessors who are the owners of the ship and decided to restart the cruise under the Resorts World brand,” said Resorts World Cruises’ CEO and executive director Colin Au, who was formerly deputy CEO of Genting Hong Kong.
“This new brand has got nothing to do with Genting Hong Kong, it’s a new cruise brand,” he added.
Mr Lim and Mr Au both resigned as CEO and deputy CEO of Genting Hong Kong respectively in January this year, after the cruise operator filed to wind up the business.
Trading of Genting Hong Kong’s shares has been suspended since Jan 18, and will remain so until further notice.
In May 2021, Genting Hong Kong, which is part of Malaysia's Genting Group, reported a net loss of US$1.7 billion in 2020, amid travel restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Genting Hong Kong is under provisional liquidation, and (Mr Lim) is not joining any of the companies under provisional liquidation. This is a new cruise liner that is being set up,” Mr Au reiterated when asked about Mr Lim’s role in the new company.
Mr Lim, who is the executive chairman of Resorts World Cruises, holds shares in the new company, said Mr Au.
“There are many parties who would like to join the company and there are negotiations with them, and so this will be a work in progress in the next couple of weeks,” said Mr Au, adding that this should be finalised “in the next few weeks”.
LAUNCH OF NEW CRUISE IS IN “EVERYBODY’S OBJECTIVE”
When asked about the timing of the launch of the new ship, which will come about six months after Genting Hong Kong filed to wind up its business, Mr Au said it was in “everybody's objective to go back to normal ... as fast as possible" to protect jobs and to help the economy grow.
In response to CNA's queries, a company spokesperson said it has re-employed about 1,700 of its former employees based in Singapore. This comprises 1,600 former crew members from Genting Dream and about 70 former employees from its Singapore office.
In March, The Straits Times reported that at least 60 employees from Genting Hong Kong's Singapore office had been laid off, with no retrenchment benefits.
When asked about the remuneration packages for re-employed staff members, Mr Goh said this would be "based on experience" and did not disclose further details.
Mr Au said the launch of the new cruise will also help to give the Singapore Cruise Centre more revenue.
Noting the strong market appetite for cruises in the region, including Thailand, Malaysia and India, Mr Goh expressed confidence that Resorts World Cruises will be able to meet demand.
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