April 11, 2008
Singapore Cruise Centre aims for 'airport feel' in $7m makeover
By Lim Wei Chean
AN INDOOR garden, duty-free shops and a first-class lounge will be added to the Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) when it undergoes yet another multimillion-dollar renovation in July.
A budget of $7 million has been put aside for the third facelift for the terminal in its 17 years of operation.
Mr Cheong Teow Cheng, the SCC's president, outlined his plans for this year on the sidelines of a cocktail party hosted onboard the cruise ship SuperStar Aquarius yesterday evening.
The event was held to celebrate three awards won by the SCC last month.
Trade magazine Dream World Cruise Destinations said the company had the most efficient port services, best turnaround operations and most efficient terminal operations. The United Kingdom-based periodical polled managers and executives of international cruise lines.
Despite the laurels, many cruise operators and passengers have complained about overcrowding at the terminal.
Mr Cheong said finding space is a serious challenge for the centre, which received 943,000 cruise passengers last year.
To address these complaints, the SCC will reconfigure the terminal to give more space to passengers and increase amenities.
For example, the entire second floor will be converted into a restricted departure lounge for cruise passengers. It will host a mix of duty-free shops and lounges for passengers who spend thousands of dollars on round-the-world trips.
The first floor will be dedicated to check-in and arrival, much like the way an airport operates.
The sales counter for ferry tickets to Batam and the Riau islands will have to go, Mr Cheong added.
He said: 'The whole feel and experience will be similar to that of an airport.'
A team of consultants from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore was hired to give advice on the latest makeover.
Plans for the renovation have been tabled to the company's board of directors. Mr Cheong said he expects them to be approved by the end of the month.
A second cruise terminal in Marina South, with two berths capable of accommodating the largest top-end liners, is also in the works and slated for completion in 2010.
Tenders for the terminal's engineering work and architectural design closed last month. Construction is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year.
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