Dream Cruises has announced in a press release that all crew members of the Explorer Dream and office staff in the Taiwan office will be eligible to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, making Dream Cruises the first cruise company to implement such a comprehensive vaccination program in Asia.

“Since the successful service resumption of the Explorer Dream and World Dream in Taiwan and Singapore last year, both ships have enjoyed a stellar track record of zero COVID-19 cases, demonstrating the effectiveness of Genting Cruise Line’s preventive measures. With the development and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, we are confident that the cruise tourism industry will receive the much-needed boost on its road to recovery in the post-pandemic era,” said Kent Zhu, president of Dream Cruises’ parent company, Genting Cruise Lines.

“We would like to express our gratitude to the Central Epidemic Command Center of Taiwan for the efficient implementation of vaccination programs, through which we are able to accommodate the vaccination of our crew on Explorer Dream and shore staff in our Taiwan office. With the heightened protection afforded to our frontline staff, we look forward to providing our guests with greater peace of mind as they enjoy their cruise holiday with Dream Cruises,” he added.

The first cruise ship to resume sailing in Asia in the post-pandemic era, Dream Cruises’ Explorer Dream has been operating in Taiwan since July 2020, with over 80 successful voyages of “Discover Taiwan” and Island-Hopping cruises completed to date.

Travel enthusiasts of Taiwan have since been introduced to the well-received concept of Super Seacation, where staycations at sea are redefined with immersive programs such as the Around the World and Bohemian Voyage theme cruises.

Starting from May 7, crew members and shore staff will receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Keelung Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It is expected that the first dose of the vaccine will be completed in three batches.

Dream Cruises said that it is proud of its long-standing collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan which has included flu shots for crew members at the Keelung Hospital of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as well as the assignment of consulting doctors by the Ministry’s Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission upon resumption of Explorer Dream in Taiwan.

In response to the continuous development of the pandemic around the world, Dream Cruises said that it will continue to evolve its stringent preventive measures and protocols that cover the eight major aspects of cruise travel, including pre-embarkation health screenings, heightened cleaning and disinfection onboard its ships, 100-percent fresh air ventilation in all cabins and public areas onboard, with an air change rate of up to 15 times per hour; as well as face mask requirements and social distancing measures in public areas.