Cruises can be the perfect way to travel when you have a big family – you can drop the kids off at the kids’ club, and leave your parents to watch the shows onboard while you disembark at port and explore a new destination for a day. These haven’t always been accessible to everybody, though. Cruises can often be boozy affairs and don’t always offer halal meals, making them unfriendly to Muslim guests.

That’s now changing in Malaysia, where the first ‘Muslim-friendly’ cruise ship in the country will be homeported at Port Klang from November 29 as part of Malaysia’s push towards promoting Muslim-friendly tourism and establishing a reputation as a regional cruise hub. This is a huge move towards inclusivity for travellers of all faiths, which, of course, is much-needed in the diverse Southeast Asian region.

What to expect on Malaysia’s first Muslim-friendly cruise ship

The M/V Piano Land, a collaboration between Astro Ocean Cruise and Hwajing Travel & Tours, aims to meld luxury cruising with halal values, respecting Muslim culture while maintaining the level of hospitality you’d expect from a high-end experience. 

This doesn’t just mean that the cruise will serve halal food, though that will be one part of it. There will also be dedicated spaces for worship. Onboard entertainment will align with Muslim values. Itineraries will be designed to avoid intrusions into prayer times. There will be alcohol-free options and family-friendly activities. And, of course, staff will be trained in cultural sensitivity.

Apart from that, it’s a quality cruise like any other. Kids’ clubs will be available so that parents can drop their children off and spend their days relaxing at the spa, having afternoon tea, attending wellness workshops, or otherwise getting some peace and quiet on one of the ship’s many decks. The ship can accommodate around 1760 passengers in 880 cabins, offering regional and international cuisines made with halal-certified ingredients, including the ship’s signature Hong Kong-style roasted duck – yum…

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