Cruise ship tweaks itinerary so that Singaporeans onboard get to vote
Genting Dream made changes to one of its cruise ship's itinerary so that the Singaporeans onboard did not have to miss out on voting in the General Election on the May 3 Polling Day.
The ship, which departed from Singapore's Marina Bay Cruise Centre at 8pm on May 2, was scheduled to sail and return only at noon on May 4.
But in order to make provisions for Polling Day, the ship returned to port at 7am on May 3, giving the passengers enough time to cast their vote and re-embark before the gate closed at 5pm.
The cruise ship set sail again at 6pm.
Ms He Yazhi, 70, told Shin Min Daily News that when the Polling Day date was announced, she thought of cancelling her cruise holiday.
"But later I learnt that the cruise ship would make special arrangements to return so that we could go vote, so I didn't cancel," she said.
Another passenger, 76-year-old Huang Baojiao, returned to Telok Blangah to vote. "This is our country, we have to fulfil our duty. I am very happy to be back to vote."
There were about 2,800 Singaporeans out of the 3,000 passengers onboard.
Every room was also given a $100 worth of cruise credit.
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