Update Genting’s Bimini casino ship cleared to woo Miami

by **Cals** Wed 17 Jul 2013, 16:17

Update Genting’s Bimini casino ship cleared to woo Miami
Business & Markets 2013
Written by Cindy Yeap of theedgemalaysia.com
Wednesday, 17 July 2013 15:09

KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): After several weeks delay, the US Coast Guard has cleared Genting Malaysia Bhd’s superfast casino ship to start sailing from Miami, Florida to its casino resort in the Bahamas from this Saturday (July 20), the company said.

The go-ahead puts the Genting group, which has been lobbying for a casino licence in Miami since 2011, a step closer towards tapping Miami’s gaming appetite with its casino ship and Resorts World Bimini casino resort.

Passengers will be able to play casino games like poker, blackjack, slots and roulette on the 1,346-passenger Bimini Superfast ferry during the two and a half hour ride to the Bimini resort, according to local news reports. There are also six restaurants and bars on-board.

Genting Malaysia announced the launch of the superfast ferry service on July 1, but the service kick-off was delayed due to inspections by the US Coast Guard.

Genting Malaysia spent US$70 million (RM223 million) to purchase the cruise ship and another US$30 million to bring the ship “to the highest safety standards”, Dana Leibovitz, president of Resorts World Bimini said in a statement dated July 16.

For a start, the Day Explorer Cruise will depart from Port Miami at 9am and returning at 7pm daily. Prices start at US$49 for weekdays and US$79 during weekends and holidays, including free breakfast and dinner on the ship’s Party Deck.

A second night “Party Cruise” which is set to start in August, is set to depart daily at 10pm and returning at 6am the next day, according to a CBS Miami report.

In its July 1 statement, Genting Malaysia said the cruise ship will sail twice daily to bring passengers from Miami to its boutique 300 ha (750-acre) Bimini casino beachfront resort with villas, a fisherman’s village as well as shopping and dining options at what it calls “the largest marina in the Bahamas”.

‘The whole Resorts World Bimini experience is also extended to the Bimini SuperFast. It is our idea to have our customers board a fast cruise ship to the Resort and also giving them the option to enjoy cruising experience with top service and entertainment facilities on-board our new ship.

"It’s a double enjoyment experience. This new resort will attract many new visitors from the US and other countries,’ said Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and CEO of Genting Malaysia, in the July 1 statement.

The Bimini islands are home to turquoise waters, miles of white sand beaches, intimate historic towns and some of the world’s best diving destinations, the statement read.