World's first Cat Cruise by the Royal Albatross has guests feline good

Set sail with your favourite feline. Photo courtesy of Tall Ship Adventures.

Cats, ahoy! On August 8, the Royal Albatross, well-known for its Dog Cruises, officially launched its much anticipated Cat Cruise in Singapore. Wake Up Singapore was lucky enough to be among those invited to join this incredibly unique experience. The first of its kind in the world, the Cat Cruise was a delight from start to finish.

@catcruisesg

😻MEEEOOOW!!!! CAT LOVERS REJOICE!! We heard your concerns! After addressing all your cat safety and welfare concerns, we are proud to announce that Cat Cruise will be officially launching soon! 🐱 We hope to see you on-board! . . #sgcat #sgcats #sgcatlovers #sgcatstiktok #sgcatstagram @Royal Albatross 🚢 @Milk Tea the Cat 🧋

♬ Gorgeous – Taylor Swift

A Cat Cruise in Singapore

Before the ship set sail, pawrents brought their cats on board the ship in carriers. As to be expected from the idea of today’s cats on a ship, there are rules to ensure the protection of this precious cargo.

Enjoying the sea breeze. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

“When curating any kind of event, safety is our always our number one priority,” said Pete Pela, founder and CEO of Tall Ship Adventures, the company behind the Cat Cruise. “When animals are involved, everything gets more challenging, so our approach is to try to plan for every eventuality. As we get more experience, we will gradually review the restrictions that are designed to keep [both] humans and our beloved pets safe.”

A cat nap is more satisfying at sea. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore.

Cats must meet certain requirements before setting sail, including being older than four months, having a history of staying calm outside their homes, being fully vaccinated, and wearing a harness and leash while on the ship. These requirements were established through partnerships with SPCA, NParks, Cat Welfare Society, and The Cat People. SPCA also trained the ship’s crew and service teams on cat behaviour and recognising situations where they might need to intervene, such as a cat overheating or being under stress. All this preparation ensures a pleasant, worry-free evening for cats and humans alike.

Some cats came dressed for the occasion. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

On the Cat Cruise’s inaugural sail, human guests were joined by seven adorable cats. The furry guests of honour split their time between the air-conditioned, thoughtfully furnished cat lounge below deck and the spacious sea-view cat cabins by the tables on the upper deck.

The ship’s beautiful cat lounge below deck. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

Top notch service on the Royal Albatross

A focus on cats certainly did not mean the cruise’s human guests were neglected. The service on the Royal Albatross was absolutely top-notch. Upon boarding the Cat Cruise, guests were given cold towels and even colder mocktails, both of which were very welcome in Singapore’s humidity.

The Purr-fect Hello Welcome mocktail. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

As the wind whipped overhead and the boat rocked gently, servers moved around the deck, offering guests warm bread and chilled butter. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying live music, free-flow drinks, and a delectable dinner where every course hit its mark.

Unlike their canine counterparts on Dog Cruises, cats don’t eat on board this sunset sail. Instead, they’re given a goody bag containing a gourmet meal from PetCubes to eat in the comfort of their homes—just as cats prefer it.

Drinks flowed freely from the ship’s bar. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

Garlic prawns served onboard. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

Delicious miso salmon. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

Pavlova with ice cream ended the night on a high note. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

At its heart, the Cat Cruise is about spending quality time with the animals we love. This is what makes the Cat Cruise so remarkable: for Pela and the Tall Ship team, letting cats on board isn’t a gimmick. It’s an experience curated with care and motivated by love, and this motivation is evident in every moment on board the cruise.

“[It is] my strong belief that our pets, especially cats and dogs, are treasured members of the family,” said Pela. “And like all special moments, we want to share them with our family.”

The Cat Cruise’s sail at sunset. Photo courtesy of Tall Ship Adventures.

The Cat Cruise sets sail from Sentosa on selected Tuesday evenings. Guests can expect a 2.5-hour sail along Singapore’s coastlines, enjoying spectacular sunset and city light views, a 4-course dinner, free-flow soft drinks, indoor and outdoor cat accommodations, and a goody bag of gourmet cat food.

A completely unique sunset cruise experience. Photo courtesy of Wake Up Singapore

Book your own unfur-gettable experience on the Cat Cruise now at https://www.tallship.com.sg/events/catcruise.

Get more Cat Cruise news by following @catcruise.sg on Instagram and @catcruisesg on TikTok.

This post was brought to you in collaboration with The Royal Albatross.

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