COLUMN

@ Halal | July-August. 2025

• The demand for Muslim-friendly cruises is growing rapidly, with a 75 per cent increase in Muslim cruise passengers from 2019 to 2022, and projections reaching 2.8 million by 2027.

• With modern port infrastructure and access to key sea routes, Malaysia is well-positioned to become a regional homeport for Islamic cruises.

• As Malaysia prepares for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, Islamic cruises can become a signature experience that blends spiritual enrichment with tourism.

BY DR. MOHMED RAZIP HASAN

Fellow – Islamic Science University of Malaysia( USIM), Nilai. Fellow – Institute Tun Perak( ITP), Melaka. Former director-general, Islamic Tourism Centre( ITC), MOTAC

This preference has influenced the choice of an alternative travel style, such as cruise travel.

STRATEGIC HALAL VISION

My first voyage was with Ferry Malaysia in the mid-1980s, departing from Port Kuantan, Pahang, which crossed miles of the South China Sea to Kuching, Sarawak, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in Borneo.

The services on board were accommodating and entertaining for all passengers, particularly offering a Muslim-friendly service, but were somewhat limited. The rare experience gained from viewing the sea in its natural element had a profound emotional and psychological impact on me.

Since then, my interest in sea travel grew as I continued exploring during my time in Canada and continued when I returned to Malaysia. I recall my experiences cruising to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and Bodrum, Turkey, taking a sunset cruise in Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu, and going on a boat cruise to Pulau Tioman, Pahang, Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu, and Pulau Sibu, Johor.

Ruggedly, I experienced a long boat cruise along the Rejang River from Sibu to Kapit in Sarawak.

CRUISE TOURISM

Cruise tourism has become a significant component of the global tourism industry. By definition, it involves travelling for leisure on a cruise ship in the form of a tourism experience, allowing travellers to visit multiple destinations.

With advanced technology, infrastructure, and accessibility among destinations, the interest towards cruise tourism has grown beyond America and Europe.

Increasing interest and investment have taken place in ASEAN, particularly

PRAYERS: Aboard IslamiCruise

in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. According to the Cruise Lines International Association( CLIA), there were 34.6 million ocean cruise passengers worldwide, with global revenue exceeding US $ 140 billion in 2024.

The highest number of passengers was in North America( 20.53 million), followed by Europe( 8.44 million) and Asia & Oceania( 4.03 million). The report also reveals that the cruise industry serves as an essential economic driver, contributing over US $ 168 billion to the communities around the world.

Malaysia’ s major ports, located in Penang, Langkawi, Klang, Melaka, Kuantan, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu, are among the top, considering their strategic locations, modern infrastructure, and accessibility to tourists and city centres.

While in the ASEAN region, many primary ports have emerged to cater to commercial and tourism purposes. Among these are IMT-GT( Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand Growth Triangle), SIJORI-GT( Singapore, Johor, Riau Growth Triangle) and BIMP-EAGA( Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area).

STRATEGIC HALAL VISION

“ Behold! … in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of human kind …”( Al-Quran, 2:164). This verse suggests that the sea is inextricably linked to human activities, as it is a vital source of life. Many literatures are related to Muslims who travelled by sea in the past, especially for the Hajj.

With the development of Islamic tourism, demand for Islamic cruises has also increased amongst Muslims across the globe.

The Muslim-Friendly Cruise Report in 2024, compiled by MasterCard and CrescentRating, reveals that the number of Muslim cruise passengers increased by 75 per cent from 2019 to 2022 and is predicted to rise to 2.8 million by 2027.

Islamic cruise subscribes to the preferences of Muslim passengers that align with Islamic principles and values. Among the key elements to be observed and provided on the cruise are certified halal cuisine, a proper and adequate prayer area, halal wellness facilities, hygiene and sanitation, and a spiritual and cultural experience within an Islamic framework.

There are several cruise liners in the market adopting and offering Islamic Cruise tours, such as the first of its kind, IslamiCruise International

( Malaysia), AROYA Cruises( Saudi Arabia), Genting Dream by Resort World Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Halal River Cruises( Europe), amongst the many.

An Islamic cruise may offer passengers a high-quality travel experience and is one of the best options for travellers, regardless of their category. It will offer travellers seeking peace and a soulful journey under universal Islamic parameters and values.

As for the destination, cruise tourism brings numerous benefits to local economic and social development, while enhancing the country’ s attractiveness as an international homeport for many major international cruise ships. It also attracts more tourists to consider fly-and-sail holidays.

So, why not join an Islamic cruise for your upcoming holiday or during Visit Malaysia Year 2026? Meanwhile, let’ s celebrate our National Day – Merdeka – with dignity and great love on Aug 31. Sayangi Malaysia.-