On November 29, a first-of-its-kind cruise will sail from Port Klang in Malaysia.
It’s the world’s first cruise specially tailored to Muslim travellers, featuring 100% halal food, alcohol-free beverages, onboard guidance for prayer times, and dedicated prayer rooms.
The ship can accommodate 1,760 passengers across 880 cabins spread over 10 decks, offering something to suit families, fitspos and culture seekers alike. There’s even halal afternoon tea slots.
While cruises such as Aroya serve Halal food and have prayer mats in every room, the M/V Piano Land is the first to market itself as Muslim-friendly.
Heralding a new era of travel, the concept is set to open a new world of opportunity for billions of people.
‘This is amazing, I’m really excited for it because the one thing I’ve not been able to do yet is go on a cruise,’ Muslim travel content creator, Hassan Bulbul, tells Metro.
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‘The biggest thing stopping me is that the majority of cruises unfortunately don’t have Muslim-friendly facilities.’
Dubbed the M/V Piano Land, the cruise is a partnership between Astro Ocean Cruise (a Chinese cruise line that restarted operations in July 2024) and Hwajing Travel & Tours, supporting Malaysia’s ambition to become a global advocate for Muslim-friendly tourism.
The itineraries will reportedly include a three-day, two-night route between Penang and Port Klang, on the western coast of Malaysia, or a four-day, three-night itinerary covering Penang and Langkawi, before arriving at the same destination.
It’s welcome news for 32-year-old Hassan, who was named Halal travel influencer of the year, after posting about the difficulties he faces finding halal food when travelling.
‘There are a lot of factors we have to consider when travelling, but the main one is the food,’ the Leicester local explains.
‘As Muslims, we need to have our food halal certified, so there’s a lot we can’t eat or that need to be made in a certain way.’
Hassan adds that travelling around Europe can be tricky at times, although there are more and more halal options becoming available. In the Middle East, and in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, he has more choice.
Hassan recalls one trip to Venice in 202, where he found it hard to locate suitable cuisine. ‘It was impossible to find any sort of certified restaurants at that time,’ he says.
‘I just had margherita pizzas but it was a struggle to find anywhere that had halal certified meat.’
The same happened in Barcelona when Hassan visited earlier this year. He says that in both cities, finding somewhere to pray was also an issue, because there weren’t many mosques.
‘We don’t expect to have every country change everything in accordance with us, and it’s not a must that they accommodate us, it just makes things easier and it feels a bit more welcoming,’ he adds.
So, November is set to be an exciting month for the Muslim community, as they’ll finally be able to indulge in a cruise holiday serving halal cuisine, including the ship’s signature Hong Kong-style roasted duck, and mocktails in all the lounges and restaurants.
As well as religious facilities, families are also catered, with kids’ clubs and child-friendly entertainment.
For travellers looking to unwind, there are spa treatments onboard, as well as wellness workshops that promote mindful living.
‘It’s really exciting because when you’re travelling, enjoying the local cuisine is a huge part of the experience,’ Hassan says.
‘This is a huge step forward in the halal travel industry for Muslims. Companies being able to cater for us doesn’t really affect non-Muslims, so they’re only appealing to a larger audience.
‘Hopefully through the success of this cruise, it will make other cruises want to provide these facilities, too.’
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