Eating out in a floating restaurant may not sound so original, but dining in The Borneo Cruise is something else.
The 28 metre by 10 metre boat actually moves around from its station at Sutera Harbour Resort and travels the waters around the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park.
It starts to move away from the dock at 5pm, to the sea. At that time, food is already on the buffet table. The food is mostly local and international cuisine, with a wide variety of desserts.
The music plays, and then a band enter the stage, belting out contemporary songs. The crowd of about 100 people move and queue at the buffet table, picking food of their choice.
The boat moves towards the islands, and the guests enjoy their food, while some take the opportunity to take photographs of the blazing sunset. The sea seems to turn into molten gold.
As the sunset grow dimmer, the boat moves on and goes towards the Kota Kinabalu City Waterfront. The blazing lights of the city shine on the sea, creating its own beautiful panorama. The sight is a photography buff’s delight.
While the boat moves, the guests and boat crew at the dining area start to party. They dance to various types of music, while some try out their vocal prowess on the microphone.
Spokesperson for the cruise, Tyan Wong shares that they started the cruise in February this year and has catered to many guests now.
“This cruise is mooted to cater to people who want to enjoy a sumptuous dinner in a different environment. We do not have a floating moving restaurant in Sabah yet, and as such we hope to tap into this market.”
“We have two cruises a day, one that starts at early in the evening at 5pm to 7pm and one at 8pm to 10pm. We can cater to 100 guests at any one time. We have 30 crew members to take care of them.”
“Through the cruise our guests are entertained by a local band. In fact all our crew members are local,” he explains.
He shares that they also cater to events such as birthday parties and other gatherings.
The ship docks at the Sutera Harbour Resort and guests start to walk out, cheered by the boat crew members; a pleasant experience for everyone, indeed. –CE/BNN
