Brunei Welcomes MV Dream as Cruise Passenger Numbers Rise
Passengers visited Istana Nurul Iman, Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Kampong Ayer, with gulingtangan music at the reception.
Brunei Darussalam welcomed MV Dream with 2,197 international passengers and 501 crew members during a Southeast Asian voyage. The ship arrived from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia’s Sabah state, with Nha Trang, Vietnam, its next destination.
Brunei recorded 15 cruise calls and 28,766 cruise passengers in 2025, compared with 11 calls and 17,860 passengers in 2024, increases of approximately 36% and 61%, respectively. In 2023 the country handled seven calls and 15,379 passengers.
MV Dream previously visited Brunei in September 2026. The announcement did not identify the ship’s operator or give a schedule for another call. Adora Magic City was also among the country’s recent cruise visitors.
According to Brunei’s Tourism Development Department, passengers visited Istana Nurul Iman, Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Kampong Ayer during their time ashore. The arrival reception included traditional gulingtangan music, and passengers were invited to play the instruments.
Muara Port handles most of Brunei’s cruise calls. The department did not provide a full-year forecast or quantify the economic contribution of this visit.
A passenger from Hong Kong expressed interest in returning for a longer stay to visit museums and attractions in other districts. A European passenger also expressed interest in a longer return visit, taking in the Temburong District for nature and adventure activities.
