GETTING to Bintan just got faster and more comfortable.
And those willing to pay a bit more will get airline-style business class treatment too.
Two new ferries will cut travelling time between Singapore and the Indonesian resort island by at least 15 minutes, making the trip from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in 45 minutes.
The two ferries, which cost $31 million, are also equipped with the latest technology to stabilise them, making the ride smoother and more comfortable, even in the choppiest seas.
For passengers, the good news is that the ticket price for the ferry service remains the same. An adult who buys a Singapore-Bintan-Singapore ticket over the counter will pay $63.20 during peak period and $52.20 when it is off-peak.
General practitioner Franco Wong, who takes his wife and three young children to Bintan for their annual getaway, likes the idea of a faster, smoother ride.
He said: "My wife and kids get seasick and throw up, especially when the seas are rough."
Passengers who pony up an additional $36 for return will enjoy the ferries- new "business class", which comes with bigger seats, complimentary drinks and access to an open deck for fresh air and that wind-in-your-hair experience.
"Emerald Class" passengers also get personalised immigration clearance in their own dedicated lounge and fuss-free luggage collection.
Programmes manager Amaranta Lim, 31, who came back here on the new ferry earlier this month, found the new vessel cleaner and more spacious and the ride, definitely smoother.
For $36 extra, she said she would certainly give the new business class a try. "During school holidays, it can get quite noisy and tiring to queue up for immigration with all the families and kids.
So, I don't mind paying a bit more for more comfort."
The new boats were christened yesterday at a special ceremony in Bintan by Mrs Kay Iswaran, wife of Senior Minister of State for Education, Trade and Industry S. Iswaran, and Mrs Aida Ismeth, wife of Riau Islands province governor Ismeth Abdullah.
The boats have been named Wan Sendari, after the wife of the legendary founder of Singapore Sang Nila Utama, and Wan Seri Beni, after the legendary Queen of the Riau Islands.
The improved ferry service is part of a 10-year masterplan to boost transport links to Bintan and part of the push to turn northern Bintan into a suburb for Singaporeans to live and play.
Masterplanner Bintan Resort Cakrawala started selling land parcels from a 1,300ha site last year for residential and commercial use.
For now, Mr Ismeth expects the improved ferry service to bring up to a third more visitors to Bintan.
The choppy ferry ride was a deterrent to many international visitors, especially during the December monsoon season, he said.
Last year, some 400,000 visitors went to Bintan, with 322,000 of them making the trip via Singapore. The island has been growing in popularity among Singaporeans, who like it as a holiday or golf destination, as well as for its proximity and ease of getting there.
Foreigners from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Russia have also been flocking there to enjoy the beach and resorts.
Bintan Resort Ferries chairman Chin Chow Yoon expects the number of visitors to hit a million by 2015, riding partly on Singapore's tourism growth.
He said Singapore and Bintan complemented each other as destinations, with one offering city conveniences and the other, the appeal of the sun, sea and sand.
In the pipeline are plans to expand the ferry terminal on Bintan to double its passenger handling capacity by 2015.
