ST170 Treats Contest: Cleaner wins 4-day cruise

The five ST170 Treats Contest winners who bagged the cruise trip are (from left) Mr Ng Teck Beng, 62, Mr Chow Chee Kienm, 41, Mr Sui Ting Lay, 66, Ms Faustina Tan, 24, and Mr Tan Sew Fock (far right), 63. Mr Lam Kuek Seng (second from right), 50, won
The five ST170 Treats Contest winners who bagged the cruise trip are (from left) Mr Ng Teck Beng, 62, Mr Chow Chee Kienm, 41, Mr Sui Ting Lay, 66, Ms Faustina Tan, 24, and Mr Tan Sew Fock (far right), 63. Mr Lam Kuek Seng (second from right), 50, won the staycation at Festive Hotel. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

Mr Tan Sew Fock has never been on a cruise in his life, but the 63-year-old cleaner will soon be bound for the high seas.

He is one of five winners who bagged a four-day/three-night trip for two to Penang and Langkawi on board Star Cruises' SuperStar Gemini, in a series of giveaways to mark The Straits Times' 170th anniversary. "I'm very excited. I've never been on a cruise before, so I don't know what to expect," said Mr Tan.

He plans to take his wife on the trip, worth $5,480, next month. Winners have until March next year to go on the cruise.

Another winner, aviation executive Faustina Tan, plans to take her mother on the cruise.

Ms Tan, 24, said: "She has been meaning to take a break, so this prize is timely. We plan to spend the trip eating."

Her sister had urged their family of six to sign up for the ST170 Treats competition. "I'm really happy to win," Ms Tan said.

To enter, participants had to answer simple questions about the prize they wanted on the ST170 website. Prizes that have been given out include two Ball watches and a bathroom makeover.

Besides the cruise trip, another prize up for grabs was a staycation at Festive Hotel at Resorts World Sentosa with four passes to Universal Studios Singapore. This package, worth more than $1,000, comes with a night's stay in the spacious Deluxe Family King room.

Mr Lam Kuek Seng, who bagged the staycation, said: "I didn't expect to get the prize because competition was so stiff. My chances of winning were very low."

The 50-year-old tuition teacher plans to take his mother and two siblings to RWS. His prize is valid until Oct 31. "It'll be a family trip," he said. "My mother injured her hand recently so once she recovers, we will go on the trip."

More than 132,400 entries have been submitted to the ST170 Treats competition since its launch in March. The grand draw for the top prize of a brand-new Land Rover Discovery Sport will be held at The Straits Times Run on Sept 27.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 27, 2015, with the headline ST170 Treats Contest: Cleaner wins 4-day cruise. Subscribe