sgmn

On 2/29/2024 at 5:43 PM, little britain said:

Glad to hear you found the room! 
Let me know your thoughts on the ship ! 

We had a good time as always.  Ship was packed though, over 5000 with nearly 1000 kids.  Lots of large intergenerational families, apparently it is school holidays in Malaysia.  Speaking to people who had done a B2B the previous 9 night cruise was a lot quieter with only about 300 children. 

Missed not having use of the Solarium restaurant.  In fact there seemed to be more specialised restaurants than included options.  The specialised restaurants seemed almost empty when we walked by.  Plenty of empty seats in the bars and upper level of pool deck.

Great ports, really enjoyed Penang and Phuket 

View from hotel room. MBS in the far distance

15 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

How long is your travel time to get home?

Direct BA flights is 12 hours, Emirates via DXB is 8 hrs each segment plus 2 hrs layover in DXB.  Currently in Grand Copthorne in SIN at day room rate,  extremely nice room/hotel. Flight is 9pm tonight. Will have a swim, maybe a walk along the  Riverside, rest, late lunch shower and get taxi to airport around 6pm.

Enjoyed Spectrum, though seemed crowded and noisy. 

 Silk Road in 270 was amazing 

Just off Spectrum. Had my time dinning. Booked all my slots in the cruise planner prior to cruise depending on what we had planned in port and estimated time of reboarding after excursions, and depending on shows. 

Once on board we had a letter in our room stating we had been booked at 6.45 eavh night and the actual table number. This time and table number was also on our stateroom card.

If we didn't make their preferred time we were randomly sat elsewhere 

3 hours ago, Thisguylikestocruise said:

What would a 9 night Greek Isles cruise from Civitavecchia in late September be like? Already have it booked, wish I would’ve picked Celebrity for this itinerary instead.  

We've done 10 day Greek island cruise before, though on Jewel OTS.  It was great 👍 

Also did a Celebrity 10day around  Med and Malta , also great

We're travelling on our airline staff tickets and Gary's direct BA flight is full so we're probably going back on Emirates via Dubai. Flight is tomorrow night and I've booked us into a day room at a hotel so we can relax before the night flight to Dubai

Zoom in for floating village

Interesting tour of Penang,  it was a walking UNESCO heritage tour. 3.5 hours in very hot humid heat. Learnt a lot, very informative. We didn't have long in port and I would of wanted longer to wander by ourselves  

Yesterday was a long day in Phuket. Meeting time of tour was 7.30am .  Two hour bus trip  stopped at Buddhist temple in amazing cave, lots of monkeys in the Park. Main focus was a boat trip to the James Bond islands in Pang Nge Bay , 'The Man with the golden gun'. In the bay there's a floating village where we had lunch. The village has a mosque ,school, shops, restaurants and a health centre , all floating. 

Penang 

Sunrise

Phuket 

Buddhist temple in caves and monkeys 

Pang Nge Bay and floating village 

On 2/26/2024 at 1:26 AM, Luckynana said:

@sgmn  Bon Voyage, Sue and Gary!!  Have the best time!!🛳️

 

Beautiful pictures of Singapore.  How was your Singapore Sling?  I haven't had one in over 50 years now!  I'll have to remember to order one on my cruise in two 

 Dup

On 2/26/2024 at 1:26 AM, Luckynana said:

@sgmn  Bon Voyage, Sue and Gary!!  Have the best time!!🛳️

 

Beautiful pictures of Singapore.  How was your Singapore Sling?  I haven't had one in over 50 years now!  I'll have to remember to order one on my cruise in two weeks!😉

It was delicious 😋 but at almost SGD$40 we only had one each.  Huge bag of roasted peanuts in shells at each table. Everyone throws the shells on the floor, felt very naughty 😜 Cocktails at MBS top floor bar were cheaper and had great views

On 2/26/2024 at 1:12 AM, Luckynana said:

Wow, Sue!  Thank goodness you are okay.  How frightening for you, and for Gary, as well!  Have a great time on your cruise!  When do you sail?🛳️

Thanks 😊 all OK now, have done over 22000 steps a day in high humidity and heat of day with no issues. 

We boarded on 26th. Last day today. Only four night cruise to Penang and Phuket. Very interesting ports.  Ship very crowded with over 5000 on board. Nearly 1000 children. Big family groups . 

Ship is nice but only quite areas is our balcony.  Crown lounge is open for Diamond and above all day. Quiet even during happy hour.  

8 hours ago, Td6462 said:

 I'm not surprised. It is designed for families..... 

Everyone's money is good. It should be a cruise for all. Very shortsighted to exclude a high spending demographic who may cruise multiple times a year IMO. 

Would be nice to try the newest and the bling-y-est but unlikely we will unless they have a season in Europe 

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Diamonds are no longer permitted in the Crown Lounge during the cocktail hour.  They can (and must) however use their vouchers at any other bar on the ship (other than the Bionic Bar) during those hours. It is now a lounge reserved during those hours for D+ and Pinnacle - regardless of numbers on board.  D's still have access to the Crown Lounge and the Concierge at any other normal lounge and Concierge hours during the day.  And this is on all sailings, not some, and was being enforced on our recent NYE Oasis cruise.

Currently on Spectrum. Diamonds welcome at all time, even during happy hour.  Was also welcome on Serenade last September.  Very much depends on how busy and how many diamonds and above on board. 

Cruise by cruise basis 

33 minutes ago, cr2000 said:

 

It's a family cruise line, singles or couples without kids ARE NOT the target demographic. Royal does not care about your experience as the majority of income derived from sailings is from family passengers. You just have to accept it and move on, don't complain about it.

Very much agree ,  but companies change direction and target markets over time.  When we started cruising Royal Caribbean I don't remember any particular group being their focus market.  Seems to be a shame that they are no longer catering to everyone.  

We will contine to cruise longer cruises on smaller RC ships but will start looking at other lines too.

We cruise for itinerary not ships and often RC just do the same old, same old itineraries 

Currently on Spectrum. Checked before we booked it wasn't school holiday in SIN, UK or AUS, didn't check Malaysia 🤔  

There's over 5000 people on board and nearly 1000 children.

Both pools packed with kids. According to people on board the previous cruise was much quieter with hardly any kids , so it's almost impossible to plan a quiet time. It's always holidays somewhere 

7 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

Plan for kids, unless you are on Virgin. Trans-Atlantics have less of them, smaller ships and longer cruises but that’s no guarantee.

 

All I can say is expect the worse, and hope for the best. 

Two other UK cruise companies have adult only ships, P&O (only two ships are adult only) and Saga is age 55 +. Never been on either though friends who have been on Saga rate it highly 

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Omg Sue, that had to be scary to open your eyes and find yourself on the floor with FAs looking at you.   Thankful you are OK now.😊

Thank you Debbie, I can only remember feeing I was really comfortable waking up from a deep sleep,  weird but bought some hydration tabs and am drinking lots of water. Fingers crossed 🤞 it was a one off

Today is cruise day !! 

We've had a very enjoyable four days in Singapore. Weather has been humid but often with cloud cover so doesn't feel too hot. Lots of walking, over 22,000 steps yesterday.  Near us is Clark Quay so we have enjoyed that area, lots of Riverside restaurants and did a mini river cruise. Also next to hotel is fort Cannjng Park. Really enjoyed the beauty and Serenity of the park with all the different vegetation and trees, plus the history of the bunker where Singapore was surrendered to the Japanese during WW2 (thanks @aussielozzie18for the suggestion). 

Had to have a Singapore Sling at Raffles. Very expense but enjoyed the experience, thinking about all the famous people and history that went on in the Long Bar during the beginning of the last century.

Also went to the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel for cocktails,  great experience and was there for the light show right in front of us. 

Yesterday we went to the Gardens by the Bay

 The cloud dome was fascinating. Huge great indoor waterfalls, tropical plants and big variety of orchids, some so tiny you could only see them through a magnifying glass

Enjoying a Singapore Sling at Raffles Long Bar

Fort Canning Park

Floor 57 of MBS

Olive tree in the Med section of the flower dome, Gardens by the Bay

waterfalls and orchards in the cloud dome

Super trees 

MBS at duck. The hotelvis built to resemble a ship on three pillars

3 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

We took Charlie to the emergency room.  He wasn’t feeling any better, arm and leg were giving him problems.  He think his arm was broken but have not heard any news yet.  Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers.  We really could use a little less drama!

Sorry to hear about Charlie's fall. I hope they get to the bottom of what happened. 

Something weird happened to me on the flight to Singapore a few days ago.  I'm normally pretty healthy, but I got up about 3 hours into the flight to go to the bathroom. Waited for the toilet to be free and next thing I knew I was on the floor coming round with two or three flight attendant around me.  I had no feeling of being dizzy or that I was 'going'. Have never fainted in my life before.  Apparently the FA told Gary I had 'gone' three times .

Was fine after and can only think I was dehydrated 

Luckily no bruises or hurt from the fall 

On 2/21/2024 at 9:53 AM, aussielozzie18 said:

DD is planning on flying back home.  She has a fear of falling again with all the ice & snow.  She only had the operation on Saturday and I told her she must speak to her surgeon before she books a long flight home to Sydney.  I think there would be a risk with bloods clots on a long haul flight(s).

Sorry her adventure has been cut short. It won't feel like it now but shes young and has all her life ahead for adventures and travel.  I can understand her wanting to get home.

Great advice about checking with Dr's before travelling.  

Here safely in Singapore. Nearly didn't make it, last night our flight was delayed leaving LHR.  Captain negotiated a one hour extension to the 11pm night flight ban and we made wheels up with 12 secs to spare. 

The hotel receptionist said something about an upgrade, but didn't realise till this morning that its a club room with happy hour access to the rooftop bar

View from our room last night

MBS Hotel

day time View 

Spot the river

18 hours ago, h20skibum said:

 

What does it mean, if someone asks, “Are you hiding in my chimney?”

 

 I guess I need to see if I have been insulted, before I dive back in.😏  Went for a walk, and I am 50 posts behind on it already. 

Sorry never heard of it .

Some people on these boards are brutal 😕 

I've read that's it's because Icon has so many three or four bedded cabins that the two bedded are booked up, and therefore because of dynamic pricing become more expensive.

Would be interesting to know how many no-shows there are on Icon

My two pennyworth. 

 Not everyone likes the same thing.  There's only a finite number of people who:

A) can afford to pay hundreds of pounds per night per person on Icon class.

B) are happy with the same old same old ports/itinerary time after time that Icon and Oasis class go to.

C) enjoy the mega ships

If Royal wants to push loyal cruisers, who prefer smaller ships without the bells and whistles and which go to interesting ports, onto other lines then I guess that's the future as they see it.  

8 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Dental X-rays are normally done once a year.

Over here I have them every two years