"Live" Coral Princess, 32 Days, Oct 17th to Nov 17th, Singapore-Asia-Los Angeles (+Week in Singapore pre-cruise)

[LACruiser88]

It is now 6 am, Wednesday morning in Singapore.  Due to the photo uploading issues that is currently affecting CC, I will wait until the issue is corrected before posting about our activities from yesterday.

 

In the meantime, I wanted to comment on the taxi service in Singapore for any future travelers to this beautiful country.

 

We had fully intended to use the MRT and did considerable research on routes and location of their stations.  However, due to the accessibility and low cost of their taxi's, we have yet to step foot in a MRT station.

 

The most expensive taxi so far was yesterday's ride from the Gardens by the Bay to our hotel.  Total cost was $11.90 SGD or $9.09 USD.  IMHO, quite a deal for door-to-door service!  The taxi drivers have all been extremely friendly and helpful with suggestions as to what to see and do in their city.

 

One item of caution, if you flag a taxi down on the street they will charge you a $4.60 SGD ($3.51 USD) additional surcharge.  Why?  None of the drivers gave us a satisfactory answer, "it just is" is their answer.  Btw, this additional fee is clearly posted on the taxi's door.  And, they all take credit cards.

 

The workaround for this is to walk to any of the many hotels and ask the Doormen to order you a taxi.  Easy-peasy!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 15 by LACruiser88

[leck57]

41 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

It is now 6 am, Wednesday morning in Singapore.  Due to the photo uploading issues that is currently affecting CC, I will wait until the issue is corrected before posting about our activities from yesterday.

 

In the meantime, I wanted to comment on the taxi service in Singapore for any future travelers to this beautiful country.

 

We had fully intended to use the MRT and did considerable research on routes and location of their stations.  However, due to the accessibility and low cost of their taxi's, we have yet to step foot in a MRT station.

 

The most expensive taxi so far was yesterday's ride from the Gardens by the Bay to our hotel.  Total cost was $11.90 SGD or $9.09 USD.  IMHO, quite a deal for door-to-door service!  The taxi drivers have all been extremely friendly and helpful with suggestions as to what to see and do in their city.

 

One item of caution, if you flag a taxi down on the street they will charge you a $4.60 SGD ($3.51 USD) additional surcharge.  Why?  None of the drivers gave us a satisfactory answer, "it just is" is their answer.  Btw, this additional fee is clearly posted on the taxi's door.  And, they all take credit cards.

 

The workaround for this is to walk to any of the many hotels and ask the Doormen to order you a taxi.  Easy-peasy!

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, taxis are very cheap and clean. We love the MRT however and travelling on it is part of the Singapore experience to us. The top fare on the MRT is about $2.50 and most fares are $0.99 or $1.49 (as at this time last year). The hardest thing is working out what exit you need to take at a station.

In relation to taxis, the fact about them being so cheap is the reason I always caution people about letting their TA book transfers from the airport to the hotel. We did this once and paid the usual $80 or so per person, then realised a taxi would have cost about $35 total. 

 

Hope the photos issue is resolved soon as I look forward topics of your travels. 

[Yehootu]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

We had fully intended to use the MRT and did considerable research on routes and location of their stations.  However, due to the accessibility and low cost of their taxi's, we have yet to step foot in a MRT station.

We've found Grab to be extremely quick and easy to use. I was told there is around 20k Grab drivers in the city. A drawback I've found is that you need to find an accessible spot for pick up with all the one way streets. Yesterday we booked one and were unable to find where the driver wanted to do the pick-up. I used their "chat" function, but it was basically a one way chat. We didn't show and he left. We finally did find the pick up area and booked another one. Unlike Uber/Lyft we weren't charged a fee for missing our ride.

We've also been using the MRT buses to get around. I like the slow sightseeing from the upper deck of the double deckers.

[Yehootu]

CruiseMapper has the Coral out at sea with an ETA back into Singapore at 2000 on the 16th. Hopefully sea trials went well and no further delays. 

[NownZen]

9 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

How was the frog soup I was referring to? Because I can eat chicken and pork with rice too.

It's things like Kuay Chap, which as part of the meal, includes coagulated pig's blood that challenge me. How about Buah Keluak, a chicken or pork dish made with fruit of the Pangi tree. They have to process the fruit to get the cyanide out of it. Admit I'm not an adventurous eater.

Frog is fine. Growing up we ate a lot of things because of the cost. The British like their blood sausage.

I would hope the cyanide removal process is done carefully. Even so I would probably have the better half try it first.

[NownZen]

The Coral is around 150 miles away but at least headed our way.

The file upload is not working but the ship is near the Riau Archipelago.

[NownZen]

30 minutes ago, Yehootu said:

We've found Grab to be extremely quick and easy to use. I was told there is around 20k Grab drivers in the city. A drawback I've found is that you need to find an accessible spot for pick up with all the one way streets. Yesterday we booked one and were unable to find where the driver wanted to do the pick-up. I used their "chat" function, but it was basically a one way chat. We didn't show and he left. We finally did find the pick up area and booked another one. Unlike Uber/Lyft we weren't charged a fee for missing our ride.

We've also been using the MRT buses to get around. I like the slow sightseeing from the upper deck of the double deckers.

We have not been in a taxi yet as the MRT and buses work well for our needs. It also is good for people watching. Helps keep the daily walking distance up. Six to ten miles a day keeps me in shape to walk around to the different bars on the ship.

[LACruiser88]

Note:  This post is from our day on Tuesday.

 

We started the day having breakfast with my SIL and her husband at the hotel.  They arrived yesterday.

Debbie and I then got our excercise in by walking three miles to the historic Raffles Hotel.  Our intent was to try the $40 SGD ($30.54 USD) Singapore Sling at the famous Long Bar, where the cocktail was invented.  You read that correctly, $40!!!




When we arrived we were sweating so profusely that we feared that they wouldn't let us in.  They didn't mind our sweaty bods and sat us at the bar.  We shared a Singapore Sling.  It was so-so, too sweet for our palates.  Afterwards, it was Rose' for Debbie and Tiger Beer for me.



 

 

 

I'm going to digress a bit.  Have you ever met someone for the first time and you feel like you have known them your whole life? We have been experiencing this phenomenon more and more as we travel the world!  This happened to us again today, when JM sat on the bar stool next to Debbie!

She is a few years younger than us and in Singapore with her oil company executive husband from their home on the East Coast of the US.  While he was in meetings today, she decided to check out Long's.  After two hrs and several rounds of libations, we felt like we found our sister from another mother!


We exchanged information and said our heartfelt farewells.  I left quite a pile of peanut shells on the floor under my stool, which is the custom at Long's.  It was interesting to see how many of the women patrons could not get themselves to toss the shells on the floor!  The men no problema!  🤣

We then walked, maybe staggered, across the street to the Fairmont Hotel and asked a Doorman to order a taxi for us.  A few minutes later, we were in a taxi on our way to the Gardens by the Bay.  Continued in the following post...

[LACruiser88]

Once we arrived at the Gardens by the Bay we were informed that the Flower Dome was closed for maintenance.  That worked out for us because we were really interested in seeing the Cloud Forest.  And, it did not dissapoint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Phalaenopsis was spectacular!  It would have won the Grand Award at any of the Orchid shows that I have attended!

 

 

 

 

[LACruiser88]

Today was a very chill day.  We again had breakfast with my SIL and her husband.

 

It looked like it was going to rain all day (and that was the forecast), so Debbie and I took a taxi to the Marina Bay shopping center.

 

The mall is enormous!!!  The majority of the shops are very high end and would require a very thick wallet to afford!  We spent 4 hrs in the mall and actually did a "little" shopping.

 

This is only one of the many wings in the mall!

 

 

The main Louis Vuitton store is contained on its own island!

 

There is a very fancy food court on the bottom floor.

[LACruiser88]

We received the below email a few minutes ago regarding our upgrade bid for a Vista Suite.  We knew it was a long shot.

 

 

We’re glad you tried Princess Upgrade, but unfortunately we weren’t able to accept this bid. What happens now?   Literally nothing! You’ll sail in your original stateroom, and your credit card won’t be charged. You don’t need to do a thing.

We know it’s a bummer, but your cruise still has everything you’re looking forward to, including the MedallionClass® experience and service that’s all about making you feel special. And you can always go for another Princess Upgrade. Thanks for bidding, Princess Cruises

[suzyed]

On 10/14/2024 at 3:19 PM, NownZen said:

Our hotel is allowing us a 4pm checkout. I really do not know when to head over. I assume there will be the usual 9-10 am crowd. If they really are not starting until 3pm, it could be quite a zoo. Maybe Getting there at 4 will give them a chance to work through the largest part of the crowd. 

 

We have a 4pm late check out as well. The notice says not to arrive earlier than 3 but figure it would be ok to get there a little bit early but I don't relish standing with crowds of people from 9-10am.
 

[Yehootu]

Yesterday, Cruisemapper had the Coral into port at 2000. Looking this am, she's still at sea approaching Singapore.

[NownZen]

7 hours ago, suzyed said:

We have a 4pm late check out as well. The notice says not to arrive earlier than 3 but figure it would be ok to get there a little bit early but I don't relish standing with crowds of people from 9-10am.
 

It would be nice if anyone who arrives earlier could give us an update on the situation.

[Tranquility Base]

2 hours ago, Yehootu said:

Yesterday, Cruisemapper had the Coral into port at 2000. Looking this am, she's still at sea approaching Singapore.

Now docked.

Shown as having arrived at 2055 UTC which is 0455 local.

[EDVM96]

[walkingsoon]

For what it's worth, Singapore was one of the slowest embarkations I have ever experienced. Pre-Covid and a different line (NCL), the problems weren't with the cruise company, but rather with the local terminal and  getting Vietnamese visas lined up before boarding. It was a mess. Perhaps they've got their act together a bit more now, but given the notice you got, I'd probably arrive around 5:00pm or even a bit later.

 

I had that very cruise booked, but was overruled. I'll be there in March instead. Thanks for your descriptions of Singapore. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Walkingsoon

 

 

 

[kiwimum]

52 minutes ago, walkingsoon said:

For what it's worth, Singapore was one of the slowest embarkations I have ever experienced. Pre-Covid and a different line (NCL), the problems weren't with the cruise company, but rather with the local terminal and  getting Vietnamese visas lined up before boarding. It was a mess. Perhaps they've got their act together a bit more now, but given the notice you got, I'd probably arrive around 5:00pm or even a bit later.

 

I had that very cruise booked, but was overruled. I'll be there in March instead. Thanks for your descriptions of Singapore. Enjoy your cruise!

 

Walkingsoon

 

 

 

We had a similar issue with the Sapphire Princess.  The  slowest boarding ever, almost two hours from joining line inside terminal until actually on ship.  Check in staff extremely slow.  Today we will wait it out at our hotel until first passengers are onboard,

[LACruiser88]

16 minutes ago, kiwimum said:

 Today we will wait it out at our hotel until first passengers are onboard,

Our car service is picking us up at our hotel at 4 pm.  Hopefully, things will be moving along when we arrive.  We'll be arriving with a very positive vibe!  🙂

[pa_snowbird]

[Yehootu]

3 minutes ago, pa_snowbird said:

Still has the "Jet Engines" after drydock😀

[shellbeachjim]

13 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

Debbie and I then got our excercise in by walking three miles to the historic Raffles Hotel.  Our intent was to try the $40 SGD ($30.54 USD) Singapore Sling at the famous Long Bar, where the cocktail was invented.  You read that correctly, $40!!!

We visited the Raffles Hotel last year, but skipped the Singapore Sling for their outstanding afternoon tea. Highly recommended!

 

Edited October 17 by shellbeachjim

[that]

@LACruiser88

Wow
 

the Orchid Haven at the Cloud Forest

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, LACruiser88 said:

Our car service is picking us up at our hotel at 4 pm.  Hopefully, things will be moving along when we arrive.  We'll be arriving with a very positive vibe!  🙂

car service, I like how that rolls off the tongue. 

[suzyed]

5 hours ago, NownZen said:

It would be nice if anyone who arrives earlier could give us an update on the situation.

Exactly!  That's why I just came to check!