I went on a cruise for the first time in my life and I’m here to talk about it! Cruises gradually became more popular after the COVID-19 outbreak because companies started offering “cruises to nowhere” to meet the rising demand of people who were dying to travel as a form of relaxation. There are actually a lot of cruise lines (e.g. Celebrity/Oceania Cruises) that set off from Singapore to various countries, but I think most Singaporeans are familiar with either the Resorts World Cruises (Genting Dream) or Royal Caribbean (Quantum/Spectrum of the Seas). I was invited to join my fiancé's family on a 4D3N Penang cruise by Royal Caribbean on the Spectrum of the Seas and as a first-timer, I did quite a bit of online research before the trip.
Most of the information that you can gather from blogs and YouTube videos are sufficient, but I want to share/highlight some additional ones that I personally think are helpful for first-timers. Note that the information I have is gathered specifically from this cruise and might differ for others.
#1 Should I pack my things in a duffel bag or luggage? What size should the luggage be?
Anything larger than a cabin size luggage will need to be “checked in”. This means that they will tag it and take it away from you. You cannot opt to bring it up onto the cruise on your own. They will leave it outside your room by a certain time in the evening which also means that you most likely do not have immediate access to it after boarding the ship. So, if you intend to go swimming or try out the FlowRider immediately after boarding, you should pack your clothes and toiletries in your carry-on bag just in case the luggage is not delivered by the time you’re done with those activities. Alternatively, if you don’t mind the hassle of hanging on to your barang barang prior to boarding, then just put everything in a cabin size luggage or duffel bag lo. I would recommend bringing a cabin size luggage over a duffel bag because it’ll be more comfortable to push than carry anything while you wait for clearance to board the ship.
#2 What items are offered in the room? What necessities should I pack?
Idk about the suites luh, but if you’re staying in the regular cabins, you only get one dispenser of a 3-in-1 shampoo/body wash/conditioner. So, remember to pack your shampoo, conditioner (optional) and facial cleanser, then you can use their 3-in-1 as body wash. They DO NOT provide toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shaver and cotton tips like hotels do, so pack those as well if you need them.
In the room, there were appliances like a mini fridge, kettle and hair dryer. There were also two bottles of water, but these will not be replenished on a daily basis. You are advised to refill water at the water dispensers usually found at the dining areas. My fiance’s family brought 24 x 700ml bottled water and a bag of bubble tea (woohoo!) onto the ship. If you choose not to purchase any drink packages (like us), there are lemonade, fruit punch, hot tea and coffee served at the dining areas.
#3 Is there free WIFI on the cruise like hotels?
Nope. You have to pay around $20/day to use the Internet on the cruise.
I would advise every cruise-goer to download the Royal Caribbean app before boarding. It is the only app that connects to their WIFI. Not only does it have a text message function for you to communicate with your friends/family members, they have a list of all the activities available on the cruise at the various timings. Super handy.
#4 What can I do on the cruise that I don’t need to pay for?
Outdoors: FlowRider. Swim. Sunbathe. Rock climb.
Indoors: Bumper cars. Basketball. Badminton. Table tennis. Archery. Watch TV (selected channels). Movie screenings. Performances (e.g. dance/aerobics/musicals). Mini activities (e.g. sudoku challenge, guessing games). Mini seminars (e.g. footprint analysis). Open karaoke. Live music. Eat.
You can have breakfast, lunch and dinner at either the Windjammer (buffet - find your own seat) or the Main Dining Room (restaurant - waiters/waitresses serve you food at your seat). I ate every meal at the MDR (it’s like an ala-carte buffet) and visited the Windjammer with my fiancé's parents once. HAHA. You can also find food at the following places (most items) for free: The Cafe @Two70, Dog House, Sorrento’s Pizza and Splashaway Cafe.
The room service for breakfast is actually free too. You have to indicate your choice of items on a menu and hang it outside your door before 3am. The selection is limited, but you get to enjoy a private meal time in your room. Needless to say, I ate damn a lot on the cruise.
#5 How was disembarking at Penang and Singapore?
Disembarking at Penang was super easy. Just bring along your SeaPass card and valuables. I didn’t mention earlier but this SeaPass card is damn important. Firstly, it is your room key. Secondly, you make purchases on board through this card. Thirdly, it helps the staff identify you when you’re on board (e.g. safety briefing) and during your movement on or off the ship. Losing it will be problematic.
Since our identification information is stored in the SeaPass card, there was no passport check at the Penang terminal. It was quite a long walk to get out of the terminal though. At the exit, be prepared to be bombarded by many drivers trying to get your business. I don’t know if this would be the same when you disembark in other countries. We had booked a driver prior to the trip and communicated with him via Whatsapp. Don’t forget to prepare an e-SIM or SIM card for data when you get off the ship. Re-entry back on the ship was quick and simple as well.
The disembarkation time on the last day of your cruise is usually in the morning starting as early as 645am. You would be allocated a time slot which you can find out through your Royal Caribbean app OR channel 7 (I think) from the TV in your room OR instruction sheets placed in your room/at your door by the crew members. If you need help to transport your luggage off the ship, you need to pack, tag and leave them outside the room by 10pm on the night before. We didn’t opt for it, so I don’t have any information on the luggage collection at the port. Regardless of your time slot, I believe that you will still be able to grab some breakfast before disembarking. There is a lounge area allocated to you in case for some reason you aren’t able or don’t want to wait in the room. You can proceed to the gangway with all your belongings when the time comes. There was a long queue to depart because the terminal at Singapore was undergoing some renovation/maintenance and they wanted to do crowd control. Foreign passports are required to queue for manual passport checks while Singaporeans can enjoy the automated lanes. Don’t forget to submit the online Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) within 3 days of arrival in Singapore!
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As someone with motion sickness issues, I was initially worried about feeling sick on the cruise. Happy to declare that the cruise was much more stable than I imagined and no puking happened. There’s a sense of calmness whenever you look out the window and see the endless scenery of the blue sea. I like spending time chilling on the balcony of my room staring at the sea, but I was truly annoyed at my neighbours who choose not to respect my privacy. I caught them sticking their heads past the metal divider at the balcony and peeping into my room. Decided not to make a big fuss and just draw the curtains. There are also common areas on the ship that you can chill at and look at the sea if you don’t want to stay in your room.
With regards to food, the consumption of a lot of “heaty” food led to me developing mouth ulcers by the end of the trip. I tried my best to drink more water and order fruits in the MDR but I guess all the pizzas and hotdogs were too much for my body to handle.
Surprisingly, I got hooked on watching tennis on the sports channel and even after the trip, I continued to watch the Australian Open 2024! Oh, I was also convinced to buy a pair of the Good Feet Arch Support after attending the footprint analysis. It is indeed a worthy investment - I’ve been wearing it in my shoes almost every single day!
Any cruise tips that I missed out? Feel free to help each other out in the comments section, y'all.
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