Asia Family Cruise - February 2015
When I advised my husband that I was required to go on a short cruise to finally complete my CLIA Cruise Accreditation, he looked a bit dubious. Almost fearful in fact. Being an Air Force man, the thought of being sandwiched into a small cupboard- sized cabin for days on end with nothing to look at but ocean was as far from "fun" as he could imagine.
But I can be relentless in my persuasion and I set out to prove that this perception of cruising is very much outdated and ships these days offer so much more than a tiny porthole view and a game of bingo. I chose a short, port intensive itinerary onboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, as a taste test for the whole family and off we went.
We spent 2 days in Singapore, a city we love to explore, before embarking Mariner of the Seas at the beautiful Marina Bay Cruise Terminal. Check in was busy, but very efficient and in no time at all, we were on the pool deck enjoying our buffet lunch and eyeing the hot tubs for later.
The ship, as with most of the Royal Caribbean line, is aimed mainly at the family market - and it did not disappoint. Our sailaway party included cocktails, (and mocktails for the kids - complete with obligatory umbrella), hotdogs and icecreams on the pool deck and the Dreamworks experience with Shrek, Alex the Lion and Kung-Fu panda joining in the festivities. I could have been one of those adults (ahem), singing the tunes and tapping her feet, but I am not going to say..........! The ship offers an enormous pool deck, a basketball court, rock climbing wall, miniature golf course and a video arcade to keep the little tykes more than entertained.
But the opportunities are there for some quiet adult down time too. My husband and I relished our kid -free coffee dates at Cafe Promenade and quiet sundowner cocktails in the Viking Crown Lounge or around the adults only pool - whilst the patient staff at the Adventure Ocean Kids club entertained our energetic youngsters. So enthralled were they at the games and activities offered, they seemed somewhat underwhelmed when I advised we were booked on two shore excursions and would actually have to leave the ship!
Georgetown in Penang was our first off-ship foray, where we discovered the backstreets of this vibrant colonial city from the back of a tri-shaw. Highlights included Khoo Kongsi Temple, cycling through the bustling, fragrant streets of little India and discovering a lane dedicated to nothing but coffee shops and budget hostels (my idea of heaven and hell right there). We had a brief tour of Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a beautifully restored ornate 19th Century Merchant house before continuing to the famous "Blue Mansion". The mansion, commissioned in the late 1800's by Cheong Fatt Ze, a wealthy local merchant, is now a charming guest house, where we stopped for morning tea and an array of sweet Malaysian delicacies.
Our second excursion was into Phuket. We left our magnificent ship behind as we headed for the island beaches by tender, where coaches were waiting to take us to Chalong temple and then onwards to the Elephant Park. Perhaps the one down side to my choices, I thought perhaps it would be a good family outing, but watching monkeys and elephants being domesticated and often chained doesn't sit well with any of us. It was a subdued but beautiful coastal drive skirting Phuket's many bays back to the Mariner, anchored picturesquely in the middle of bay.
That evening, after a much needed mid afternoon lunch (best time to go to the buffet - quiet, relaxed and still plenty of food), and a few hours around the pool, we booked to see the Ice Show Spectacular. Wow! What a superb production. Amazing skating, fabulous costumes and wonderful crowd inter action. My youngest was insistent, thereafter, that she will be an ice skating star when she grows up. Currently, it's a dancer, tomorrow it may be Princess Fiona. Travel inspires imagination in all of us.
Royal Caribbean offer traditional set dining times as well as Anytime Dining aboard some of their ships. We elected to have "anytime" dining so we could choose our preferred evening dining time around the activities we had planned each day. We had a window table most nights, with the same wait staff and were thoroughly spoilt. Getting dressed up for the formal night was a treat - we don't get to do this type of thing very often - and the kids loved it to.
I know I have the kids converted, and my husband may be finding his sea legs slowly. Perhaps not every holiday, but once in a while, to disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other definitely appeals!
If you are new to cruising, the choices you have can seem overwhelming. Cruise lines, ships and itineraries are subtly different in so many ways - from cabins to dining, demographics to decor, entertainment options and ports of call. As part of the CLIA Cruise accreditation, our training greatly assists in matching your requirements to the right ship and itinerary. If you are travelling with the family, a cruise such as this one is amazing, but travelling to Europe for your 40th wedding anniversary - not so much!
So if you are considering a cruise holiday, whether it is your first, second, or tenth - let me help you plan the experience which is perfect for you.