LIVE from the Ocean Princess - 28 days from Rome to Singapore 10/15 - 11/12/2011

[cibaygirls]

I just wanted to join the "thanks" brigade to everyone who made this post so interesting. It was great to be a part of your voyage!!

[Bucky3]

Wayne - We have enjoyed all of your additions to this thread and look forward to cruising on (from home!) with you. Thanks for letting us tag along!

[Dorinda]

We always enjoy knowing where our cruise buddies are and what they are up to! Donna - enjoy Singapore and we hope you have a safe and easy flight home. Pia - enjoy the rest of the cruise!

 

Cheers - Dee

[cwn]

Thank you all for the sharing your trip on my all time favorite ship!

 

Pia and Wayne hope you all will continue with your reports, it is great fun to follow along.

 

Happy travels!

[icat2000]

Thanks to Pia, Donna and Wayne for taking us along with your cruise journey.

[regnig]

Golly gee wiz, my cruise is over. ;)

 

Many thanks Pia, Donna and Wayne for letting us sail with you. Your reports made is feel as if we were really passengers. And of course a special BIG thanks to David for providing the web shots and maps. It always helps to see just where you have been and to where you are headed.

 

Barb

[earljr]

Thanks Pia, Wayne, and cruise pal Donna for your posts.

Earl

[JohnLauben]

Let me re-iterate ... thank you for posting your experiences and thoughts concerning this marvelous itinerary. Brought back memories of the reverse cruise back in the April-May time frame. Enjoy Singapore ... it is an amazing city (don't miss the Night Safari if you like zoos). Safe travels and a safe trip home.

[Pia1913]

Very LIVE from Singapore at 7:00 AM Saturday morning. No copy and paste today and just a few minutes remaining. Ship is just now docking and I still need to pack my wheelie. We have a very long 2 days ahead; our flight to Athens is not until 1:00 AM Sunday. We will become very well aquainted with Changi airport. We did book a shorex which drops us at the airport at 1:00 PM, so that takes care of about 5 hours. Then only 12 hours to hang around. I like airports anyway,

 

Again, thank you all for participating and making this thread a most enjoyable one. See you in Athens. :D

[Aussie Gal]

Pia,

 

There is a hotel at Changi where you can freshen up and just spend a few hours there if you like. Besides the Crowne Plaza which is expensive there are the Ambassador Hotels which are very cheap. Here is the link to the webpage: http://www.harilelahospitality.com/transit_hotel.html and here is the link to the prices:

http://www.harilelahospitality.com/transit_hotel_reservation.html

 

Remember it is in Singapore dollars so it will be much cheaper in U.S dollars. It is well worth looking at whilst you are at the airport. It is a beautiful airport but 12 hours is far too long to wait around. I know I would be looking for a place to have a shower and lie down for a few hours. Also, there isn't lot to eat there besides Burger King and a couple of other places. I know we had 3 hours to fill in a couple of weeks ago and I felt like something wholesome and couldn't find anything.

 

Jennie

[lovevacadays]

Thanks Pia for taking us along. I'm looking forward to your next installment.

 

Thanks also Donna and have a safe journey home.

[paul929207]

Pia,

If you don't get a hotel like Jennie suggested, how about one of the airport lounges. For 12 hours, I think they are a bargain.

[caribill]

Thanks Pia, Wayne, and cruise pal Donna for your posts.

 

And all of us who have followed these posts should be awarded a cruise credit by Princess.

[Pia1913]

OK. So give me a computer and I can't keep my fingers away from CC. Fear not Jennie and Paul, we are safely ensconced in the Emirates Lounge at Changi. The 12 hours will fly by if we stay awake. We are flying Business Class so all is well. We just had a light lunch and will now circumnavigate the airport shops for a while.

 

 

We left the ship shortly after 8 and didn't arrive here until one-ish. We took the post cruise Discover Singapore tour; $99/pp and well worth it. Not only did we kill 5 hours, but it was fun too and included the airport drop for which Princess was charging $34/pp for transport only. Our bus was beautiful and we were only 18 passengers in very comfy seating. We started at the Botanical Gardens with a magnificent orchid garden too. After that we spent some time in Chinatown; poking around on our own and shopping a bit too. Then we proceeded to the Singapore river for a cruise in a small boat, passing many restaurants, hotels and skyscrapers. Some very interesting architecture. It started to pour just after we got off the boat and our tour guide went back to the bus and returned with large umbrellas for all of us. Afterwards we went to Raffles Hotel and to the famous Long Bar for drinks and snacks. On your own, of course. A few did in fact have drinks; we did not. The prices are astronomical. A drink is 25 Singapore dollars which translates to approx. $21. There is no drink in my world worth that kind of $$$. Following this was a drive thru Little India before arrival at Changi airport.

 

 

Now saying goodbye again; time to investigate our surroundings.

[icat2000]

Ahhh the famous Singapore Sling rip-off at Raffles.

[Aussie Gal]

Pia,

 

So glad that you are in Emirates Lounge, at least you will be comfortable and can have a shower if you need one. Also, lots of good things to eat and drink!

 

Your tour sounded great, we have been to Singapore so many times since 1977 that I have lost count. It is a vastly different city to the one we first saw, with open drains, lots of shop houses and very few high buildings. In fact, Raffles was opposite the sea. I know it is hard to believe but over the years the Government has reclaimed so much of the water that it is now a few kms to the sea from Raffles.

 

Enjoy Changi, it is the best airport in the world and we always enjoy landing there.

 

Jennie

[Waynetor]

Today is turn around day on the Ocean Princess for many passengers as well as staff. The new captain does not speak English well. We were up at 7am and the buffet was not too busy. From there we went down to the Cabaret Lounge. Princess had 2 tours for those staying on to Sydney and 1 for those wanting a tour that ends at the airport.

Before going on the tour we had to go through a quick customs although one agent did spend several minutes with one passenger before letting her go on.

The first stop on the tour was the highest point in the city. We were able to use a path to wheel up to the mid point but there were about 25 steps to the top so my wife did not go up. The view was quite good but a bit hazy and the trees in the park blocked much of it. From there we toured parts of the city before going to the Singapore Botanical Garden. Within the BG is an Orchid Garden ($5 dollar admin included in tour). We had 45 minutes to go around this beautiful garden, but could easily of used double that. Orchids and trees represent the majority of plants but there were lots of others along with fountains and waterfalls. Considering the size of Singapore and value of land these two properties are really special here. The garden is a bit hilly but has excellent paved paths. It was feeling quite humid and we were quite glad it was cloudy. From there we did more of the city tour. It started to pour rain very heavy which washed out our plan to walk around China Town for a bit. It is now scheduled sailaway time and it has not stopped except for a short time. There was thunder and lightening for about and hour. The sailaway party has been moved up to the Tahitian Lounge. We are there now and there are only about 20 people.

Getting on board again for the returning passengers was quick - a customs inspection, a screening, and had in our passports. I could see the check in area when we boarded at 1 PM and there was no line.

Taking a quick look around the ship the new passengers seem to fit roughly the same demographics as those that departed today.

As I am about to post this they just annouced our departure is pushed back to 6:30 from 5 due to we needed to do a mandatory hull inspection as well as a bunkering operation whcih could not be done at the same time.

[lovevacadays]

Today is turn around day on the Ocean Princess for many passengers as well as staff. The new captain does not speak English well. We were up at 7am and the buffet was not too busy. From there we went down to the Cabaret Lounge. Princess had 2 tours for those staying on to Sydney and 1 for those wanting a tour that ends at the airport.

Before going on the tour we had to go through a quick customs although one agent did spend several minutes with one passenger before letting her go on.

The first stop on the tour was the highest point in the city. We were able to use a path to wheel up to the mid point but there were about 25 steps to the top so my wife did not go up. The view was quite good but a bit hazy and the trees in the park blocked much of it. From there we toured parts of the city before going to the Singapore Botanical Garden. Within the BG is an Orchid Garden ($5 dollar admin included in tour). We had 45 minutes to go around this beautiful garden, but could easily of used double that. Orchids and trees represent the majority of plants but there were lots of others along with fountains and waterfalls. Considering the size of Singapore and value of land these two properties are really special here. The garden is a bit hilly but has excellent paved paths. It was feeling quite humid and we were quite glad it was cloudy. From there we did more of the city tour. It started to pour rain very heavy which washed out our plan to walk around China Town for a bit. It is now scheduled sailaway time and it has not stopped except for a short time. There was thunder and lightening for about and hour. The sailaway party has been moved up to the Tahitian Lounge. We are there now and there are only about 20 people.

Getting on board again for the returning passengers was quick - a customs inspection, a screening, and had in our passports. I could see the check in area when we boarded at 1 PM and there was no line.

Taking a quick look around the ship the new passengers seem to fit roughly the same demographics as those that departed today.

As I am about to post this they just annouced our departure is pushed back to 6:30 from 5 due to we needed to do a mandatory hull inspection as well as a bunkering operation whcih could not be done at the same time.

 

Enjoy the next leg of your journey.:)

[paul929207]

Glad you found a lounge. They sure are nice when you have a long layover (and even a short one).

[Murrumbeena]

Just want to add my thanks for the great Posts have enjoyed cruising with you.

[Pia1913]

Hello from the Marriott in Athens. Just checked in and exhausted from flying for a zillion hours. Will see you on the Pacific in a few days. I will leave this thread now for Wayne to continue if he so desires.

[cnd crsr]

Have enjoyed reading this journey, brought back lots of great memories. Looking forward to your adventures on the Pacific Princess:)

[ibfern]

Hello from the Marriott in Athens. Just checked in and exhausted from flying for a zillion hours. Will see you on the Pacific in a few days. I will leave this thread now for Wayne to continue if he so desires.

 

Glad you are safe and sound in Athens!

 

Thanks again for everybody who contributed to this thread for such an entertaining and educational experience!

[Waynetor]

A couple more points to add from our tour of Singapore. In the downtown core there are several large electronic signs with the names of the main parking lots plus a digital read out of the available number of parking spaces. We were there on a Saturday and each lot had spaces but on a weekday I would expect them to be busier – this system sounds like it could be very helpful at times. There were several very large fake Christmas trees already up as well as decorations on some streets. Like other cities have done, Singapore has painted statues of animals all over as a temporary art display. Singapore is using elephants for their display (not too large). I’ve seen similar in Valparaiso with cows and Toronto with moose.

One correction from yesterday – Princess did offer 3 tours, not the2 that I said before for those staying on.

We ended up departing Singapore just after 8 PM, three hours late but are told this will not affect our arrival in Thailand on Monday.

Six of the 8 people at our dinner table have stayed on from the previous cruise. Instead of adding 2 new people they have changed the same table to a set up of 6.

The evening welcome aboard show was standard – production show dance, a talk by the new CD, a half hour by a very funny singer/comedian from Wisconsin and then another dance number.

Today we went back in time 1 hour which I am sure was very welcome to those that flew long flights to get to Singapore in the last couple days. Today’s weather has been mostly cloudy with 2 showers that lasted about 15 minutes each. For most of the morning and early afternoon we were only a few mles off the shore of Malaysia.

Besides the new CD and new captain there is a new piano player in the casino lounge, a new keyboard/pianist for the Princess show band, one of the 2 duos that sing in various locations around the ship has changed and we have a new Jr. assistant CD. I believe the other senior staff have not changed.

The morning trivia was very well attended. The questions were tough – 4 teams tied at 13. It took 6 tie breakers to eliminate 1 team and then we guessed the new Jr. assistant CD age – answers were 26, 27 and 28 with 27 correct. The afternoon trivia also resulted in a 4 way tie, this time at 16.

Tonight there is a full moon and the sea is full of very small fishing boats with very bright lights – they are catching squid.

[paul929207]

Wayne,

Thanks for continuing the thread.

Who is the new Captain?