Mariner of the Seas From Singapore 10/22/15- Complete Picture Review!

[gapearl]

Since I didn't have anything big planned for today and wasn't in a hurry to get off the ship, I woke up early and hit the gym for an hour to try to start losing this cruise weight I've already gained. The plan was to walk around town for a while and then take a taxi to Batu Ferringhi for the beach. It was 11 am when I got off the ship. As soon as I was out on the sidewalk, I was immediately accosted by swarms of taxi drivers wanting to offer me tours or to take me somewhere. Think Nassau times 3. I don't think I've ever seen taxi drivers this aggressive. I told them all no but they were relentless. I asked where I could find wifi, and they said they'd drive me to it. I said I just wanted to walk around, and they tried to discourage me from doing that by saying there's nothing to see here. There's a fort across the street and one guy even followed me over there trying to catch me as I was leaving, asking me if I was ready, and came to me 10 minutes later down the road when I was sitting looking at a map. There's no way in hell I'm getting in a car with someone that's harassing me THAT much. As I continued on down the street, I met a very nice, quiet, sweet older man that offered me a ride later with no pressure. I said I'm be back for him.

 

Some pictures from the immediate port area. Penang port has no free wifi. :(

 

 

There's the haze again. *sigh*

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

I walked down a few streets but there really wasn't much close by to see. Penang does have some points of interest, but you just can't get there on foot. It's best to have a driver. I unknowingly wandered into the Little India of Penang. Some of the shops were playing some Indian rock and roll and it was really tempting me to go in and buy something lol.

 

More from around Penang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

I found this little food cart and stopped for a quick snack of something called roti jala, which translated means net bread.

 

 

 

 

My order of jala with sugar on top and a side of curry sauce. The salty and the sweet combined on the bread was really good!

 

 

Pictures with a few local guys.

 

 

[Iluvcruising2]

Awesome review. Please keep going.

[gapearl]

You could get your fortune told by the bird.

 

 

He would come out of his cage and pick a tarot card from the stack.

 

 

 

Down in Little India.

 

 

 

After half an hour, I'd had enough and was ready to hit the beach. I found the driver I said I was going to come back for, but I was disappointed when I saw his car. It was a very old car in bad shape, like a car that was probably almost as old as me, no lie. I got in, but my gut was telling me to get out and I did before I could close the door. Always trust your gut! I think I offended him when I got out, but I really didn't mean to. I just didn't feel comfortable with his car. Plus it wasn't an official Penang taxi. As it turns out, probably half of the drivers here are in their own personal vehicles that are NOT authorized taxis. I walked around until I found a real taxi driver in a real taxi and asked him for a ride. He told me I did the right thing by not taking a ride from the other man. These unauthorized drivers seem to have a lot of issues. Make sure you only get in one of these red cars. They are the only real taxis in Penang.

 

Here you can see all the drivers waiting at the port exit. The official taxis all look like the red car on the right.

 

[gapearl]

My driver and I negotiated 45 ringgits each way, or about $22 round trip. I can't remember my driver's name but he was a very nice man. When he asked where I was from and I said the US, he was like Obama! Now let's not start a political war here. I could care less how much you love him or hate him. This was a very common response my entire trip when I said I was from the US. My only point here is that people all over the world are fascinated with American politics and they asked questions about some of the current candidates as well. I was like I feel bad cause I don't have a clue who your leader is here. Our drive was 30 minutes, and we continued talking about how different the culture of Malaysia is to mine. Arranged marriages are still commonplace and he is the product of one himself. He has 3 children and wants to find his 17 year old son a wife when he's 23, the same age as when he got married. His kids have to stay home until they marry, unless they go away to college. I asked what if his daughter was 20 and wanted to leave home and get an apartment with another female friend? Oh NOOOOOO, they'd get into too much trouble! LOL

 

When we made it to Batu Ferringhi, I thought he was going to drop me off and tell me what time to be back. Imagine my surprise when he started walking towards the beach with me! He stuck right by my side and jokingly said he'll be my bodyguard. He really meant no harm and I would have felt so bad about telling him to leave me alone and go away. Sigh, I guess I'll just have to deal with it. I wasn't planning to be here long anyways.

 

 

 

 

Against my better judgment, I couldn't help but cuddle with this little kitty for a few minutes. I'm very allergic to cats. It was all good. I had my inhaler if I needed it, which I didn't. haha

 

 

They were trying to get me to bring one home with me.

 

 

The Holiday Inn beach resort.

 

[gapearl]

There were jet skis for rent as well as parasailing, plus a few restaurants and a Starbucks with free wifi (if you buy a drink, need a code).

 

 

 

 

 

[gapearl]

More pictures from Batu Ferringhi Beach.

 

 

Taken with my selfie stick. LOL

 

 

 

I got a 30 minute massage from this place for a whopping $8.

 

 

 

My view during my massage.

 

[gapearl]

I stayed at the beach for 2 hours before heading back to the ship. One last view....

 

 

I saw another food cart with some fresh corn on the cob. She hooked it up with butter, salt and pepper, and it was less than a dollar. This would be the last time I'd get to indulge in corn on the cob for a while as I would be getting braces once back home, so I enjoyed every single bite. Yes you read that right folks. I'm a brace face now for a year. I'm on day 4 with these dreadful things and the struggle is real! :eek:

 

 

It was deeeeee-licious.

 

 

[gapearl]

It started to rain as soon as I got back to the port. In addition to his fee and a tip, I also gave my driver $1. He kept a US dollar that someone gave him in his car for good luck, so I gave him another one for more good luck. He was so thankful and really appreciated that. It's amazing how something so little to us can mean so much to someone else.

 

Once back on board, I headed to the Crown & Anchor Appreciation Event, aka the past guest party.

 

 

As you can see, the room was packed. One of the bands provided a little music and there was some dancing. It was a nice atmosphere.

 

 

Screwdrivers, rum punches, and champagne were flowing very freely.

 

 

The officers were present to say some hellos.

 

 

I might have had a glass orrrrr....5.

 

 

Towards the end I asked one of the servers if I could get a glass of orange juice. Look what I made!

 

[gapearl]

After the party I went to the Solarium and sat in the hot tub for a while. It was late when I left there so I decided to skip the dining room tonight for the Windjammer. At 10:30 pm there was the 70's party along the promenade. I tried to watch from my room, but I was too far down to have a good view so I went down for a few minutes.

 

I took this one from my room.

 

 

Lots of people came out for some 70's music and dancing.

 

 

 

I don't go the movies as much as I used to, so I went to the screening room at 11 pm to catch tonight's showing of Magic Mike XXL. They showed a movie in here every night. The room started out full, but it didn't take long after the movie started for the crowd to thin out. I honestly don't think some people knew what it was about, especially the middle aged men in there. :p An older lady sitting next to me with her family fell asleep. I felt bad for her. She totally missed the how much for the Cheetos and water scene. I wanted to shake her awake, like lady wake up and look at Channing! :D I went to the Dragon's Lair after for a drink (don't order the cherry sangria, it's gross) and left after about an hour.

 

 

Langkawi, Malaysia, the most beautiful place I have ever seen is next. Again I want to say thanks to all for reading!

[mykindaparty]

Ok Ms. Kim, I have officially put you in charge of shore excursions on our vista cruise!!! How about tandem parasailing, hubby too chicken to try lol. Also when it gets closer we can link our rooms for dinner so if you want you can eat with us we usually eat later and sometimes we have so much fun talking with others at our table the wait staff is like " could y'all leave" lol we are heading out on elation dec 12 th, then we have 11 day journey April 2 ( we both will turn 45 on this one ) and then the vista. Loving your review as always and look for you every time I fly thru Atl. Especially since my sister lives in Germany now and that's the big d hub for direct flights. Don't feel bad, i don't drink tea either ( must be a Memphis thang).

[gapearl]

Kim,

 

Malaysia looks like a very diverse country. The Batu Caves in Port Klang look very interesting, and Kuala Lampur looks like a beautiful city. The monkeys are so adorable!

 

I am loving the cultural immersion in this review. In previous reviews I remember talking about how much I loved Asia and how I wished you the best when cruising there, and that I hoped you would take it all in and enjoy every minute of it. Looks like you did! :D Thanks so much again for the opportunity to relive some old memories, as well as see new places to go on my bucket list, through your camera lens! FANTASTIC review Kim, this is slowly beginning to be my favorite ;)

 

I'm so glad you're enjoying this long novel of mine! It's fun to relive this trip all over again. :D

 

This review is awesome!

 

It's too bad about your table mates dipping-out on you. That's kind-of rude, no?

 

Stinks about the haze, but you're certainly making the best of it.

 

I really didn't think it was rude as our meals were over. It's just nice to have table mates that might wanna stick around and chat for a while. That's what I've gotten used to. :(

[gapearl]

....

 

never mind

 

carry on

 

Not sure what I missed here. :confused:

 

I am enjoying this. Been on the Mariner and met a very nice couple. Back in 2010. Still communicate with them and went on another cruise with them. You never know who you may get to know.

 

It's true that you can meet lifelong friends when cruising. I've also met some great people that I still keep in touch with as well years later.

[gapearl]

Royal Caribbean do allow 2 bottles of wine even from Singapore. we were on the Explorer that sailed on 3 November.

 

That's good to know! I wonder if the sign was just to scare people from bringing on bottles of liquor and beer then. :confused:

 

Awesome review. Please keep going.

 

I'm just noticing your picture. It has so much more meaning now that I've been to Singapore. lol ;)

[gapearl]

Ok Ms. Kim, I have officially put you in charge of shore excursions on our vista cruise!!! How about tandem parasailing, hubby too chicken to try lol. Also when it gets closer we can link our rooms for dinner so if you want you can eat with us we usually eat later and sometimes we have so much fun talking with others at our table the wait staff is like " could y'all leave" lol we are heading out on elation dec 12 th, then we have 11 day journey April 2 ( we both will turn 45 on this one ) and then the vista. Loving your review as always and look for you every time I fly thru Atl. Especially since my sister lives in Germany now and that's the big d hub for direct flights. Don't feel bad, i don't drink tea either ( must be a Memphis thang).

 

I guess I should have clarified that I didn't do the jet ski or the parasailing, but I just took pictures of others that did. LOL I was cheap and didn't want to spend the money on it. I only have the Pride and Vista booked for late next year. My next mini trip in February will be wherever I can go for free on my hotel points since I'm vacation poor now and planning to leave Atlanta next year.

 

I'm not based in ATL and honestly rarely fly through there. That's the nature of the industry. You're not necessarily based where you live. A very large majority of crew members are based in cities different than where they get their mail, which is why I say don't make assumptions that it's that one based only on where I live, because there's a HIGH PROBABILITY that you might have made an incorrect guess. You could honestly spot me in any airport. I still refuse to name my company on CC, but we can talk about it over a drink on Vista. :D

Edited November 15, 2015 by gapearl

[kelkel2]

I'm totally hooked on your adventure! I keep checking back for more more more!!!

 

I totally get you not wanting to mention your company on cc, but when o fly, I always look for you. Unfortunately, I always fly out of Chicago so I'll likely never see you my dear :(

[lalenalei]

Seeing all of this is incredibly helpful in determining what to do. Thank you! I also love being immersed in different cultures. Zaidi has confirmed our dates, so thank you for that, too!

 

Can't wait to see Langkawi!

[sailthe7seas]

Correction: Trash are collected EVERY DAY in Singapore. Another reason why its super clean! :)

 

Singapore- Day 4

 

I had been going and going nonstop for the last few days, so today would be my day to relax under the sun and work on my tan, since I'm so pale. :p One of the reasons I love staying in residential areas when I travel is because I love immersing myself in the local culture and observing every day life. Today was garbage pickup day. The trash collectors in Singapore work hard! They have to physically pick up the can and dump it themselves. The cans are smaller, about half the size of what we have in the US, but still that's a lot of work.

]

[solorizor]

I get really excited when I find your reviews!!! Do you get this way with anybody's reviews?

[Virtopia]

So glad I found this review! You do such an amazing job.

 

I'm doing my bucket list trip next year which includes a 10 night Greece cruise plus stops in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. You are making me want to do some big hotel splurges as well so I've upped my budget! LOL I also will start using Trip Advisor to aid in my planning.

 

Looking forward to going through the rest of this review!

[anewmac]

The string bread looked really good.

 

The promenade looks like a good time.. Dying about the lady falling asleep thru Magic Mike.. poor gal doesnt know what she missed out on.

[gapearl]

I'm totally hooked on your adventure! I keep checking back for more more more!!!

 

I totally get you not wanting to mention your company on cc, but when o fly, I always look for you. Unfortunately, I always fly out of Chicago so I'll likely never see you my dear :(

 

I just flew through Chicago yesterday. :) Again you could spot me anywhere. I fly to and through many, many airports. I should have the next installment done tonight.

 

Seeing all of this is incredibly helpful in determining what to do. Thank you! I also love being immersed in different cultures. Zaidi has confirmed our dates, so thank you for that, too!

 

Can't wait to see Langkawi!

 

I'm so excited that y'all have him booked! OMG you're going to have a fabulous day. If you don't do a review, shoot me an inbox when you get back and tell me how your day went. My email address is in my signature. :)

[gapearl]

Correction: Trash are collected EVERY DAY in Singapore. Another reason why its super clean! :)

 

Every day? I didn't know that! Yes Singapore is super clean!

 

I get really excited when I find your reviews!!! Do you get this way with anybody's reviews?

 

Oh absolutely! I love reading reviews as much as i love writing them. There are some really good review writers on CC.

[gapearl]

So glad I found this review! You do such an amazing job.

 

I'm doing my bucket list trip next year which includes a 10 night Greece cruise plus stops in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan. You are making me want to do some big hotel splurges as well so I've upped my budget! LOL I also will start using Trip Advisor to aid in my planning.

 

Looking forward to going through the rest of this review!

 

Thanks so much girl! That sounds like a pretty awesome cruise you have coming up. I'd love to do the Mediterranean again and see Greece, Croatia, and the eastern side of Italy. Trip Advisor will become your best friend. I use it to plan everything.

 

The string bread looked really good.

 

The promenade looks like a good time.. Dying about the lady falling asleep thru Magic Mike.. poor gal doesnt know what she missed out on.

 

I have some good pictures coming up of the promenade from the parade coming up later. Yeah she missed out didn't she. LOL :D