An Enchanted Voyage

A dream fulfilled, a fairy tale in the sea. I had spend most of my life working onboard ship, and it had always been my dream to spend a trip onboard a ship without any work involve. The main concern I had is not about the money, but mainly because of the time itself. I had been very busy with my work all these years and never really got a chance to pursuit the kind of life I really wanted. So it had come to a point where enough is enough, and I had to make a drastic decision to get myself away from my work to pursuit a dream which I had never got a chance to fulfill. My management might hate me for my decision as I am suppose to guide the new Assistance Technical Superintendent on the docking repair of the vessel Avon.

I got a very good wife, a wife which a most men could only dream of. She had been very accommodating with me on my work, and had never complaint even I had never bring her on any oversea trip for more than two years. The last trip we had was a family trip to Vietnam when I left my last company. This trip was the only compensation I could make up to her after all these years where we had been married. So I book for the trip on the internet and apply for my annual leave the next working day when I am back at the office. It was exactly one month before my birthday, and everything seem to fall right into place with the Gala Dinner onboard the cruise ship on the exact day of my birthday.

I always wanted a balcony, but my mom had destroy my dream due to her selfishness when we first renovate our new house thirteen years ago. I was very lucky as the tour agency had inform me that there is only one Ocean View State Room with Balcony left when I book for the cruise. It was a chance not to be miss, and I had made the right decision on the spot without much hesitation. I had never regret that harsh decision as both my wife and me actually enjoy the coming voyage which was so enchanting that we forgot everything we left behind back in Singapore.

The whole package cost S$2,218 for two, with Cabin Fare of S$988, Passenger Handling Charge of S$100 and Fuel Surcharge of S$21 per person. We get to enjoy priority embarkation with complimentary drinks, dinning credit of S$200, special access to SPA facilities and exclusive balcony class seat at the Theater.

Day 1 5th Dec 2010 Sunday

We arrival at 1400 hrs on 5th Dec 2010 at Singapore Cruise Center to check in our baggage, proceed to register for our access card and immigration clearance at Level 2 before we board the vessel. We arrival at our new home at about 1530 hrs and was welcome by the staffs with the complementary drinks at the Grand Piazza at Deck 7. I spend S$128 of dinning credit for a Yellow Label Champagne for the Gala Dinner, and proceed to Deck 11 to leave our bags at our Room 11036.

We were a bit late when we arrive at Lido Theater at 1615 hrs for the booking of Restaurant for the Gala Dinner, both Samurai at Deck 8 (Japanese) and Noble House at Deck 7 (Chinese) were already fully book by the queue number 30 and below, and the queue number we get for our booking is 134. So the next better choice we have is the Western Set Dinner at Bella Vista located at Deck 6. The staffs come and pester us to spend our remain dining credit on another bottle of Canalleto Pinot Grigio (Sparking White Wine) which cost S$50 and Chateau Los Boldos Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Wine) which cost S$39. I had over spend S$17 on top of my S$200 dining credit within an hour onboard the vessel, but at least I got two bottle of wine to bring back after the trip.

It was Afternoon Tea at Mediterranean at Deck 12 at 1630 hrs, then it was Carnival Opening Ceremony at Grand Piazza at Deck 7 at 1745 hrs, Sail Away Party at Parthenon Pool at Deck 12 at 1800 hrs and Ship Tour at Deck 12 Activity Center at 1830 hrs. We have our Dinner at Mediterranean at Deck 12 at 1900 hrs and return back to our Room 11036 at Deck 11 at 1945 hrs to wash up for the evening.


Carnival Opening Ceremony at Grand Piazza at Deck 7 at 1745 hrs

I actually planned for the 2015 hrs Juggling Show at Lido Theater at Deck 7 but my wife had took too much time in her shower and I had to change the plan for the evening to Line Dancing at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 2100 hrs instead. Another S$16 was spend on Cocktail Drink while we were at Galaxy Of The Star. We manage to catch the second Juggling Show at Lido Theater at Deck 7 at 2200 hrs before we call it a day at 2245 hrs.

Day 2 6th Dec 2010 Monday

We woke up the next day morning at 0730 hrs and have our Breakfast at Pavilion at Deck 6 at 0800 hrs. It was Line Dancing with Snowman at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 0930 hrs, Latin Groove at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1000 hrs and S$30,000 Bingo at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1100 hrs. I brought two set of Bingo Ticket at S$30 and get a free Bingo Ticket for Bingo Bonanza on Wednesday Morning, I also brought five Instant Win Ticket at S$20 which give one more free Instant Win Ticket. We did not manage to win the Bingo but we did manage to win S$4 from the Instant Win. We have to go all the way to Oasis Casino to claim the prize money for the Instant Win.

We have our Lunch at Pavilion at Deck 6 at 1200 hrs and prepare for our City and Shopping Tour in Penang at 1430 hrs. The vessel arrive at Penang at 1400 hrs and we gather at Lido Theater at Deck 7 at 1415 hrs for the Tour. The Tour cost S$55 per person and include Trishaw Ride, Wat Chayamankalaram Temple Visit and Shopping at Gurney Plaza. We get to buy some Local Delights at Shop and I spend RM 206 for some coffee, biscuit and medicate oil. We have our light dinner at Gurney Drive Hawker, RM 4 for Fried Kway Teow, RM 6 for Satay and RM 4 for Coconut. I brought a Ocean Blue Sapphire Pendant with Platinum Gold Chain for RM 902 at Gold Heart Jewelry at Gurney Plaza for my wife and I was entitled to 9 Lucky Draw Coupon which give me a chance to win a car.


Wat Chayamankalaram Temple at Penang Island

We arrive back at the vessel at 1930 hrs and have our Dinner at Pavilion at Deck 6 at 2000 hrs before we head back to our Room 11036 to wash up for the evening. We went for the Spotlight Crew Show at Lido Theater at Deck 7 at 2145 hrs and call it a day at 2230 hrs.


Day 3 7th Dec 2010 Tuesday

We woke up late the next day morning at 0730 hrs as my mobile phone had adjust its time to an hour later to match the Thailand Time Zone. We decided to skip breakfast and bring along the biscuit we brought yesterday and gather at Lido Theater at Deck 7 at 0745 hrs for the Elephant Riding Adventure Tour. The Tour cost S$85 per person and include visit to Cashew Nut Factory, Elephant Ride at Adventure Safari, Wat Chalong Thai Temple Visit and Thai Buffet Lunch. I spend 650 Baht for the Elephant Ride Photos, 270 Baht on Cashew Nut, 102 Baht on Tiramisu Chocolate and 800 Baht for a dress and two hand bags for wife. We manage to go for Traditional Thai Massage for Two at Grand Merlini SPA at 1500 Baht at Patong Beach and tips the Therapists 100 Baht each for their excellence services.


Cashew Nut Factory at Phuket Island

We arrive back at the vessel at 1630 hrs and wash up for the evening to prepare for the Gala Dinner that night. The evening started with Fashion Show at Grand Piazza at Deck 7 at 1755 hrs, follow by Gala Cocktails at Bellini at Deck 8 at 1815 hrs. The Gala Dinner started at Bella Vista at Deck 6 at 1845 hrs and we have Baked Escargot and Smoked Salmon and Nori for our appetizer, Ox Tail Broth and Cream Of Mushroom for our soup, Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Seafood Thermidor Style Gratin for our main course and finish with Baked Alaska for our dessert. I got a complimentary birthday cake from Blue Lagoon at Deck 7 and it was delivered to our table 55 at Bella Vista with birthday song from all the staffs there.


Gala Dinner at Bella Vista at Deck 6 at 1845 hrs

It was Gala Show Rasputin at Lido Theater at Deck 7 at 2115 hrs, Juggling Lesson with Terry Parade at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 2200 hrs, Game Show with Cruise Director JM at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 2240 hrs. I brought the Terry Parade DVD for S$25 and we call it a day at 2310 hrs and went back to our Room 11036.

Day 4 8th Dec 2010 Wednesday

We had breakfast at Bella Vista at Deck 6 at 0800 hrs the next day morning and Tinikling Traditional Filipino Bamboo Dance at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1000 hrs. I took part in the Game Show The Weakest Link at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1030 hrs and manage to survive until Round Three before I was eliminated. It was Bingo Bonanza at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1115 hrs after that and Lunch at Bella Vista at Deck 6 at 1200 hrs. We spend S$50 on the Slot Machine at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 after Lunch and my wife actually manage to get the winning to S$65 with three lucky hit. But we did not walk away and decided to finish all the credit while we wait for the S$38,000 Bingo at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1400 hrs.

It was Hip Hop Dance at Galaxy Of The Star at Deck 12 at 1500 hrs and we went back to our Room 11036 to wash up for the day at 1545 hrs and check out at Reception Counter at Deck 7 at 1630 hrs. We had our last dinner at Bella Vista at Deck 6 at 1700 hrs and get off the vessel at 1930 hrs.