Perhaps due to the increased economic conditions of tourists and the ease of access for service providers, cruise tourism is gradually becoming more popular. Even before the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, the number of cross-border cruise tours in Asia had increased significantly, attracting a large number of tourists. As the economic situation stabilized after the global lockdown, this relatively luxurious form of tourism became more widely accepted.
Just about half a year ago, while working as an editor for a domestic travel agency, I also had time to research and produce a number of articles related to Royal Caribbean cruise lines - a fairly famous cruise group from the US. At that time, I did not expect that only half a year later, I would have the opportunity to fully enjoy a Royal Caribbean cruise by myself.
Singapore's Marina Bay.
Maya Beach - Thailand's paradise bay.
Petronas Twin Towers, the symbol of Malaysia.
A mosque in Malaysia.
I am a frequent traveler, but my family is not very keen on traveling during Tet: I have never traveled far with my family at the beginning of the new year. So, this year's spring trip was really special. We departed from Noi Bai to Singapore's Changi Airport at 5am on January 25, the third day of the Lunar New Year. On the first day, my family and I visited Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Observatory, Merlion Park and experienced the MRT subway system. When you travel with your family, especially when you have children with you, such "classic" places are actually a safe choice. We stayed in Singapore for one night before departing to the port at noon the next day to check in.
The “main character” of the spring cruise is Spectrum of the Seas, one of the newest members of Royal Caribbean’s Ultra Quantum line. The giant, 16-story ship is introduced as a “majestic castle in the middle of the ocean”. As a castle, not everyone can enter: we went through an “entry” process that lasted more than an hour, with checks more thorough than customs procedures.
Royal Caribbean's Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship.
A corner on the yacht.
According to the itinerary, the ship will dock once a day, at three different locations in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand respectively. So, this is a rather interesting type of resort, allowing tourists to enjoy the cruise service while exploring three typical tourist countries of Southeast Asia. But I think, tourists who are too familiar with these countries can completely stay on the ship for the whole journey and still find it "worth the money".
Officially launched in 2019 and being Royal Caribbean's pioneer super cruise ship targeting the Asian market, Spectrum of the Seas can accommodate up to a thousand people. On my last trip, this giant carried more than 4,000 passengers, not counting the crew, service staff and performers. Except for the 4 cabin floors, from the 2nd to the 16th floor are all the popular entertainment and body-mind care services. My family found bars, theaters, casinos, cafes, duty-free shops, Asian and European restaurants, etc. Along with that are massage areas, yoga studios, outdoor swimming pools, surfing areas, artificial rock climbing, etc. The first few days were not familiar, everyone got lost, because the space was extremely large and the difficult thing was that there was no internet here. None of us bought a private wifi package on the ship, because the price was up to 600,000 VND/day and the connection speed was only equivalent to 2G network. Most of us split up to explore on our own, using the Royal Caribbean application installed on our phones to update the detailed itinerary and upcoming programs.
The program "Showgirl: Past - Present - Future", the performance of the theme of the Past.
Contortionist act in the "Silk Road" art performance program.
One of the services that impressed me the most were the art shows. With many intriguing themes such as “Silk Road”, “Showgirl: Past - Present - Future”, “Bollywood Symphony”…, they opened up a world of sound and light so amazing that I honestly thought I was sitting in La Scala theater in Italy and not on a ship drifting in the middle of the ocean. These shows were usually held after dinner, when the tourists had returned to the ship and had time to rest after a day of exploring on land.
Another thing I noticed was that most Vietnamese and Chinese tourists were in groups and had tour guides. In contrast, tourists from Europe, America and India often showed up alone or with small children. This difference in travel culture was evident during the main meals, where large tables in the middle of the restaurant were often reserved for large groups, while seats by the window overlooking the sea were the choice of solo travelers.
A cabin on the Spectrum of the Seas.
Outdoor corridor leading to artificial climbing area.
Indoor sky-diving game on the top deck of the ship.
With prices ranging from $300 - $1,000 for a week-long cruise, I can understand why this type of cruise is quite sought after. I agree that this is a worthwhile experience, because until the time we returned, my family still had nothing to complain about the quality of service on the ship (except that the food may not be to the taste of many Vietnamese people).
Especially at the end of this article, I would like to sincerely thank all the ship staff who served and supported my family throughout the trip. I have never once had any complaints about anything in their service attitude - extremely friendly people who made my friends and made my trip especially enjoyable, people that everyone deserves to meet and talk to once in their life, especially at the beginning of a new year full of hope.
If I hadn’t experienced it myself, I would probably still think that cruising is such a stylish and luxurious way to travel. After a week of cruising along the Strait of Malacca from Singapore to Malaysia and then Thailand, I realized why this “traveling hobby” is so attractive. This is truly a miniature city on the sea. Not only because of the modern architecture or luxurious entertainment venues, but because each “citizen” who lives here – the people who work at sea every day and only get to go ashore once a year – has a story waiting for you to discover.
