Legend of the Seas Cruising 101- What I Learned From My First Cruise / Day 1: Leaving Singapore

Now that I am on the other side of fifty, I told myself that I would keep on trying new things. Research shows that engaging in new activities helps prevent the onset of Alzheimers and helps keep our brains healthy. I have ridden on camels and eaten frogs. I have climbed a few hills –Petra and the Foothills of the Purple Mountains.  I have even gone on a Mac Tutorial! But all these years, I have not gone on a cruise. Well, an honest to goodness cruise, anyway, not the river cruises that take only a couple of hours. 

I blame my cruise aversion to Hollywood, with its blockbusters such as “Poseidon Adventure” which was the “Titanic” of my generation, and recently, “Life of Pi”. 

But because of my newly minted attitude of trying out new things, my daughter and I went on a South East Asian cruise. It was going to be an adventure for the two of us--- okay, mainly me, because I don’t swim and am prone to motion sickness.  After four nights and five days of bliss both on water and land, we are so glad that we went.

Day 1- Leaving Singapore

Two good omens blessed the trip from the get-go: For one, our ship, Royal Caribbean Cruise’s Legend of the Seas had just been refurbished a few months earlier, and secondly, it would set sail from Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Center,  which opened only late last year.

Legend of the Seas  waiting for us at Marina Bay Cruise Center

 The check-in procedure was smooth as silken tofu.  A porter took our bags the minute we stepped into the airconditioned coolness of the Cruise Center.  In a few minutes, we had our set sail passes and were ushered into the ship. The set sail pass is like an ATM card that serves as a key card for our cabin as well as electronic wallet.

We had lunch at the Windjammer Café, the ship’s casual dining outlet which serves buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The cabins are usually not yet ready when you check in early, so it was good that we carried the bare minimum with us when we boarded the ship. That was Learning No. 1, and so, we were able to roam the ship at leisure.

Windjammer Cafe: Eat red meat and fried food guilt-free! 

Beyond being on a floating hotel with a rock climbing wall, cruising gave us a choice of activities. We could just lounge around at the pools, gazing at the gently lapping waves and the vast, tranquil sky, or actively participate in ship activities.  These activities came in an endless stream. To name a few, there were themed parties, dancing, yoga, and craft classes, trivia games, movies on the humongous outdoor screen, karaoke nights, and for those who are feeling extraordinarily lucky, gaming at Casino Royale. Excited as we were, it was physically impossible for us to join in all of them  we  had to pick our favorites. That’s Learning No. 2- You’ll never get bored on a cruise. You may have an activity overload, so it makes sense to prioritize.

Open Deck with Giant TV Screen, the site of many activities

 We attended the Sail-Away Party at the Poolside where we line- danced amidst the backdrop of the Singapore skyline slowly receding in the horizon.

Sailing away from Singapore. Cranes and the Singapore Flyer

 All that dancing whetted our appetites for dinner at the Romeo and Juliet. A pair of curving staircases  dominated the dining area. Beside the stairs, a pianist played soothing music on a grand piano, while a huge chandelier rained lights on the guests. Nothing could compete though, with the view of the sea at dusk as seen through the wrap- around glass walls.

Romeo and Juliet: Like having a buffet served at your table

 The Miso Pesto Brushed Atlantic Salmon I ordered melted in my mouth in a burst of fresh flavor.  My daughter said that the Slow Roasted Prime Rib she had was succulent and tasty.  Learning No. 3 You can order as many entrees, salads, etc. as you want at R and J. It was like having a buffet served at your table. The variety would not be as wide as the buffet, but the dishes were well chosen.

My dinner- Yummy but too large!

 Cruises are quite well known for the abundance of food. My travel agent told me , “Ma’am, you won’t get hungry on a cruise.” She was right.  Aside from the Windjammer and Romeo and Juliet, there is the Park Café in the Solarium (covered pool) which served snacks round the clock. (There are three specialty restaurants that charge a fee for dining- Chops Grille, Izumi, and Chef’s Table). The Poolside was the place to go for soft serve ice cream. My daughter had a lot of fun not just eating the ice cream but serving it up herself.  For a minute, I was afraid she was going to take orders from the other passengers. This brings me to Learning No. 4- There is nothing more enjoyable than eating red meat, fried food, and decadent sweets without feeling guilty. We  simply said, “We’re on vacation!”

A Carnivore's delight: Slow Roasted Prime Rib

 After dinner, we watched a show at the “That’s Entertainment Theater” which was billed as “Transforming People”. It featured dancers performing high-octane dances while changing costumes at lightning speed.  We had a light snack of cheese pizza at the Solarium before going to bed.

That's Entertainment Theater

 At the end of Day 1, I had one of the best learnings. Learning No. 5- the ship is rock solid. I just took a Bonamine before embarking, and I felt fine throughout the day. Just to illustrate how stable it was: there was not even a hint of movement on the water in my goblet whenever we ate. If someone prone to motion sickness like me could enjoy a cruise, anybody can.

Night night, towel elephant of white

 We went to bed eagerly anticipating our shore excursion to KL. My daughter and I have fond memories of KL.

 Next entry will be on Day 2, with KL Shore Excursion.

An article on the  entire cruise was published in the Lifestyle section of the Business Mirror, May 30, 2013 edition.

Falling In Love Again

Early this year, my beloved Mac died. I mean my Macbook died. It was barely three years old, mostly unused. It was such a sad thing because I loved my Mac. On it, I started wrting personal pieces. I also wrote my first blog on it. And for it to die on me so soon, made me feel betrayed. What had happened? Did I get a lemon? Where is the much vaunted durability of the Mac, which is said to be self-healing? My daughter said it might have been because of the times I forgot to unplug it after charging. Anyway, after grieving, I knew that I had to buy a new one.  I bought a Macbook Air, which is smaller, a lot lighter, but with smaller memory than my old Macbook Pro. I did not know if I would love new Mac as much as old Mac. 

Earlier this week, I went for the free OS X tutorial at Powermac Trinoma. My daughter said it would be good for me to go since it is free, after all.

Three years on a Mac and still you go on a tutorial? You might ask. But the thing is, I just mainly used the Word application on my Mac, and till my retirement last year, I hardly used it. After retirement, my daughter assisted me whenever needed.

My daughter and I usually tell each other that "Papa Steve" has thought of everything, because the features of the Mac and other Apple products like the iPad and iPhone are so cool. This was reinforced during my tutorial when I learned to navigate the desktop , the panel, and the dock for sure. So elementary, you might say, but when it comes to gadgets, I am so easy to impress and please. Joyfully, I discovered that I can have access to a dictionary without being on the internet. Also, that I can transfer pictures and documents wirelessly even from a Blackberry. A lot of you must be laughing at how ignorant I am. My daughter is a bit peeved, because she said she had previously taught me all those things. I guess I paid more attention during the tutorial, because I might be tested afterwards.  

Seriously though, the tutor, Sheila Flores was a very nice young lady. By showing me all the capabilities of the Mac, I found myself falling in love again. And this time, I promise to be vigilant about charging.

Picture with my tutor using photo booth effects