The Royal Caribbean 'Cruise to Nowhere' Experience


December 2020 - Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas



With destinations on mind and flights booked, there was only one big hindrance - the pandemic! For all avid travelers like me, this year has indeed put a halt on all the wishful travel plans I have set. So when the opportunity arose to travel through the high seas instead of the open air, I said yes to the invitation.

After several months of being put on hold for operation due to the pandemic, the Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas has set sail from Singapore to 'nowhere' on December 1st. This is the cruise line's first attempt to resume sailing back to operations.

This was my first cruise experience so I didn't know what to expect. I have always wanted to try it although with a destination port and not during the pandemic would have been preferable, still it was a good experience.

I have been thrown a lot of questions about this cruise experience so here are more information about it:


WHAT ARE THE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES OBSERVED?


1. Only 50% of the guest capacity were given the chance to board. There were only about 1,100 guests which makes the cruise experience almost exclusive as it is less crowded compared to its normal operation with full guest capacity on board.


2. Only Singapore residents were allowed to board. Singapore's local community cases are very low which all the more makes it one of the safest place in Southeast Asia (at least in my opinion).


3. All guests were required to do a PCR test 72 hours before boarding. If you were found positive on the test, your companions on the trip won't be allowed to board too. Please check for the refund conditions posted on their website. 

A rapid antigen test is conducted as soon as guests arrive back in Singapore. Both tests were covered by the cruise line. 


4. Social distancing, sanitation, safety measures are STRICTLY observed on board.


"SORRY, I'm taken" signs in places not allowed to be occupied.


Markers to indicate where to stand.
There were a lot of staff to marshal people to keep 
a safe distance of 1 meter from each other.



Sign to indicate which places you can occupy.


Sanitation points at each entrance of every places. You are not 
allowed to enter the premises unless you have sanitised your hands.
Temperature of each guests are taken too.


A crew actively cleaning and sanitising public surfaces
 that people touch.


5. All guests were required to wear masks at all times. Each room is provided with masks and a bottle of hand sanitiser too. For contact tracing, all guests were asked to check in on premises using the room key card, wear the trace together wristlet and have the trace together app installed on their mobile phones. 


Room Key Card and the TraceTogether Wristband 

6. Some entrance and exit points are closed. The flow of where people will enter and exit the premises are controlled. 


WHAT CAN YOU DO ON BOARD?

Apart from indulging on a wide selection of food, guests can entertain themselves by watching shows on the theatre, go to the gym or go for a run on the outdoor running track on the upper deck, swim, play at the casino, shop, do outdoor wall climbing, experience i-Fly, go for a massage, ride bump cars, go for some classes, join trivia night games, listen to live music - there are a lot to do on board and no chance for you to get bored. If nothing on the "few" above mentioned activities excites you, you can just enjoy the view of the sea from your room balcony or from the deck. (Tip: Book the balcony room!).

My favorite spot was the Solarium indoor pool.

The North Star


100-meters-above-sea-level-view of the ship from the North Star.




At our room's balcony


A must try: Fifteen-course degustation dinner at The Wonderland.
This must be booked prior boarding and not included in the room rate price.




Dancers at the Royal Theatre wearing masks too




                  

(L) Most of the activities must be booked from the Royal Caribbean app on your phone. Slots and number of people allowed on some of the activities are limited too and were done in batches. (i.e. Theatre shows, North Star)

(R) Cruise Information for the day is displayed on the screen near the lifts.


HOW MUCH IS THE COST?

Since this was a promotion and the first sail date for Royal Caribbean, we managed to get a good deal of about SGD 500+ per person (2 persons sharing a balcony room) for 3 days and 2 nights. The cost* includes meals, complimentary drinks of water, tea and coffee, entertainment shows and the PCR and rapid antigen tests. Please check their website for more accurate pricing and sailing date information.

*This doesn't include some of the restaurants, activities (like i-FLY), massage, classes, liquor and internet. 



The Balcony Room


HOW IS THE SERVICE?

If I were to rate it, I will give them a 10/10. All staff were friendly and very attentive to each guest's needs. They were all smiles, polite and just excited to be back to work again after a long period of time. The whole check-in/check-out process was very smooth, fast and well organised. Most importantly, the utmost preparedness and implementation of the safety measures the team has put into was very impressive.


CAN YOU FEEL THE WAVES ON BOARD?

Yes, sometimes. So if you are sensitive and get easily nauseated by such, please do bring medicines with you. Be on the look out for some dolphins too! We saw a bunch of them happily jumping and cruising with us!


WHERE IS THE CRUISE GOING?

NOWHERE! There will be no port of destination so you will only be floating around the sea for three days. 


IS IT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED?

Absolutely! Especially to those who haven't experienced what it's like to be on a cruise but ONLY if you are willing to take the risk. Being one of the few people to have had a first-hand experience to go on a cruise amidst the pandemic, I cannot guarantee that you won't get infected. So please go at your own risk.  I probably share the same sentiment as with the other people who just really want to travel again even if it means just being out in the open sea. 


*DISCLAIMER: This post is a personal blog based from my experience of the Royal Caribbean's Cruise to Nowhere on December 1, 2020. This is not, in any form, related or sponsored by Royal Caribbean.

All photos posted on this blog are mine.

Qarla

Only One in Taiwan

June 2018 - Yehliu Geopark, Taiwan

What is it with solo traveling that makes people uncomfortable? The idea of it repulses most people, let alone doing it on special occasions of their lives (i.e. Birthdays, Christmas, New Year's, etc.) 

Back in 2015, I greeted Christmas Day up on a hot air balloon in Myanmar. I wasn't technically traveling solo, I was with Burmese friends (but they don't really celebrate Christmas and I did the hot air balloon without them) so I'd like to think I was still alone celebrating Christmas.


Sunrise at Bagan on Christmas Day 2015

 After that, I went to Chiang Mai to celebrate New Year's. I have met a few fellow travellers who accompanied me on that evening.
Lantern release for the New Year's 2016 at Chiang Mai 

Still on my list was to travel solo on my birthday. I really didn't make a big deal out of it. It's been several years since I traveled solo (Chiang Mai, 2015) and for me, it will be just another adventure that happens to fall on my birthday.


As June was fast approaching, I really didn't have any particular destination in mind. I just want to travel solo for a week where my birthday falls. I chose Taiwan for I have never been there before and they have granted Philippine passport holders free visa entry for 14 days. 



Taiwan isn't that complicated to travel solo. Having lived in Hong Kong and Singapore, the likeness of these big Asian cities are somewhat comparable to Taipei. It's safe, easy to get around to, Metro and transport system are really good and Uber works there so the chances of getting lost are very highly unlikely.
Ximen Station - one of busiest Metro stations in Taipei.
Since I had a week to explore it, I mostly did all the touristy things there is to do in Taipei. All of these are doable alone and it wouldn't hurt to sign up for some of the tours (like KKday and Klook) for merely the convenience of reaching those places outside of Taipei.



#1 - Taipei 101


#2 - Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall


#3 - The Martian looking landscape of Yehliu Geopark


#4 - Brief stop at Shifen Waterfalls

#5 - Lantern Release at Jiufen


#6 - Jiufen 
Instead of joining the crowd going around the shops, 
I opted to find a restaurant with a view to have a hot meal and tea instead. 


Even though I was traveling with a huge group in some of the tours, I still isolated myself from the group and retained my solo traveling status. I got to explore on my own, admire the sceneries by myself and have a little solitude away from all the noise of the crowd.


#7 - Yangmingshan National Park
The only day of my trip that the sun was out.

Yangmingshan is perhaps my favorite spot in Taiwan.
TIP: You can commute to get there from the city
but I suggest you sign up for a private shuttle service.
The public shuttle service around the park takes ages to come and the queue is
very long as well.


#8 - The Elephant Hiking Trail
Challenging but doable.


#9 - Taiwanese street food are indeed a must try! 


#10 - Making sure I visit their numerous Night Markets!

#11 - Perhaps not in everyone's list of touristy things to do but I like learning about the culture when I travel. Being a tea lover myself, I opt to sign up to a trip to one of Taipei's tea plantation and participate/learn the traditional Taiwanese tea ceremony.

I wasn't technically alone on my birthday though. I (unexpectedly) met a fellow solo Filipina traveler and some friends from Manila and kind of had a little celebration with them. It's one of the things I love most about traveling solo, you will definitely meet people whom you wouldn't really have thought of seeing in another city.




My improvised waffle birthday cake

Pre-Birthday celebration with Nikkole.
Birthday Dinner at the Modern Toilet Taipei


Birthday Ice cream


I have been meaning to do paragliding and was supposed to do it on my birthday but the weather just won't clear up! So on the morning of my birthday, I went to the Fisherman's Wharf instead. 



The Fisherman's Wharf

I decided not to sign up for any tours to get there. I got lost, walked for hours under the heat of the sun and when I finally got there - I still kept walking until I tire my feet out and found a quiet spot facing the waters.  It was a bit of an insipid scene, windy and gloomy, to have on a birthday. I found myself suddenly enveloped with silence, drinking in every piece of the unfamiliar sights that lay before me.


#22 on my list - to travel solo on my birthday

I was vacantly watching the monotonous scene before me and it made me think why some people opt not to travel solo. Our minds can be troubled by the silence and emptiness solo travelling can bring. I think people always just wants to connect with someone - whether be it giving a smile or a nod to a stranger, asking for directions, having a small talk, admiring the view together and exchanging thoughts, holding someone's hand or just the mere thought of having someone in close proximity. Everyone is looking for something from someone. But I also like to think that most people feel more alone when they are with someone.


Not too bad for a birthday view


But I see traveling alone as a great opportunity to just spend time with ourselves that we always miss to do when we are surrounded by a sea of people, when we are tied up with work and all the responsibilities this life entails us to do. And to do it on a special event in our lives makes it even more memorable.




I didn't have any cake or candles to blow on that day, I didn't have any presents to open or balloons or any festivities. I had an amazing view, an experience and that sense of achievement having crossed this off my list.



The sun taking a peek through the grey skies as I left Fisherman's Wharf.
I think this was my birthday gift from above.

Qarla

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