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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

Cities Compared: Dubai, Hong Kong & Singapore

Singapore Skyline. My second home since 2011.

“So among the cities you have lived at, which one is the best?”

I often come across this question and it always catches me off guard, like in a normal conversation and you have to respond quickly. To be honest, I actually never given a thorough reflection the answer to this. I think I'd rather be asked "Which city do I prefer to live at?", because after all, these cities are equally great in their own ways. So to best answer this long sought query, I will compare Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore  based on my own experience.

Cost of Living


The first thing that everyone would have to consider when deciding to live abroad is the cost of living. At first I thought as long as I can pay my rent, utility bills and I have enough allowance for my grocery, food and transportation - that's it, I'll get by. But in reality, these are just the basic stuff you need to look after at every month's pay check. You have to consider as well, what I'd call "entertainment" - dining out, going out with friends, watching movies and all other activities that you'd do to keep your weekends occupied. I would add shopping as well because once in a while you'll have to buy something for yourself- whether it's a necessity or just luxury. You didn't just move abroad to just work. Apart from anything else, you will need a social life, a normal life outside of work, and this costs money too.


All of the three cities I have lived at are considered to be expensive. In fact, Singapore currently holds the title as the most expensive city in the world,(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31689124) which easily rules it out on this comparison. So it all comes down between Dubai and Hong Kong. I don't remember the exact figures any more so I will just have to base it roughly how much I spent monthly from my faint memory. The only figures I am sure that are accurate back then are the rent and utilities. However, these may have changed by now as well.

I was really quite careless when it comes to my expenditures back then and didn't keep tabs. But I can say that Dubai is the least expensive city to live at for me back then- given that it is after all a tax-free city. Hong Kong and Singapore are comparable but I have to agree that Singapore is still the most expensive. The figures above might not agree with my statement but then again, it still all depends on someone's lifestyle and way of spending money. In Singapore, I'm mostly out with friends so I was spending more. The room rent also varied on the location, like take for example in HK, I was living in the Midlevels so the rent was pricey but it was closer to my work place so I saved a bit of time travel and transportation allowance. 

Hypothetically, if I was to assume I was earning the same amount of money for each city and compare how much more money is left for me to save and spend after paying all my monthly dues, I had a lot more to save and spend when I was in Dubai. 


 Location & Surroundings

Since Dubai is the farthest among the three cities from the Philippines, I didn't like its location. I only get to go home once a year for three weeks and it was really never enough to make up the 11 months I was away on a different time zone.

Singapore and Hong Kong are both closer to the Philippines, allowing me to travel more often back home especially on long weekends. Their locations make them good travel hubs as well which made my travel plans easier and convenient to arrange.
Hong Kong skyline. View from Victoria Harbour

When it comes to surroundings and overall vibe of the city, all of them had their own appeal to me. I would always think of Dubai's grandeur, Hong Kong's colorful and lively streets and Singapore's clean and green roads. 

 For this, I would give both HK and Singapore a point each.


Weather


Dubai was ridiculously hot and uncomfortable especially during summer so obviously I dislike its weather.
The desert of Dubai


Singapore has a very unpredictable weather. Like in a day, some parts of it will be sunny, while other parts will be rainy. I can't even rely on its weather forecast any more.

Hong Kong has the complete seasons - winter, spring, summer and fall. So I think weather-wise I like Hong Kong more. There's just always something to look forward to when the season changes.
2011 Winter in Hong Kong.

 Transport System

I have never driven any car and as embarrassing as it may seem, I don't even know how to drive. 

Back then in Dubai, you would definitely need a car. I only remember taking the public bus once from office going home. The 10-minute journey by taxi or car took almost more than 30 minutes by bus! So most of the times I would just take a cab, even in walking distance places (especially if it's summer - because it is unbearably too hot to walk outside). 

 Singapore has a very good public transportation and most of the times are very efficient. What I like about commuting in Singapore is you can actually check for the timings of the next bus and train arrival which is very convenient for commuters. 

Hong Kong has a very flexible public transportation - from buses, mini buses, trams, taxi, the metro and even ferries- it's so easy to get around and quite cheap too.
Mini Bus, a very reliable mode of transportation in Hong Kong.

So for the ease and comfort of getting around the city and the variety of transportation system you can take, I would choose Hong Kong.

Safety

 As a single woman living abroad, most people see it as a vulnerability to threats. But believe it or not, in the past 9 years that I have been living overseas, I honestly did not need to worry about my own safety. Sadly I even feel more threatened in my own country every time I go home. Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore all promote a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

People & Multicultural Environment

 I find Dubai and Singapore have an evident multicultural diverse community compared to Hong Kong. What I found hard in blending in Hong Kong was the language barrier especially at work. In terms of social engagements and events, I find that there are more events and happenings in Singapore that I was able to see. In terms of interacting with the locals, I find Singaporeans are more easier to approach to compared to the locals in Dubai and Hong Kong.
Multi-Cultural Work Environment in Dubai

Work Visas and Residency

 I was granted three years of work visa (which includes residency) in Dubai, whilst in Hong Kong, I only had a year. They offer permanent residency only if you have lived there for 7 consecutive years (unfortunately, I only lasted for a year). Singapore has quite stricter policies when it comes to foreign employees. Even if you are already hired by the company, your fate still relies whether the government would approve your work pass or not, and only then you are allowed to work. Permanent residency have to be applied and granted by the government but not all those who apply gets approved. So I would choose Dubai for the fact that they were more lenient when it comes to work visa approvals back then.
Sense of Belonging

 Being a stranger in a foreign land hasn't always been as easy as some may think it is like traveling. There's always that feeling of indifference and trying to blend into a culture that you were never familiar with. There is no manual on how to survive living abroad, each one of us has a different approach into trying to fit in and get by. You'll be looked at differently, maybe mocked at and be judged just by the way you look and how you stand out in the crowd. Even if I have already spent a lot of years living in different cities with different culture, I will always be an outsider. 

 Dubai was quite challenging for me to live at because it was a lot of first times for me. First time to travel outside of the Philippines and to live by myself. Homesickness was very difficult to overcome. Plus the fact that it is a Muslim country where almost every move you make, every word you say and even what you wear in public is carefully being looked at. I think what helped a lot for me to settle in is the fact that I had a Filipino family there when I moved in. Personally, I really think it helps me settling in knowing that I know people from back home. It just makes me feel comfortable there is a Filipino community I can be part of. 

 The total independence combined that with my curiosity made me stay there for three years. But did I feel like I belonged there if I didn't know anyone from back home? I didn't think so.

Language barrier in HK was my greatest challenge especially at work wherein most meetings I have attended were in pure Cantonese. I may have blended well with my Asian features and was easily mistaken as a local, but I stretched out one year to try to live there but on my third month I already wanted to leave. That frustration added by the fact I was recovering from a terrible heartbreak made me decide to fly to Singapore.

 Singapore has been my home for four years now and so far, I can feel a sense of belonging in its community. It might be that because I have my family and a lot of good friends here, which really add a lot of factor to one's happiness and contentment. Do I see myself living here for another year or more? Absolutely, as long as my work pass allows me to. 

The Score

 1. Cost of Living - Dubai
2. Location and Surroundings - Hong Kong & Singapore
3. Weather - Hong Kong
4. Transport System - Hong Kong
5. Safety - All three
6. People - Dubai & Singapore
7. Work Visas & Residency - Dubai
8. Sense of Belonging - Singapore

 All are equally tied!

 I believe 'sense of belonging' greatly defines how you would like a city to call it your second home. You could be living in the most livable city in the world but if you are unhappy then it's pointless. Home is not particularly a place, but rather a feeling of belonging.

 I have been blessed to have lived in these amazing cities and it might be unfair to compare them. But these are all based on my personal experience and preference. I have actually met a lot of people who both lived in HK and Singapore and they prefer HK more. 

 Singapore may be the most expensive city to live at, the most difficult to get a work visa and Permanent Residency approval but if it makes me feel at home and happy then it already won my heart a million times over.


Cavenagh Bridge at Singapore River
Photo Credit: April Anne Loayon

>>> Read More about Life in...

 Dubai

 Hong Kong

 Singapore

Qarla

Happy Third Year in Singapore

Singapore (2011 - 2014)
November 2012 The Merlion, the symbol of Singapore

 I was supposed to move to Singapore on 2010 (after Dubai) had I not been offered a job in Hong Kong. So when I was living in Hong Kong, I flew to Singapore a couple of times mostly to visit my brother and friends (who were already living here by that time) and also to get a glimpse of what it is like. Of course, these short trips were not (and will never be) enough to judge a city. As I have mentioned on my Hong Kong blog, visiting and living in a city are entirely very different. I was still uncertain if I can even make it to live here. After deciding to leave Hong Kong, I flew here and just tried to push my luck in hopes of landing a job and three years after up until  this date that I have published this blog, I am still blessed to be living and working in this beautiful city.


 Facts
* Singapore consists only of one main island and 63 other tiny islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited.

* The people of Singapore are largely descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula, China and the Indian sub-continent.

* It is among the 20 smallest countries in the world, with a total land area of only 682.7 square kilometres. The USA is about 15,000 times bigger.
Singapore at night as seen from Marina Bay Sands Skypark

* Apart from Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated country in the world, with 6,430 people per square kilometre.

* The Merlion, a half-fish, half-lion beast, is a fitting symbol of Singapore. The “Singa” or lion represents the animal that a Sumatran prince saw which resembled a lion, and the fish is a tribute to Singapore’s history as “Temasek”, the ancient sea town.

 * Chewing gum is banned in Singapore.
First Impression

If I can describe Singapore in one word, it would have to be CLEAN. First thing that caught my eye and that impressed me a lot is how tidy and organised this city state is and is also surrounded by a lot of trees, which makes it even more pleasant-looking. I am still in awe how they maintain its cleanliness, that every time I travel elsewhere, I can't help but to compare it to the cleanliness of Singapore. I believe the credit has to go to its people, who are very disciplined too. 

What I also noticed about the residential areas here (HDB) is how similar-looking everything is. For instance, there will be playgrounds, exercise areas, running tracks, groceries on every (if not most) residential area. So everything actually looks so uniform that it lacks variety and uniqueness. 


Typical HDB buildings in Singapore

Playground areas are common on HDB areas

 Adjusting to the New Environment

 I would say I didn't have much difficulty in settling here. I have my brother and a lot of friends from high school and college that helped me a lot. I immediately felt at home in Singapore, like I have lived here before and that I was only going back to it. I like to believe that when you are surrounded by familiar faces and family, you are comforted by a little piece of home which makes it effortless in a way to fit in a foreign land.

 Singapore reminds me of Dubai in a way that it has a multicultural environment, so it is easier to blend in and find your place in the society. 

A few minor things that I had to get used to in Singapore: (1) The train is called MRT (MTR for HongKong), (2) They always keep left (i.e. escalators) while in HongKong they keep right. (3) You have to tap in and tap out when riding the public buses, in Hong Kong you only need to tap in.


Weather in Singapore is quite difficult to predict. Although, they only have sunny and rainy days, you would think it is a very huge city, when it will rain on the west side while it will be all sunny on the east side! (yes, at the same time). So you always have to carry an umbrella with you. I can't rely that much on its weather forecast because the actual weather can just change within the day and might won't be the same for all the areas. 

Qarla

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