Wednesday 25 April 2012

Facilities of the Ship - Legend of the Seas

Legend of the Seas is probably the smallest fleet of the Royal Caribbean fleet. Usually the smaller fleet is deployed for Asian routing. But even the smallest fleet can accommodate 2,000pax!



If you think that holidaying in a beach resort with the facilities of the pool, gym, spa, sea sports centre has more than enough to keep you occupied. Then, staying in a vessel with library, casino, pool, rock climbing, mini golf, table tennis, gym and many more will keep you occupied to the brim. Not to mention, you still have endless activities and shows that will keep you entertain. Bored on a cruise. Take back these words.

Let's start from the lowest deck.

Deck 1

Medical Facility
Open from 8-11am, and 3-6pm. The medical officer is available 24hours for emergency cases.

Deck 4

Centrum
This is the most prominent place of the cruise ship, and probably the most impressive place as well. A number of signature events - Rock & Roll Night, 70s Party are held over here. Centrum is located at the mid-ship and stretches across deck 4-7.



In the late afternoon, you will see middle-age couples, doing Ballroom dancing, Cha-Cha at the lounge area. It's a delightful scene. I always thought that only Caucasians are sporting, but the Asian couples are just as more sporting. And I got to say, they dance really well. I wonder if I can ever be like them when I am their age.


Casino Royale

The casino in Legend of the Seas is surprisingly, petite compared and not crowded as what I thought it to be. Most of the clientele are Chinese. Undeniable, gambling is in the blood of Chinese.

On the first day of sailing, the Casino Royale staff provide free gaming lessons. Unable to get off the habit of checking out the casino for the seek of comparison (I don't play much, if any), I went to peep at the casino while they are conducting the lessons. Most of the guests attending the lessons are Caucasian The hard-core Chinese don't need lessons. The strange thing is, even coming from my previous work background, most of the games are very new to me. Baccarat just isn't baccarat. Blackjack also not as it usually is. Well, I guess I'm just not a real player.


That's Entertainment Theatre
The nightly live shows will be shown in this theatre. Guests can attend either the first or second show, depending on your dining seating arrangements.









Schooner Bar
This is one of the few places that I never really set my foot on, except just passing through it. This is a good place for quiet drinks and chats with friends. Some of the activities such as Origami Class and simple games are conducted here.



Deck 5

Pursers Desk & Shore Excursions Desk
Pursers is just like the front desk of the hotel. Any enquiries or assistance required can be directed here. You can get your seasick pills from the Purser's Desk as well.



Shops Onboard (Boutiques of Centrum)
I was pretty surprised that the shops at Centrum was actually not too bad. Most are girlie stuff including jewellery, scarfs, watches. Swarovski sale is also on.
Duty-free alcohol could be purchased. However, you won't get to drink it onboard. This is one of the rule about purchasing duty free alcohol. After the purchase, the crew will safe keep for you till the last day of disembarkation.

There's always $10 shopping sprees. Have to look out for the timing on the Cruise Compass. It's a sale, where they put up tables, selling everything at US$10. Hats, watches, scarfs, jewellery are common items. I got a dinner bag. It's only US$10, and I used it for during the formal dinner night since I did not bring any nice dinner bag. It's old-styled, but who cares?


Anchors Aweigh
Activities such as the Captains Cocktail Party, line dancing and games are held here.



Desk 6

Photo Gallery

Professional photo-taking is part of the cruise experience. Choose a moment that you'll like to remember - formal diner, captain's cocktail, boarding the ship, the professional photographer will be there. During activities or programs, the videographer would also be recording down these special moments. I thought the price was pretty much of a ripped off, with each photo costing US$19.90. Of course, you can buy a bundle package which is value-for-money. But, do you really need 5 professionally-taken photos if you are just travelling with your family?
















Deck 7
Library
Want some quiet time? There's a wide selection of books in the library.


Card & Mahjong Room
A favourite gathering place for families or friends travelling together. Guests are able to rent card games or mahjong and play over here.



Deck 8

Royal Caribbean Online (Internet Zone)
We can still get in touch with the world. There's satellite Internet. However, the charges are pretty exorbitant.  I can't remember exactly how much, but it's by 10-15mins block.


Deck 9

Fitness Centre, Spa & Salon
The Fitness Centre & Spa is opened daily from 8am -10pm. Work out on the machines facing the ocean.

Spa and Massage packages are not cheap either. I won't pay US$120-$150 for a 50min facial, nor US$200 for a 75minutes massage. Spa in Singapore isn't cheap, but this is definitely a ripped off.

Fancy Teeth Whitening, Waxing, have your hair or your nails done? These services aren't cheap as well. But well, if lady luck is shining on you at the Casino and you make a pile, why not pamper yourself?


Pool Deck
The pool is my favourite hang out place. There's so much to do. Other than joining the crowd for sun-tanning, my favourite activity is just sitting at the pool deck, having my favourite ice-cream and people watching.





late afternoon. Notice their coordinated colour outfit everyday.



Solarium
My folks are afraid of the sun and prefer the indoor pool. Much as it is indoor, the pool is still seawater.
The jacuzzi here is heated though and it's my favourite pool as it's less crowded compared to the main pool.
Although it's sheltered, the sun rays do shine through and gets pretty scotching hot during the day.

Snacks such as fries, pizza and hotdogs are available throughout the day at the Solarium.


Deck 10

Rock Climbing
Don't be surprised. Kids are usually the ones that are gamed for rock climbing. I saw this young girl, probably about 5-6 years old completing all the three course. Adults actually fared much worse.


Mini Golf 
It's a 12-hole mini-golfing area. But to me, it's more of a putting green then a golfing green. Equipment is provided.


Jogging Track
The jogging track encircles the circumference of the ship.


Enjoy the breeze while jogging on the highest outdoor deck of the ship.



Does anyone know what game this is? I have no idea but I saw a young family playing it.


Adventure Ocean (Kids Club)
There are activities for the kids of different ages.
From the Royal Babies and Tots (aged 6-18 months), to Adventure Ocean Club (age 3-11),  teens, there are activities packed.


Parents can even dropped off their kids during the day time or evening to have some private time on their own.



Video Deck
This video deck do not use tokens, or coins. Instead, guests need to purchase arcade card with credits using the Sea Pass card.  





Deck 11

Viking Lounge 
This seems to be my dad's favourite chill out place. He can just sit there and read the papers the entire afternoon.



Feel that you will get lost around the ship with so many facilities and places to explore? Fear not. First time cruisers can join the Ship Tour conducted by the Cruise Director's Staff. I was really curious to check out the places, so I joined the tour, which was pretty informative.



Continue On

Food! Casual vs Fine Dining

Activities - Live Entertainment, Shows & Party!

Shore Excursions - Ho Chi Minh City

Shore Excursions - Nha Trang




Related Posts

Sunday 15 April 2012

Stateroom Amenities - Legend of the Seas

One of the things I worry about cruising is the tiny cabin size, and the need to squeeze four bunk beds in a single cabin.

Royal Caribbean - Legends of the Seas do not have the largest staterooms, but it is not as bad as some mass cruise liners. There again, you're on a cruiseship, filled with facilities and programs. Why do we need such a big stateroom?

My niece and I shared a room, next to another one, shared by my parents. We paid for Large Outside Stateroom at Deck 6. Outside Stateroom means there's a big window in the room and you do get sunlight in during the day. But honestly, you don't get to spend too much time admiring the seaview through the windows. At night, when you finally relax yourself in the room, it's pitch-dark.
























Although the stateroom is small at 154sq ft, it still has a comfortable sofa, TV set, and coffee table.




The box TV seems really old-school. But really, would you rather cramp up in your room watching satellite TV, or go for live entertainment happening every night?
























The toilet is small, with a combined shower, toilet and basin together. Well, I have tried even smaller ones in Japan, so can't ask for more.


Amenities in the room - There's a safe which locks using the credit car, a small refrigerator, and coffee or tea making facilities. Evian and soft drinks are available at a charge.

Oh well, if you are really hungry, can always dial for room service, free of charge. A service fee of US$3.95 is applicable from 12-5am.































The only problem with our stateroom was that it was near the front to the ship, commonly known as the bow. This is the most vibrating part of the ship. A number of guests, including my niece, suffered from seasick during the South China Sea route. Our stateroom being near the bow of the ship makes it worse. At times, we could feel the rocking pretty much.

Tip: When making cruise holiday reservation, ask for a cabin on the mid-ship. It's the most stable part of the ship. Also, higher deck may also mean more rocking. Don't be fooled that higher deck commands a higher pricing, hence will be most comfortable.


Every room is assigned to a designated room steward who would be responsible for our cabin every day. Housekeeping is done twice a day, with a turn-down service in the evening. Our room steward is very friendly. He would always greet us at the door, ensuring our room is taken care of. Any request would be done right away. Good service does come with a price. A designated gratuities will be paid to the room steward at the end of the cruise holiday.

The one touch that I'm really impressed, is the animal towel folding that would be placed in your room every evening when your room is being turned-down. There's a session conducted on towel folding which I will post on it later.

Can you tell what animals they are?
  


 Hope you guess it correctly.

A - Dragonfly
B - Stingray
C - Koala Bear
D - Rabbit
E - Monkey
F - Dog
G - Elephant
H - Swan

My favourite is the monkey and the swan.

On our last day, our room steward folded this to thank us. It's just so sweet.



Continue On

Facilities of the Ship

Food! Casual vs Fine Dining

Activities - Live Entertainment, Shows & Party!

Shore Excursions - Ho Chi Minh City

Shore Excursions - Nha Trang


Related Posts






Thursday 12 April 2012

Pre-Cruise & Departure Logistics - Legend of the Seas

We booked our cruise almost 3 months in advance, in December. At that time, we were told by our travel agent that Cat H (Large Ocean Stateroom at Deck 3) was fully booked. Cat G (Large Ocean Stateroom at Deck 6) was available instead at additional of about $100+ per person. This works out to be S$945 per person for a twin-sharing room. Price include taxes and gratuities. Same price for adult and child. Considering it to be a 5 nights, all-inclusive holiday (excluding shore excursions), where we get to enjoy all meals, shows and activities onboard, this sounds a pretty good deal! So, we went ahead with the cruise reservations.

What we didn't expect is, my dad checked online about a month later, Cat G was available. He wasn't too pleased as we had already paid our holidays in full. I guessed that some agents might have released their blocks back to the system. Else, there might be some cancellations due to the Costa Concordia episode, which happened in January 2012. Nevertheless, we didn't kick up a big fuss though my dad commented that he wouldn't book his holidays too advance in the future.

Pre-Arrival
During the reservations, we would also made our reservations for our dinner dining options. We chose the 2nd seating for dinner (at 8.15pm) at the fine dining restaurant - Romeo & Juliet. The first or main seating at 5.45pm is just too early for us.

Upon confirmation of booking, we were issued our Guest Ticket Booklet. In the 12page booklet, details on the cruise was spelt out clearly. Our cabin number has been assigned. Before the day of departure, we have to :

1) Submit Charge Account - credit card details of all the ancillary expenses to be charge. All charges/ prices onboard are in USD.
2) Submit Emergency Contact / Pax Information
3) Print the Luggage Tag

Everything could be done electronically, via the Internet. Pre-Check-In could be done 3 days prior to the sailing date.


Day of Arrival
Come 11 Mar, we were all eagerly waiting for this day. The ship is scheduled to set sail at 5pm. On paper, we were allowed to board the ship at 2pm. However, from my dad's experience, we could board the ship as early at 11am and have lunch onboard. So, here we are, at 11am, we reach Harbourfront Cruise Terminal. In actual fact, when we board the ship around noon, there were so many passengers dining at the buffet restaurant that we couldn't get a seat indoors! We are not the only Kiasu Singaporeans who wants to avoid the crowd at the check-in counters!
Once Papa Snew dropped us off at the Harbourfront Cruise Terminal, near to the bus bay terminal, there were staff waiting to load our luggage, even before our check-in. I was impressed by the orderly manner which was arranged. The luggage would be loaded up to the truck, and directly to the ship.

Onboard the ship, the staff will sort out accordingly and send it to our cabins. I'm pretty impressed by the efficiency as we got our luggage ahead of our expected time.



The check-in counters was a breeze when we arrived. I guess we were pretty early. Instead, Star Cruises that has Star Virgo departing on that day as well, was packed with passengers checking in. There were clear signages of the check-in counters.


Upon check-in, we are issued a Sea Pass Card. The cruise ship practises a "cashless" system. All purchases - such as drinks, photos, shopping purchases, and even a limited amount per day in the Casino, will be charged to this card. This Sea Pass Card is also your stateroom key card. Practically, you just need to get around the entire ship with just this card. Nothing else.

Every Sea Pass Card would carry Name and Dinner seating arrangements.


 After our check-in, we go through customs checking, just as we are boarding the plane. See the long travellators, it's as if we are walking to the gate of our flight.

Just before the gate, the security and staff would collect our passports and only return to us when we disembark the ship. So for the shore excursions, the customs officers from the various ports would come onboard and do the necessary. Everything is taken care off. Such a hassle-free holidays await us!  

   
The cruise ship view from Harbourfront.



  
During this trip, I learnt a number of shipping terminology.

TugBoat
This is used to tow the cruise ship out of the port. I'm amazed at how strong the small tugboat is, compared to the size. It really pulled the cruise ship out to the deeper waters.


Life Boat
Well, I don't need to explain. We all know what went wrong in the Titanic tragedy.


Tender Boat
Also known as Tenders, tender boats not only act as lifeboats in a cruise ship. It is used to transfer passengers, and at times, suppliers to the cruise ship from the shore.

In our itinerary, the port in Nha Trang was a tender port. This means that our cruise ship would not be docking directly at the port. It was anchor in the middle of the sea, and tender boats are deployed to transfer us to the dock.

Passengers can sit on the upper deck as well. I sat on the upper deck on our return journey to the ship. The experience of having a close look at your own tenderboat docking close to the huge cruise ship is just one of those cruise moments that you would never get to experience if you never been to a cruise.


The next two pictures shows how the tenderboat is being retracted back to the cruise ship.


Guest Muster Drill (Emergency Evacuation)

Everything is conducted in an orderly manner. The assembly point is also stated at the Sea Pass Card.
Our room steward came to knock on our door 15minutes before the 4.30pm (the time of the drill) to start asking us to make our way to the assembly point. Attendance were taken. So unless you want to make yourself unaccounted for at the start of the cruise, don't be lazy and hide yourself in the room!


View from our Cruise Ship before setting sail. Super Star Virgo docking opposite to our ship.


Reflections at Keppel Bay. I have always admire the architectural design of this very unique condo.


We were all wondering what this boat is. Apparently, it is one of the most expensive yacht, in the world, belonging to a Russian billionaire. Costing $337million, this mega yacht is bomb proof.
Looking alike to a submarine, the yacht is 120m in length and has 3 pools. Oh wow! The rich has no limits. Really.


Continue On:

Staterooms Amenities


Facilities of the Ship


Food! Casual vs Fine Dining


Activities - Live Entertainment, Shows & Party!!!!


Shore Excursions - Ho Chi Minh City


Shore Excursions - Nha Trang




Related Posts: