We thought we had slept fairly well on our overnight Singapore Air flight from Dubai to Singapore. We had actually sprung for Economy Plus seats (only because, due to some internet pricing snafu, they were priced lower than Economy seats the day we made our reservation). On Singapore Air, this meant a more deeply reclining seat in a 2-3-2 configuration, extra room on the arm rests, and, best of all, leg rests. I know I was asleep just as soon as I finished my dinner, and I slept until things started to stir on the plane about 90 minutes prior to landing, when a light breakfast was served, but 5 hours of sleeping on a plane, even in an Economy Plus seat, is not equivalent to sleeping in bed.
We went through Singapore immigration, I’m sure we did, and the stamps in my passport serve as proof, but, I’ll be darned if I remember it. I also don’t recall claiming our luggage. I know that, because we arrived so early (8am), we waited about an hour for the first Princess shuttle to the ship at the Marina Bay Cruise Port. Seeing the dramatic architecture of the Marina Bay Hotel perked me up a bit, and got me through the wait to board the ship. We were putting our carry on bags in our cabin and our valuables in our safe by noon, even though our cabin wasn’t yet ready. We immediately went down to the International Dining Room for that wonderful Princess embarkation day lunch, then returned to our room to unpack our carry ons.
We are in an inside cabin on Lido Deck for the next three (or is it four? I honestly don’t know) cruises, and it is so nice to once again have the unbeatable storage these cabins provide. With the three drawers in the vanity, the two drawers in each nightstand, the three shelves on the end of the vanity and all the cubbies, we’re only about 50% full. We’ve left the cold weather clothing in the suitcases (I’d love to wash it one of these sea days), brought out the tropical wear in its place and the closet looks downright empty.
Our big suitcases were delivered soon after, and G unpacked his while I took my first nap of the day. I slept through the noise he was making and his shower, until I was awakened by the muster drill announcements. Afterward, as I said, I slept on the Promenade Deck until some work out there woke me up. I returned to the cabin to unpack my suitcase, shower and then met G in the Vivaldi Dining Room for dinner. Our table for two is just that...barely. The next table for two is about five inches away, and we are not near a window. Granted, we’ve been rather spoiled by our Maitre d’s lately, and it’s been a long time since we’ve been seated in the dark corners of a dining room, but we will survive and, hopefully, improve our assigned seating a bit next cruise.
Our servers, Jeff and Jovvel from the Philippines, are great, very smiley and polite. Our headwaiter Nazzario from Italy has been filled in on my dining requirements by one of our headwaters from last year on the Golden Princess, Felix, who just boarded today, so I am being well looked after. Still, it was all we could do to stay awake through dinner, and if either one of us had declined to attend the show tonight, I’m certain neither of us would have gone. But it was a production show, and we don’t often miss those. Unless we sleep through them, that is.
We moved clocks forward three hours from Venice to Dubai, and four hours from Dubai to Singapore. We are now 13 hours ahead of EST, a difference that makes it harder and harder to communicate in real time with folks at home. (And we will forever be begging forgiveness from friends we woke up in the middle of the night with texts from Dubai). Ah well, there’s always old-fashioned email, I guess.
First up in this cruise are two sea days, and we are thrilled about that. We need to spend at least one of them recovering from the pace of the past 40 days. We have loved them, every one of them, and wouldn’t change a single plan we made, but a restful sea day comprised of reading and eating and naps sounds pretty good right now.
And so begins the second segment of our ninth season of travel.
Life is good. :-)