Dream Cruise

Dream Cruise – why this could be your dream getaway (for now)

Where can you go that’s out of Singapore, yet not out of Singapore.

With the borders closed, it’s not unusual for someone to feel claustrophobic, and while Singapore has plenty of attractions to offer, somehow, exploring our beloved tiny island just doesn’t feel the same as exploring the world.

Covid-19 has made travel impossible and I must say that the “cruise to nowhere” is a creative strategy thought of by cruise liners to allow people a “getaway” from Singapore, without the 14-day quarantine when you return.

For those struck with the wanderlust bug like myself, being able to travel out of Singapore albeit on the seas was good enough.

Before I bore you with the details of my trip, here’s my TL;DR version of why you should go for the cruise to nowhere:

1. It’s your only option to be overseas (during COVID);
2. There’s no network on a cruise (think of it as a “digital detox” or an “escape from your work emails” (Warning, be prepared for a tsunami when you’re back!)
3. You don’t have to think about where to eat since there’s only a couple of “inclusive” choices (you can always top-up for the premium restaurants)

If you’re still reading, here’s the full version!

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As tough as it was to leave everything behind (my family and funeral company inclusive), I still packed my luggage and set off for the 4 days 3 nights cruise as it was a much-needed sabbath/break from work. Working with death tends to take a toll on you if left unrestrained and it requires a certain kind of discipline to segregate work life from private but this is a topic for another day.

If you’re still having second thoughts about embarking on a cruise during this uncertain time, perhaps I can shed some light here on what to expect: 

Pre-Cruise Step 1: Buying tickets

Buying tickets were a breeze, as you could buy from Dream Cruise’s website itself (https://www.dreamcruiseline.com/) or Klook (https://www.klook.com/en-SG/activity/50437-singapore-getaway-cruise-dream-cruise/)

Once you’ve purchased your tickets, you should receive a confirmation email. The email will include details of your trip, as well as your cruise tickets and the payment receipt.

Pre-Cruise Step 2: Online check-in

Next would be to do an online check-in, which is mandatory and is done via Dream Cruise’s website. Once you’re done, a Sail Pass will be issued to you.

You will also be offered a chance to bid for an upgrade to the luxurious Palace Suite!

*Note:

Dream Cruise has a “Cruise As You Wish Policy” where you could enjoy flexibility to cancel cruise bookings for sailings from Singapore prior to or on 30 March 2022 up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit, redeemable for sailing from Singapore on or before 30 September 2022. (please check Dream Cruise’s website for the latest update!)

Pre-Cruise Step 3: Packing

Here’s a list of things that can be found in your room so you don’t have to pack em:

*Note that this list is kindly contributed by Jeremy as he did most of the packing.

1. Toiletries (shampoo, hair conditioner, body soap, body lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, cotton pads (for makeup removal – ask for vanity kit), disposable razor);
2. Towels;
3. Face mask (you can request for it);
4. 500ml bottled water (there’s a kettle and the water from the tap is drinkable!)

What you could bring:

1. Sunblock (lots of it, especially if you’re gonna be outdoors);
2. Laptop + HDMI cable (remember to pre-download all your movies for offline viewing!)

Day 1

Jeremy and I reported to Marina Bay Cruise Centre at about 3.30PM after having completed a funeral at Mandai Crematorium. Take note that only luggage is allowed to be checked in while backpacks are not.

Covid-19 pre testing is required before anyone is allowed onboard. We were being ushered to the various checkpoints before getting swabbed. The swab test was honestly a lot less uncomfortable than I thought it would be. Just remember to always have your NRIC and passport at easy to reach places as these are required for identification purposes in different stages of boarding.

Results of the swab test are sent via sms and we got ours within half an hour and yay, we can then get ourselves officially checked-in for the cruise! Upon check-in, we were given an identification card (like an ez-link card) and a toggler (like your safe-entry token). You have to bring these two items with you everywhere you go in the ship as they are required for checking in to different parts of the ship so that contact tracing is possible. Also, purchases on board will be placed on credit (see day 4 for settlement) and final settlement can be done on the day of disembarkment.

First thing we noticed as we made our way to our room was how empty the entire ship was. Restaurants were seemingly closed with the tables and chairs kept. It was Covid-19 heightened alert phase and dining in was not allowed (hence our meals were all sent via room service to our rooms in bento sets). The ship was also operating at only 25% onboard guest capacity which meant that there were only about 600 pax on board the ship.

Inclusive meals were below average. I’m not sure if it was because of the COVID situation coupled with the fact that we had to eat in our own rooms from bento boxes. There are 4 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper) and you have a choice of Asian or Western for the first 3 meals. While there are premium restaurants (like Japanese or Western fine dining cuisines), we decided to give it a pass given that we’ll have to eat it in our room anyway. 

Pro tip: You can order lunch as soon as you’ve boarded the ship on day 1, especially if you had to rush from work – just like me!

Jeremy booked the balcony stateroom deluxe with an extended balcony (compared to the balcony stateroom) which I really appreciate because I value my time there, looking into the unknown horizon (coupled with the thought that if the ship had a Covid positive case and we were forced to remain in our rooms, I wouldn’t go mad surrounded by 4 walls (or just a window)). But that’s just me.

The room feels like a normal hotel room encompassing a queen-sized bed, private (step-out) balcony, en-suite bathroom, a 32-inch tv, wardrobe (with electronic safe), and a mini-fridge. 

Four 500ml bottles of water were also provided daily although you can easily drink from the tap if you are thirsty enough.

Being the workaholic I am (and the fact that I can’t leave my baby alone), I succumbed to buying the premium wifi onboard at $42 for 3 nights (1 device). There is a standard version that’s cheaper, and you can also get it for 2 or 4 devices. 

Do download the dream cruise app on your phone before going for the cruise as this would be needed to book their shows and to purchase the wifi (among other things).

Pro tip: you need to constantly refresh the booking page every hour to book slots for shows onboard. I heard that slots are released every hour to allow everyone an equal chance to book the seats. Each show had an audience limit of 50 pax (100 pax for first night only) when I was there (do check if this has changed). As the shows are really popular, the slots were very quickly filled up. Naturally, I was elated to secure tickets for us for their signature show “Faith” on the first night. 

The live performance was eye-captivating and enthralling. The acrobats were very entertaining with all their dances and the flexibility of the acrobats left me in awe. I love the show so much that I wanted to book another show immediately after “Faith” ended. But alas, everyone is entitled to only one show per cruise trip… so choose carefully which show you want to watch.

We ended the night with some beer. Beer is relatively cheap onboard. We bought 12 bottles for the price of $63. They also offer credit packages that are discounted (e.g. pay $55 for $60 worth of credit). For those who simply love booze (and you intend to go all out on booze during the cruise), they also offer beverage packages that include unlimited (subject to terms and conditions) selected spirits, cocktails, mocktails, selected beers and housewines, as well as other non-alcoholic drinks like soft drinks and chilled juices.

Oh yes, and you’d be given an itinerary for the next day on the night before. Timings for activities like dance lessons or crafts sessions as well as meals would be stated there so for those of you who like to make the most out of your days, you can start planning where to go and where the night before!

Day 2 and 3

We woke up at about 6.45AM daily in an attempt to catch the sunrise. If you like sunrises and sunsets, I’d say the unblocked view on the ship allows you to catch really nice ones. 

Although the casino was the main attraction for most people, we did not play any games there. Jeremy and I are more outdoorsy and we spent most of our time participating in the activities offered on board instead. Activities on board are categorized into two main categories – inclusive (or free) and chargeable.

Indoor activities:

• Exercise classes i.e. muay thai, yoga, morning stretch
• Arts and crafts lessons i.e. paper flower making, dip-dye shirt making
• Bingo
• Arcade games
• Virtual reality games
• Shopping

Outdoor activities:

• Waterslides (my favourite activity hands down)
• Swimming
• Rope course and zipline
• Basketball
• Tennis
• Soccer
• Mini-golf
• Rock climbing
• Spot the ship (selected participants only by invitation! Pro tip: ask the staff about it as soon as you board the ship)

Initially, I wanted to try the waterslides to get a feel of how it was like without prolonged period of being in the pool. I am not someone fond of swimming because the chlorine in the pool usually damages my hair and of course I wouldn’t want that. The thrill of playing the slide however, changed my mind. There are 5 slides in total and they each provide a slightly different experience as they range from “leisurely fun” to “drop so steep my stomach was in my throat for 2 seconds!” (Pro tip: they don’t allow use of cameras / phones and wearing of jewelry (earrings, bracelets, watches) so remember to leave them in your room when you go out or hide them in your clothes bundle though it goes without saying that doing that carries the risk of theft!).

If you are feeling adventurous (and you don’t have a severe case of acrophobia), do try out the rope course. It is a high element activity that requires you to hang on to dear life as you try them out (Just kidding. You’re required to have safety harness on and equipment that’s quite foolproof before attempting any of this. You’ll just have to put your faith and trust in the system). It will be sure to test your balance. To try out the zipline, you will have to complete half the rope course. The zipline is one of the more sought-after activity. If you’re an adrenaline junkie but yet afraid of heights like me, I think you will enjoy this activity as you don’t have to be doing anything, just sit back in your harness, relax and just enjoy being suspended in the air, 18 decks above the ocean waters as the zipline takes you back to the starting point of the rope course. 

Itching to get your material needs satisfied? The Dream Boutiques sells a wide range of items from the world’s renowned brands at duty free prices. There’s also plenty of products up for grabs at really good discounts as they have between 6 months to a year of shelf life left (thanks to COVID). I ended up purchasing a serum and a pair of Chloe heart-shaped sunglasses (but that’s only after Jeremy stopped me from binge buying as I still have a lot of facial products stashed at home)!

Check out the theme event on the ship for the dates you’re going to be there. The theme event was the ‘Wonders of Japan’ when I was there and that explains the lavender fields and the torii tunnel in the images.

Day 4

The familiar sight of sunny Singapore greeted me as I woke up. The ship was already back at Marina Bay Cruise Centre. The disembarkation process was smooth and efficient, especially if you paid via the QR code / App (otherwise you’ll have to pay in person at the counter before exiting the ship. By 10AM, Jeremy and I were back on land.

As it was my virgin experience on a cruise, I would give it an 8 star rating out of 10 (2 stars missing as we missed out on the proper dining experience, having to eat from our bento boxes cooped up in our room). The cruise itself was about $500 per pax. For a 4D3N getaway, this price is really reasonable as it includes 4 meals a day (supper included, and you could order additional sets if you’re still hungry). A similar staycation in Singapore (including meals and activities) could easily exceed the price we paid for the cruise and hence I would say that the cruise is an experience that is worth the buck.

Would I go for another cruise, even during this COVID period? Honestly, I can’t wait for the next!

Till the next post! Thanks for reading.