Choose Your South China Sea Cruise Itinerary Carefully
Then it was onto Singapore to pick up our cruise ship Celebrity Constellation, not the most modern of the cruise lines fleet we have been on but it felt like home after a couple of days.
First port of call was Ho Chi Min or Saigon and we selected an excursion that took us to the Mekong Delta it was a very long day which took us 3 hours to get there and 3 hours back with 3 hours in between but we did get to see a lot of the countryside as well as driving through this extremely busy city.
After a day at sea we docked in a port called Chan May and we booked a trip to take us to see Danang a very popular area for American GI’s during the war, we got to ride and a pushbike Tuk Tuk as well as stroll through an authentic market, the beaches were excellent as was our guide who learnt to speak English from soldiers during the conflict.
Another day at sea before we docked in Hong Kong where we were met by another TC Graham and his wife who had kindly offered to show us the sights which we were so glad about as our time was limited, wish we could have overnighted here to get a proper flavour of this ever popular point of call. The whole day was overcast and foggy so glad we had locals maximising our time, we spoke to other cruisers later that night who had booked on tours which included going up to Victoria Peak to see effectively a whole load of nothing. We were well impressed with Stanley Market. Next stop was to be Manila and quite frankly not sure why it is on the cruise as a stop, the waters around the ship once docked were full of rubbish and the port itself leaves a lot to be desired It’s a fair old walk to get to anywhere if you were not on an organised tour, none of which appealed to us and you have to run the gauntlet of street peddlers and beggars. We could easily have spent an extra day in Hong Kong and had a lot of fun. Also Due to Philippine law the shops on board and casino were not permitted to open as we were calling in next to Boracay also in the Philippines. Now this little paradise was completely different to its capital, beautiful beaches and lots of water sports going on, I don’t think I have ever seen as many people parasailing at the same time I counted 12 in the air at once.
At sea for the next day once more before docking on the island of Borneo at Kota Kinabalu once again it’s a fair old walk into town in intense heat but we had to get the exercise in to counter act the food and drink that flows on an all-inclusive cruise.
Last at sea day and another chance to top up the tan before we dock back in Singapore for an overnighter. Having been before I was able to plan some little surprises for Michelle. First up was a spot of lunch overlooking the whole of the bay from our vantage point the restaurant and microbrewery Level 33, great views of all things Singapore is well known for – The Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the Merlion, the floating football pitch, the Helix bridge and Gardens by the Bay. We also took a bum boat ride down the Singapore River before strolling over to The Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest - 2 Biospheres that have to be seen to be appreciated before the evening light/music show of the Super trees.
Back on board ship for our last night and disembarkation the following morning. One of the best ways to see a city especially if the weather is good is on the Hop On – Hop Off buses we did 2 different routes taking in all the sights and sounds of Little India, Chinatown, Raffles Hotel to name a few.
Overall a fantastic trip and happy to discuss with anyone who is thinking of doing something similar as there are other itineraries so getting the right one for you is essential for the perfect trip.