Voyager of the Seas Review
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Embarkation in Hong Kong was relatively easy: at the top of the escalator you picked up travel documentation and a group number and then waited for your number to be called. We needed the two photocopies of our passports buy there was a free photocopy machine at the dock. They took these and your passports from you as you got on the ship (passports returned the day before disembarkation). We had arrived at the dock at midday and were in the cabin by 1.40 pm. Unlike other ships, it isn't "odd numbered cabins" on one side and "evens" on the other side of the ship. As we embarked there was a small band playing in the Royal Promenade and that was followed by the Dreamworks Parade in the evening, which was great if you have kids. Throughout the cruise the Windjammer cafe was packed, with not enough seats for the passengers.
The first stop was Sanya. The most annoying aspect of this Hong Kong to Singapore cruise was the deceit over Sanya. I had done my research and worked out that as we were only visiting China once, we were eligible for a “visa-free entry for Hainan province” when we arrived. However, when we were embarking in Hong Kong we were handed a piece of paper which stated that if you didn’t have a visa then unless you were on an escorted tour you wouldn’t be allowed to get off the ship in Sanya. The note then stated that to take advantage of this you had to have a tour booked by 8 pm TODAY (and we weren’t even on board yet). This was the beginning of ship’s reputation as the “Queue Ship”: on board, there was a huge line of panicking people trying to book Sanya shore excursions, well into the night. Then at 10.30 am the next morning, the announcement came over that the ship’s company had been negotiating with authorities all night and now you could actually get off the ship in Sanya without a visa! Miracle of miracles!! The announcement went on to inform people that if they wanted to cancel their shore excursion they could, but the thought of lining up again for hours on end turned people off doing this. It was an ingenious way for RCL to sell shore excursions, but the way they went about it is certainly dubious to the point of well planned blatant dishonesty.
In Vietnam everyone must have a passenger landing card (extra charge of US$6) even if you are not getting off the ship.
Cabin Review
Our cabin was 8559 overlooking the Royal Promenade. The window has double glazing, so noise was not a problem, and the curtains were thick. The bathroom shower was one of the best we have experienced, with sliding shower doors instead of the usual dreadful sticky curtain. The room was a good position above and opposite the Café Promenade and in an ideal position to view the start of the Dreamworks parade. Do not, under any circumstances, accept a Promenade view room above the Pig & Whistle pub if you have trouble sleeping!
Port Reviews
Singapore
The Marina South Pier Station is about a 500 metre flat walk from the Marina Bay Cruise Terminal along a covered walkway. You don't need a $10 all day pass on the MRT (train) if you are only going in and back, as single tickets are only $2 each. Wine was expensive with a $8 tax per bottle but other items in the grocery department were relatively cheap. Unfortunately the smog from the Borneo peat fires meant that views were almost non-existent.