Sapphire Princess Review
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Embarked in Singapore which is a great place to visit with lots to see..we only had one full day but just about did the main attractions around Marina Bay & Clarke Quay. The cruise terminal is easy get to but it was a bit manic with no clear direction. Despite arriving at our allotted time after getting our cruise card (which was quick) there was a long wait just to join the back of another long queue at passport control. There were no refreshments offered which I thought was poor & unlike Celebrity no drink when finally getting to the ship. A word of warning..if you are doing a back to back cruise in and out of Singapore twice on your middle day in Singapore you have to get off the ship , go through passport/security then sit a while before going back through the same passport/security in the other direction to get back on! If you wanted to go to Singapore as a port of call for the day (rather than stay on the ship) I don't think you would get much time on shore. Disembarkation was again quite slow. Make sure you go to the proper taxi rank which is a walk past the coach stands not the first area you come to where we were nearly conned into a VIP taxi by a clever salesman which would have cost twice as much to get to the airport.
Overall impression of ship is very good...its not new & shows it occasionally but has everything you would expect. We stayed mostly at the main outdoor pool area which has 2 bars and the Princess big screen which was always showing pop concerts etc when no films were on. Sunbeds were a bit basic but we never had problems finding one. The area at rear of ship was quite small & we didn't use the other main pool as this is permanently covered. We paid for all inclusive drinks upgrade which I think is just about worth it but avoid the cocktails at the pool in the day unless you like a lot of crushed ice!
Dining - we did any time. This was brilliant as you had choice of 4 good restaurants and you were always sat with people of your nationality. The menu was varied & designed to suit all tastes. The food was always well presented. The waiters were all friendly. The buffet however was different in that it was always crowded and the choice was much more limited as they seem to have the same options on two sides..remember in Asia they rightly cater to all tastes but this can limit what's available. We did afternoon tea once but this was nothing special.
Cabin Review
We had a good sized cabin which was a standard balcony, however the balcony itself was bigger than on other cruise lines. Plenty of wardrobe space and only downside was that the bathroom was quite small. Was always clean and the bed was comfortable.
Port Reviews
Singapore
A great city for a short break on its own. The Marina Bay & Clark Quay areas are best although Orchard Rd is good if you like shops you can see anywhere in the world. We didn't have time to see Sentosa Island (see main review re issues while on our port day). The taxis are reasonable & all our drivers were friendly. The MRT (tube train) is cheap and efficient. Trip Advisor will give you some good background.
Bangkok (Laem Chabang)
We took the shuttle bus ($8 each way per person) to Pattaya. They dropped you off at a hotel & the shuttle was efficient. We didn't like Pattaya however which was very busy (partly due to a pop concert) often dirty & a bit seedy although it has a very long beach & I understand the other end is a bit better. Think of Magaluf in Spain.
Koh Samui
We went to one of the main beeches which was a bit like the Caribbean. Lovely sand & sea & beach vendors never bothered you if you said "no thanks". One of the highlights of the cruise.