Singapore Again! Arcadia.

Good Day Everyone,

It does seem no time at all since we were last on a cruise to Singapore - that was the 6th February 2009. In the meantime six weeks have flown past. For our first call there was the excitement of Australia ahead, and the Far East and now this time in Singapore there is that feeling that we are on the way home and the excitement of seeing our friends and loved ones soon! By the time we reach England spring will have sprung and Easter will have passed. Anyhow lots of exciting days at sea and ports of call to experience before then so let's not wish our life away.

Everything ran smoothly for our call in Singapore - all our agents and ground handling people are extremely well organised and we got our stores on board in record time. This all allowed for me to go ashore in the evening and enjoy a relaxing time with friends at Raffles Hotel. The resident pianist asked me to play his piano so I can now say that I have played the Steinway Grand Piano at Raffles Hotel! I enjoyed every minute of it. It was an added bonus to see Susan Jones. Susan is now retired from P&O Cruises and was an Executive Purser with us. For many years I worked with Susan as her Deputy. We enjoyed many happy times together. Susan - have a wonderful holiday in Singapore and come back and cruise with us one day soon!!!

If you have not already read my first blog on Singapore - 6th February 2009 then please do visit it and the photographs in this blog are not the same! See the effort I go to to get you variety, so all my cyber passengers can benefit also! There is a uniqueness to Singapore and an excitement to match.


It is now 2300 hours and my fantastic Administration Team are still working to see that we have all the passenger and crew passports collected in for presentation to the local clearance officials.
L to R - Michelle, Mario, Helen and Simon. It was a long day for them as we arrived at 0700 hours and sailed at midnight. Bless them they just keep smiling............

The Hard Rock Cafe at the top of Orchard Road.

Trinket boxes galore at the Indian Market.

The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel.

The harpist plays to entertain at Afternoon tea - Raffles Hotel.

Sri Mariamann Temple.

Waterfront business area.

Saree's for everyone.

The Tiffin Room at Raffles.

The man himself - the Raffles Statute.

Raffles Museum.

Raffles Grand Hall - main Lobby.

Raffles Doorman - wonder what he is saying? Any suggestions?

Lots of staff on duty - a Doorman in traditional uniform.

The Merlion

Singapore seen from the Singapore Flyer.

Marina Bay.

Arcadia passengers happy to be enjoying afternoon tea at Raffles Hotel - it has to be done!

Lots of Fans!

Colourful little India.

Even more colour in China Town.

Graham and Cynthia - keeping up the style for P&O Cruises at Raffles Hotel.

Anyone for Tea? Can't beat a good cup of tea! I have a matching tea pot for this china in my home - made by Royal Doulton - visitors think I nicked it but that is just not true - I paid an arm and a leg for it in the Raffles gift shop!

Anyone for a Singapore Sling?

A Cricket game on the Padang.

Down by the waterfront.

Raffles Door man.

Hotel Stores for Arcadia.

Here is Connie our Hotel Stores Manager - obviously delighted with the way things are going today! Last time we had a tough call as we had to use a crane to load our stores. This time our Agents arranged to modify this pallet truck mover to suit our requirements and we were able to store the vessel much quicker and more efficiently. We will not be beaten!

Tesco direct!

A local florist with entrepreneurial flair. Lovely orchids.

Third Engineer Officer Ian sees to it that our sludge is off loaded - it is all going on....

'Can't wait to get this job finished so I can get up the road'!

Deck Cadets Tom Cardy and James Fortson gave us a helping hand on the dockside to collect passports - this was much appreciated. You many remember James sent me a message on this blog to say he would be coming to work for P&O Cruises. They are both settling in well to their new roles and doing something like this is good for their passenger contact. Passenger just love to talk to the Cadets! Best wishes to Tom and James - Captains of the future!! Sending greetings to their parents - Fiona and Rudy & Paul and Helen - who are all blog readers.

Here is Grahams report..........

A bright and early start to the day and here we are again in Singapore. The city seems to be likened to an old friend now, albeit it was only a few weeks ago when were last here, the memories and places that we have enjoyed on Arcadia’s Inaugural Grand Voyage are many and varied but it is nice to come back this wonderful city.

So with the strains of ‘On a little street in Singapore’ ringing in my ears we head off into the city to explore yet again the streets of Chinatown and Little India.

It’s the shear vitality and colour of these areas that thrill the first time visitor as well as the repeat passenger. Look in any of the shops in Chinatown and we see things that inspire thoughts of the mystic east and so reasonable as well. Many bargains were snapped up by the passengers.

One place that is slightly out of place here is the Sri Mariamann Temple complete with its colourful facade and so many intricate figure carvings.

Onwards now to Little India and the traditional music of India are heard in the streets. This could be Mumbai or Delhi if you closed your eyes. See the colourful flower strings and vegetables of every type and colour, all superb quality.

Peer into another shop and maybe we should choose a Sari. Perhaps not on second thoughts, but the colours are quite dazzling.

Back at Arcadia we are off now on tour to enjoy the superb Raffles Hotel.
But first of all we stop off at the area known as Raffles Landing Place. Here the crystal white statue of Sir Stamford Raffles stands proud on its plinth with the backdrop of modern office accommodation soaring up into the darkening skies. One wonders just what Raffles would say if he could come back and see the amount of building that has gone on to make this city as voted in 2008 as the best place to live anywhere in the world.

Those threatening clouds soon turned into deafening thunder storm and my did it rain!
Luckily by now we were safely inside the hallowed corridors of Raffles Hotel. The classic white facade showing no signs of giving its title of the Grand Old Lady of the East.

The doorman complete with his authentic uniform welcomes us inside and phones to ensure all are aware.

The Grand Hall is amazing and for those visiting for the first time it is simply jaw dropping, beautiful, super are just two of the superlatives that I hear from the passengers.

Tea of course is a ritual here and to take it in the Tiffin Room is very special. The depth of the tea items covers both hot and cold foods that is topped off of course by scones, jam and lashing of cream all to be washed down with many cups of tea from the Royal Doulton service.

I have eaten in some of the top hotels around the world and I must say this tea event ranks with the very best in fact maybe the best.

We all enjoyed the visit to the hotel museum and the Long Bar. The museum has many cases of memories including atmospheric black and white views of great gatherings of the rich and famous before the last world war.

The Long Bar was a great favourite with the passengers and here they could enjoy sipping the classic Singapore Sling and also being able to throw there empty peanut shells onto the bar floor, something of course that cannot be done anywhere else in Singapore.

All too soon it was time to leave these famous rooms and head off back to our floating palace, Arcadia.

Singapore never failed again to thrill and surprise us all and it will too long before we are back in these waters again to sample the friendly people of this former British colony.

Thats for that Graham - as always!

So there your have it - we are now sailing to Langkawi in Maylasia, then two sea days before arrival in Cochin, India. From Cochin we enjoy another two sea days before arrival in Muscat, Oman and then the end of our Inaugural Grand Voyage Leg 5 in Dubai UAE. Leg 6 is our homeward Leg. Langkawi and Muscat are both new ports for me so there will be lots to see and lots to blog about. Thanks also to Graham and Tim (from Australia) for their photos, and some are my own!

Best wishes meantime,

James.

So go for it........Don't be afraid of mistakes or defeats; they are the building blocks for all your successes.

Barbara Johnson