Cruise Vacation Comfort and Perfection

Duration: 4 days. Time: September. Cost per person: 3000 yuan. Companions: Friends. Activities: Gourmet food, shopping, cruising, budget travel, saving money. Places visited: Shanghai. Published on 2019-10-24 at 21:45. I have always had an inexplicable yearning for the sea since my childhood, perhaps because I was born and raised inland, or perhaps because the descriptions of the sea in books are always so grand and magnificent. If the destination of a trip is related to the sea, it always fills me with joy. It is precisely for this reason that I chose a cruise for this trip, waking up to the sight of the sea every day. Many people are unfamiliar with this mode of travel, and when they heard that I chose a cruise, many friends found it very curious and innovative, asking various questions about cruises. After this trip, they urged me to write a travelogue to share the food, drink, and entertainment on the cruise with everyone. In fact, for choosing cruise travel as a vacation method, I would like to say that cruising is the most relaxed and comfortable way to travel. As long as you choose the right cruise and route, a perfect and comfortable vacation will definitely leave you with unforgettable memories. Moreover, during holidays, popular tourist cities and attractions in China are crowded with people, making it seem like you are going to see people rather than scenery. Choosing a cruise allows you to perfectly avoid the crowds and start a comfortable and enjoyable vacation. Selection of Cruise and Port For this cruise, I chose the MSC Splendida from the Mediterranean Shipping Company’s Cruise Line, a cruise ship from a 300-year-old European maritime family and one of the world’s largest family-owned cruise companies, with all supporting facilities newly upgraded and improved. The embarkation port I chose was Shanghai. Since I had planned to spend a few days in Shanghai before, I booked the Mediterranean Splendida departing from the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal. The transportation from downtown Shanghai to the terminal is very convenient, accessible by subway and bus, taking about an hour each, but it is recommended to take a taxi, which is more convenient and quick. Boarding Instructions and Precautions ① Essential Documents: Identity card is a must, and don’t forget to bring your passport, as it is required to enter and exit customs when taking a cruise. ② Boarding: Upon arrival at the terminal, there are signs and staff to guide you on how to go through security checks and check in your luggage. The luggage check-in service is extremely convenient. Before boarding, place your luggage in the designated check-in area, and after boarding, service staff will deliver it to your room door. On the night before the final return trip, pack your luggage and place it outside your room door, and service staff will deliver it to the customs exit. After disembarking and entering customs, you can directly go and pick it up, which is super convenient! ③ Precautions: Before departure, you can follow the cruise’s public account, which will have detailed travel tips and items to bring, making it comprehensive for packing your luggage.
Upon boarding the cruise: After receiving your room card, ensure to keep it safe as it serves as your identification on the cruise and can be used for payments. Shortly after boarding, around 4 PM, everyone must participate in the mandatory safety drill. Each person is assigned a specific area, which is indicated on the room card. Follow the instructions on the card to your designated area for the drill.

Onboard internet: Given that the itinerary includes sailing into international waters, it is necessary to purchase data packages or onboard WiFi in advance.

Onboard entertainment: Remember to carefully review the cruise daily newspaper placed in your room each day. It provides detailed information about the operating hours of various venues, exciting activities, as well as important details regarding time, weather, ports, and embarkation/disembarkation. For this trip, considering comfort, view, and cost-effectiveness, we booked a premium balcony room. Initially, we thought the room would be small, but it was surprisingly spacious. The room contains two single beds that can be combined into a double bed. All necessary amenities are provided, with a well-utilized space including air conditioning, sofa, dressing table, coffee table, wardrobe, bathroom, TV, and even a mini bar—excellent! However, to promote environmental conservation, items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and waterproof slippers are not provided, so you need to prepare them yourself. The room’s space is well-organized, and there is also a double sofa. Enjoying the sea breeze on the sofa with family and friends, chatting, and having tea is the epitome of a vacation. The balcony is the favorite feature! Opening the balcony door reveals the boundless azure sea, and the fresh sea breeze can be felt. Spend an afternoon on the balcony, having afternoon tea with the salty-fresh sea breeze brushing across your face, eating desserts, and gazing at the endless ocean, allowing you to let go of all worries,工作压力, and life’s hardships. At this moment, only peace remains. The bathroom is also spacious, with a shower area separated by a curtain for a simple dry-wet separation, and the mirror design on the side of the washbasin makes the space look cleaner and more spacious. It’s worth mentioning that the room’s outlets are American standard three-prong sockets (two flat and one round), and there are also USB ports, allowing standard mobile phones to charge directly. If you bring electrical appliances with Chinese three-prong plugs, you will need to prepare a converter or universal adapter. With 7 restaurants and 13 bars, the cruise offers a culinary feast. It has been jokingly referred to as a ‘sea pig farm,’ indicating the abundance of delicious food onboard. Even those on a diet will find it hard to resist the temptation to eat! The cruise features two buffet restaurants, two specialty restaurants, and three paid restaurants, totaling seven dining options, with four complimentary restaurants offering authentic and fresh global cuisine around the clock.
The ship gathers global cuisines, including Chinese and Western styles. No matter which one you like, there will always be something to satisfy you. The Pago Pago Buffet and Bora Bora Buffet are, as the names suggest, places for buffets and also where breakfast and late-night snacks are served every day on the ship. There are different national theme cuisines every night. However, although the food is delicious, don’t waste it. My first dinner on board was at the St. Regis Restaurant. The restaurant is located on the 5th/6th floors, with two levels. The space is open and the dining environment is elegant. There are chef’s recommended dishes every night. In the restaurant, there are both Western dishes such as fried steak and grilled lobster, and Chinese dishes. The lobster is extremely large, with thick, plump, tender and smooth meat. Taking a bite is full of happiness. The steak is cooked just right, with abundant juice and rich meaty aroma. Pouring on the special sauce, wow, it’s amazing! There are even more choices for Chinese dishes, including stir-fried dishes, stews, stir-fried noodles and rice noodles, etc., which can definitely meet your appetite needs. Have a glass of champagne, savor it slowly. Occasionally look at the sea view outside the window, chat with friends occasionally, or simply enjoy the delicious food quietly and start the eating and drinking journey on the cruise. If you are a meat lover, you can go to the steakhouse on the 7th deck to experience authentic American steak. The steakhouse is a typical American-style restaurant with a comfortable and pleasant decoration style and a very nice environment. There are also old American photos and decorations from the last century in the restaurant. Walking in here, it seems as if you are really in an American steakhouse. An authentic delicious steak starts with the pre-dinner bread. The freshly baked pre-dinner bread is chewy and soft, emitting a sweet smell. Spread butter on the bread and take a bite. The outside is crispy and the inside is fluffy and soft, with the delicious aroma of butter, which is super satisfying. Although the well-done steak has no blood, it is extremely tender. Moreover, it is abundant in juice. When eating, in addition to being fragrant and tender, you can also feel a smell of butter. Paired with fragrant and crisp asparagus and sour and crispy shredded pickled radish. When it enters the mouth, it will not feel greasy at all. Instead, the meaty aroma of the steak and the fragrance of asparagus blend with each other, giving people an incomparable taste enjoyment. If you are not used to Western dishes, then you must not miss the hot pot, right? The Sea Pavilion Hot Pot Restaurant is a hot pot specially created by the MSC Splendida in cooperation with Asian star chef Jereme Leung. Located on the 16th deck of the cruise ship, the scenery is extremely beautiful. Eating hot pot while looking at the sea view is simply a life enjoyment. The moment the hot pot base is served, it already makes people salivate. Not to mention the aroma that directly drills into people’s noses. It is really tempting. The characteristics of this restaurant are selected high-end ingredients such as wagyu beef, abalone, lobster, various hot pot bases and exquisite marinated cold dishes. Order your favorite hot pot base. After a short wait, it is the spicy taste that enters the mouth. Although it is a bit hot on the tip of the tongue, you still can’t help but take another bite after another. It is really unforgettable.
In addition to regular meals, don’t forget about afternoon tea. The 270-degree panoramic promenade on Deck 15 is a great place for afternoon tea. This time, we were fortunate to go to the exclusive lounge of the MSC Yacht Club. Only guests who have booked the MSC Yacht Club can go there. The lounge is located at the bow of the entire cruise ship, directly in front of the captain’s studio, enjoying the captain’s noble view. On a tranquil afternoon, sitting on the sofa, behind is the boundless ocean. The lazy sunlight is shining on the rippling sea. In front are desserts emitting a sweet smell. Leisure is also simple. Slow down and enjoy a pleasant afternoon tea time. With such a rich day, the night must be even more colorful. Thirteen bars show European charm. Each bar has its own characteristics and charm. There are piano bars, jazz bars, wine bars, coffee bars, etc. Basically everything you can think of. There are also singer bands from all over the world who bring different styles of live music performances every day. Rich entertainment projects, non-stop fun. People who have never been on a cruise may think that spending several days and nights on a cruise ship at sea will be very boring. In fact, it’s not! There are many fun and exciting projects on the cruise ship. Some people describe a cruise ship as a sleepless maritime entertainment metropolis. Because whether you are quiet or active, there are projects suitable for you to play here and you can all have fun. Here, the maritime theater has world-class song and dance performances, and there is also the only maritime opera performance of ‘Carmen’! The wonderful shows every night should not be missed. For example, this ‘Magic Show’ immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the audience at the beginning. As a young person, I definitely have to go to the electronic game center that young people like the most. Here, you can fully enjoy the happiness of video games. The happiness of a game fan is just so simple, hahaha. In addition to different types of video games, there is also a comfortable rest area. The experience is superb. There are also F1 simulation racing and 4D cinemas. If you like racing, you can go and experience it. You can choose the difficulty level of the track. It’s quite interesting. Inside the 4D cinema, people will be immersed in the thrilling experience in front of their eyes. From time to time, you can hear the screams of the audience. It’s exciting and fun. Families with children don’t have to worry about taking care of children and having no time to play. Because there is a child care and custody service on the ship. Especially the LEGO Sea Paradise. There are colorful LEGO courses and other children’s programs. Once children enter here, they basically don’t want to leave. Adults can just play at ease and pick up the children when it’s time. At that time, I’m afraid the children will be reluctant to leave, hahaha. There are a total of five swimming pools of different sizes and multiple jacuzzis on the ship. There is a lively and cheerful main swimming pool, a constant temperature indoor swimming pool with a movable canopy, a jacuzzi for leisure and warm water massage, and a youth waterslide that can experience the thrilling and exciting feeling of ‘plunging down’. In short, there are many projects to play. Remember to bring your swimsuit.
The cruise offers a spacious family-friendly water play area, allowing families with children to fully enjoy the fun. Moreover, there are numerous entertainment options available, such as table tennis, foosball, bowling, and more. To experience more exciting activities, it is essential to manage your time efficiently. You can refer to the daily schedule in your room and check the electronic screens next to the elevators on each deck for the opening times of various activities.

Not only is there plenty to do for fun, but shopping is also a delight. The onboard duty-free shop is a favorite among women, offering a wide range of products from beauty products, luxury watches, to jewelry, leather goods, and luggage. You can spend hours browsing without realizing it, the only concern being the state of your wallet.

Facing the sea, you can indulge in fitness, wellness, and leisurely strolls. If you’re worried about gaining weight from all the eating and drinking, consider visiting the gym on the 14th deck. It boasts a 270-degree panoramic ocean view and is equipped with over 40 different types of high-end fitness equipment from the brand Technogym, catering to various professional needs. However, I simply went for a run and did some light exercises.

Additionally, there is a 235-meter ocean view jogging track and a multi-purpose sports field where you can play soccer, basketball, tennis, and volleyball. If you prefer not to exercise, you can explore the ship and visit the Crystal Spiral Staircase in the Grand Atrium. The staircase is adorned with 47,400 Swarovski crystals and spans three levels with 72 steps. Under the illumination of the lights, each crystal sparkles, making it an ideal spot for photos in elegant attire that will surely dominate your social media feeds.

Alternatively, you can take a leisurely walk on the ocean view jogging track during the early morning or late evening, surrounded by a 360-degree sea view, feeling the gentle sea breeze brushing through your hair. Or, at sunset, step onto the deck and watch the sun cast a golden glow on the cruise ship, transforming from vibrant to tranquil, from colorful to vast, as it pours out the last rays of love for the day, unobstructed, onto the sea, the wilderness, and into my yearning gaze.

Tonight, can my soul rest with the afterglow of the sunset in the homeland of the sea? Standing at the deck railing, I watch as the sun slowly approaches the horizon, with warm hues enveloping both near and far, above and below the sea. Leaning on the railing, I gaze as the sun finally dips below the horizon, its faint halo still enveloping the world. This warm, orange glow lingers around me, making me feel as if I could hold this warmth in my arms, experiencing the unique tranquility and peace of dusk.

In conclusion, for a vacation getaway to avoid crowds or for traveling with parents and children, a cruise is an excellent choice. You don’t need to plan your itinerary, buy tickets, or arrange transportation. Here, you can let go of all worries and simply enjoy the experience.
In our finite lives, we have been chasing dreams and running around in life for far too long without taking a proper rest. On board, we can have more time to relax ourselves, or enjoy a personal space, or indulge in the sweetness of a couple’s world, or accompany our family members. In any case, on the cruise, you can find what you want. For those who are curious about how to board this cruise, take note: the Mediterranean Splendor will arrive at Shenzhen home port in December this year, making it convenient for friends in South China to embark on the ship right at their doorstep! Departing from Shenzhen home port, there are various sailing options available, allowing you to choose based on your desired destination. Whether it’s Da Nang in Vietnam or Okinawa in Japan, once you board the cruise, you can just have fun without worries! To facilitate everyone’s travel, I have attached a brief introduction to the sailing routes, hoping it will help you. If you want to book tickets, you can visit their official website or call their customer service. I wish everyone a pleasant trip. [About the Author] Food and Color Prince Weibo @ I am Food and Color Prince, a travel blogger, food media, and hotel experiencer.

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