As we boarded the ship, the weather was a breathtaking sunset with golden rays of brilliant sunshine that illuminated all our faces with dazzling radiance. Everyone was filled with blithe effervescence and vivacious anticipation for the herculean ship to start sailing. It was enlivening to see all 4 grandparents so relaxed and contented just to be close to the Bees, laughing and chatting with them.
Some indelible highlights of the 3-day, 2-night cruise:
1. Perpetual eating!
With 6 meals served every day, eating became a never-ending activity where the families bonded with each other. Hubby and I were very heartened to see our 4 parents gossiping like old friends, right down to telling each other hilarious tales about their respective courtship days! We discovered many tidbits of information that we had never heard before!
It was a blessing that Rosilyn, our helper, came along. When the kids slept on the first night, all 4 grandparents, my sister-in-law and us lingered around the ship till the early hours of 2am! We gorged on the delicious supper buffet with more chatting, strolled on the alfresco decks of the ship, and Hubby went to the casino with his father, my mum and sister-in-law while I sat in the comfy lobby area with my father and mother-in-law (a funny combination, right?!), chatting into the wee hours of the morning!
I particularly love the alfresco breakfast on our last day - lounging on the open-air deck, feeling the fresh sweet morning air on our faces and chatting languidly with the gentle sunrays emanating through the open decks.
Hubby and I also loved the bustling, outdoor BBQ buffet dinner on the second night, right beneath the stars. We were all awed by the splendid array of food, from local favourites to exotic delights. Tastes of the grilled beef, Hainanese chicken rice and heavenly cherry crumble still resonated vividly in my mind!
2. Open decks
I love strolling around the decks of the gigantic cruise liner, staring into oblivion at nothing but the vast, boundless blue sea that stretches unto infinity. Seeing nothing but the interminable ocean made me realise that humanity leads such a fragile existence - long before the humans transformed the world so drastically, the omnipresent oceans were the first occupants of the planet. And I am sure long after we humans are extinct, the celestial oceans will still endure.
Humans are nothing but miniscule chess pieces in the prodigious chessboard that represents our world. Yet, sadly, we had been creating such destruction and chaos since we occupied the earth.
Anyway, it was really gratifying to hear the gentle lapping of the waves against the giant cruise liner, and to observe the little ripples and motions of the ocean far beneath us. Entirely soothing. Wonderfully relaxing.
In fact, the gentle balmy breeze caressing our faces was so lulling that our parents were snoozing on the open deck in the afternoon of the second day!
3. Captivating shows
Our parents really loved the enthralling nightly performances which were highly entertaining. On the first night, we were treated to a dazzling display of acrobatics and musicals depicting life in the old imperial Russian regime. On the second night, we were lured into the mysterious world of magic and illusion with a dramatic magic performance. The grandparents gawked at the performers, the Bees were dumbstruck at times, and Hubby and me were just contented in the knowledge that everyone enjoyed themselves.
4. Recreation for the Bees
We indulged in myriad leisurely activities with the Bees, as a celebration of the end of exams for Big Bee! Big Bee and I went swimming one lovely evening in the kids' pool, where she enjoyed many rounds of the slide. I had the rare opportunity of soaking in a warm jacuzzi tub right at the edge of the ship, staring into the frothy waves as I immersed into the enveloping comfort of the warm water. Divine bliss indeed!
Meanwhile, the Bees also spent an enjoyable hour creating some handmade crafts with the hosts from Superstar Virgo, together with 5 other girls (where were all the little boys!?). Both the girls created their crafts independently, with a little help for Little Bee, and both of them proudly showed off their completed 3D butterflies to me!
The Bees also participated in some stage games. It was truly amusing to see both of them onstage, with Big Bee grudgingly and shyly partaking in the competition, and Little Bee animatedly enjoying herself! In the end, both of them won a medal each - it was really delightful for them.
5. Where time stops for us
Finally, it was the tranquil midnight stroll with Hubby on the second night that I truly cherished. We went to the top deck of the liner, and allowed the wind to flirt capriciously with our hair, whipping it wildly. We sat down on 2 lonesome deck chairs and chatted like the good friends that we are. It was rather chilly but we relished being away from the glare of the lights and noise of the crowds, indulging in some quiet, romantic moments with each other. Away from the madding crowd indeed.
Going on a cruise is an excellent way to truly unwind. With limited activities onboard, we had no choice but to amble along slowly, paying more attention to fellow cruisers and feeling time crawling to a standstill. It is also a fuss-free way to bring the children for a vacation, unlike faraway holidays where we had to lug lots of luggage and dashed about to sightsee.
We should be back soon, I foresee :)
2 comments:
Sounds really wonderful. I had my one and only cruise holiday when I was a pri sch kid. I remembered the bed as being very uncomfortable and really tiny. I woke feeling giddy in the mornings. So I haven't dared to consider a family holiday on the cruise. Esp since Mandy is prone to motion sickness, like me.
But you ARE tempting me.
K: Yes, it is wonderful to be able to wake up in the middle of the ocean, and nothing more. A cruise is so decadently relaxing that it slows down time tremendously! The cabin is still small, but we don't spend a lot of time in the cabin anyway :) As for motion sickness, so long as the weather is fair, I seriously cannot feel the ship nor know that I am on a ship if I can't see the blue ocean outside! Go go go for one!
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