BUCKET LIST 36. CRUISE

One thing has been crossed out on my bucket list again!

"No way! I’ll make sure there’ll be nothing in the way for me not to take the cruise!" was my initial reaction when they told me I can join my mom to visit my dad on the ship and to cruise South East Asia at the same time. It is on my bucket list and I’ve never imagined I’ll be able to cross it out way too soon, much less even cross it out! So of course, when they told me that I could, there’s no other answer but YES. (I kind of have to persuade them a bit to let me join though... But hey, I call it determination and perseverance on my book. Haha!)

Before the cruise, I thought that it would be boring and uneventful, but I was proven wrong. It was a very, very happy place. (Much like Tahiti, if you’re watching Marvels: Agents of Shield series minus all the drugs and hallucinations, this is all real!)

Before the cruise, I wasn’t even aware of how luxurious and stunning the experience actually would be. I kind of expect that it would be over the top given that when you heard, CRUISE, normally, only old and very, very rich people could afford it. (At least in my country, but that’s just my opinion...) But all things I anticipated was considered underrated. Our ship is called Crystal Serenity, a luxury ship owned by Crystal Cruises. Before the tour, I didn’t even know that there’s such thing as a 6 star rating. I though a 5 star is the highest you get for hotels when you try to rate it. The ship is so big and the most elegant and glamorous place I’ve seen. (I got lost a lot of times inside when I’m trying to go somewhere... Good thing the place is just like an oval track field and you just need to walk around and you’ll eventually see where you want to be. Plus, I don’t mind getting lost.) It’s a medium size, 13 story ship with all the best amenities and facilities that you can imagine. Personally, I love to stay at the 12^th flr. and on the Bistro at 6^th flr. 

The 12^th flr. is where the main food section, swimming pool and Jacuzzis are.  They have the Lido deck which serves breakfast and lunch buffet everyday.  Late breakfasts for late risers are also served. They also have the pizzas, pastas and salads.

Of course food is the first thing that I have bragged about in this blog. As the saying says, ‘A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ And it literally applies to me.

The trident which is one of my favorite places on the ship! It’s where you can get your burgers, hotdogs, basically grilled foods that's on the menu served with fries, fried sweet potatoes or onion rings. They also have bountiful of chips and fruit on the side and the ice cream bar with lots of different flavors and toppings to choose from. They also have a bar beside it for your drinks or martinis.

What I’m trying to say here is, Food is the least of your worries. It is so abundant on the ship you'll find yourself munching everytime. Where you'll going to put it might be your biggest problem instead. Calories! (I don't care, I love it!)

The Bistro is where you’ll normally find me at night if I’m not at Pulse, the disco/club area, but that’s another story. It’s basically the Coffee Shop version of the ship. That's where I ask for different kinds of non-alcoholic drinks. I didn’t even know there’s a diet coke, caffeine-free version or low fat milk that’s lactose-free for lactose intolerant before I came here! Excuse my ignorance, but that’s really the first time I’ve heard of those. :)

The staffs are so charming and friendly you would really feel you're being taken care of like a family. They’ll attend to your needs the best way they can while always wearing a smile. Maybe it’ll be a little bias since my dad is working there and a lot of the staffs are Filipinos but even the other nationalities do the same. As one of my lovely habits is observing people, I’m saying that those qualities are innate to all their staffs, the way they greet and treat their guests like their own and how sometimes they even know what the guests need even before it is asked. It’s just amazing.

My Daddyow! :)

I remember talking to one of their guests one night and she said she travelled with Serenity for more than 16 times and she know some that are more than 100 times and she said, “Serenity is like a family. Everyone treats you as a family. One of the best ships I’ve been on so far.”

What I’m trying to say is that this is one of the best moments of my 2014, that I’ll hold dearly. More of the cruise, places, foods and things to follow! All good things, all good things. :)

Crystal Serenity

http://www.crystalcruises.com/

1-888-722-0021