Pacific Sky Eastern Sunsets

[PerthSkyCruiser]

Hi everyone

 

This will be our first cruise since arriving in Australia 26 years ago and I am so pleased to have found this friendly forum. We're booked on P608N leaving Singapore on 11 March. Anyone else on this cruise?

 

On our return to Singapore we're going to spend a week in Phuket and a few days in Melaka. This will also be our first visit to Malaysia/Thailand and we're really looking forward to it.

 

We haven't received our tickets yet, but the TA assures me that it will be soon. We'll probably make our own way in both Koh Samui and Kuantan, but I was concerned to read in previous posts, that it takes over an hour to travel between the port and the city in Bangkok. This does not leave much time to visit Bangkok and do a bit (that's what I tell DH ;) ) of shopping. I would therefore like to know whether it is better to stay overnight in Bangkok?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[rossc]

Hi Perth Sky Cruiser.

DW and I cruised from Thailand(Kuantan) to Fremantle on Regal Princess some 5 years ago. Yes it does take over an hour to travel from Bangkok to Kuantan to meet the ship. From memory there is little to see or do in Kuantan.

Haven't shopped in Bangkok for a few years but in August 2005 we spent 10 days in Phuket and did a " reasonable" amount of shopping there and it was great, both at Patong, two other shopping centres on the way to Phuket town and in Phuket town itself. You will have no problem wearing DH out!!

Trust this helps.

All being well we are cruising from Fremantle on 13March 2006 aboard "Athena" to Mauritius ( 9 days cruising and then 9 days in Mauritius. We haven't been to Mauritius before so like you we are really looking forward to the experience.

Enjoy your trip:)

Ross

[kaseyoz]

welcome perthskycruiser.

I havent been on the cruise you mentioned, but spent 4 days in bangkok and 10 days in phuket in 1998. We went with another family and both had 2 small kids each.

Lots of people hate bangkok because it is dirty, noisy, just another city etc, but we had a ball there. we did our own thing even cruised up the river on a normal ferry. We didnt have any problems.

Phuket was wonderful, people amazing, shopping great. there is a large amount of S** workers there. he/she. but they are not in your face and at no time did we feel worried about having our kids there...theytended to all be in one spot and were quite entertaining.

 

We hired a man and his van for a day and he took his everywhere, "james bond island" highly regarded but the actual trip getting there is more fun than the island.He also took us to the very south(i think) of the island to view the sunset. I didnt see this advertised anywhere. It is an amzing spot and well worth the trip. check it out if you can. The monkey cave(similar to the one in Bali) is well worth the trip. I think this was near the place where you get the long boats to James bond island but i could be wrong..

Food was fantastic and most places let us in with Macd. for kids.

 

I would love to go back now since the Tsumami but this cruising bug has hit hard .

any other questions just ask.

cheers karon

[cruiselover96]

Welcome Perthskycruiser. We're on the Sky 2 weeks later. Don't worry too much about the time in Bangkok. We're there for 2 days! Great. That should give us plenty of time to see and do what we would like (I hope!!). This is our first time in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Can't wait. Looking forward to getting the shore tours booklet to see what's on offer.

 

Kerri

[PerthSkyCruiser]

Thanks to you all for the great welcome and very useful information. Now I'm even more excited than before. Am looking forward to reading reports from other Sky cruisers who are leaving before us.

[NARELLE]

We were on Sapphire last year form Sydney to Bangkok.

When we got off the ship we had arranged for a limousine from the hotel where we were staying to pick us up. It took approx 2 -2.5 hours from Laem Chabang into the city.

 

We were booked on Sky in September to take the kids - this unfortunately has now been cancelled due to the ship being sold.

At the time when we booked for that cruise and started to make preparations for itinery we had decided it wld probably be beter to stay the night in Bangkok. Ie because of travelling time and the nightlife and to get maximum sightseeing and shopping time.

I dont know how they are going to organise transport from the ship and back again?? for the Sky cruise. Based on the fact that we actually got off the ship there I cant recall any other options for passengers remaining on the next leg of that cruise. I know they offered shore excursions for particular sightseeing agenders which included return to ship. In KL we had a similar situation. We booked a shore excursiontour to see the sights etc It was a full day and same thing about 1.5 hours drive into Kuala Lumpur.

We soon learnt that taking these all day shore excursions left no time for shopping in these places.

[rossc]

Perth Sky Cruiser,I checked our photo album on the Regal Princess cruise and the port where Sky will leave from in Bangkok is Laem Chabang as mentioned by Narelle and it is a long drive from Bangkok.

On our Regal cruise we also called into Kuantan ( Malaysia not Thailand as I said by mistake) and Port Klang ( the port near Kuala Lumpur). From memory it was a long drive from the Port to KL as well. We found there was little to do or see at these ports.Kuala Lumpur itself was a different story, with things to see and good shopping.

Sorry if I have mislead you, they call it ageing!!:(

[PerthSkyCruiser]

Thanks for the information, Rossc, glad to see I'm not the only one (ageing that is :D. Since retiring I've been on the downward slide). We'll be stopping at Kuantan on the way back from Bangkok. Hopefully that's not too far from the port.

 

To Narelle (previous post), sorry I could not reply direct as it says 'Unable to open config file for reading)' instead of the 'post reply' button. As far as 'commuting' to Bangkok on the two days the Sky is in port, it does sound more sensible to stay the night. With this in mind, I'll do a search for some suitable hotels. What a pity your September cruise has been cancelled - hopefully the kids aren't too disappointed. At least you have plenty of time to make other arrangements.

[kaseyoz]

Thanks for the information, Rossc, glad to see I'm not the only one (ageing that is :D. Since retiring I've been on the downward slide). We'll be stopping at Kuantan on the way back from Bangkok. Hopefully that's not too far from the port.

 

To Narelle (previous post), sorry I could not reply direct as it says 'Unable to open config file for reading)' instead of the 'post reply' button. As far as 'commuting' to Bangkok on the two days the Sky is in port, it does sound more sensible to stay the night. With this in mind, I'll do a search for some suitable hotels. What a pity your September cruise has been cancelled - hopefully the kids aren't too disappointed. At least you have plenty of time to make other arrangements.

 

I think you may have been looking on the wrong side of the post.

I am sure the "unable to open" thingie on narelles post was just the result of when some of the countdown logos were deleted.

but then i could be wrong too!!

the reply to is on the bottom on the other side of the post

[cruiselover96]

Perthskycruiser, have you got your tickets yet?

 

Kerri

[PerthSkyCruiser]

Perthskycruiser, have you got your tickets yet?

 

Kerri

 

Hi Kerri, no tickets yet. I guess you haven't either. Do you have airline and flight details yet? We're on Singapore Airlines and leaving Perth on the early morning flight on 11th March.

 

Ans :)

[PerthSkyCruiser]

I think you may have been looking on the wrong side of the post.

I am sure the "unable to open" thingie on narelles post was just the result of when some of the countdown logos were deleted.

but then i could be wrong too!!

the reply to is on the bottom on the other side of the post

 

Thanks for the explanation. I'm slowly learning how to use this great message board :) .

[cruiselover96]

Hi Kerri, no tickets yet. I guess you haven't either. Do you have airline and flight details yet? We're on Singapore Airlines and leaving Perth on the early morning flight on 11th March.

 

Ans :)

 

Yes Ans that was all done when we booked the holiday. We got the fly/cruise deal back in March last year.:p We fly out on the 19/3 at 5pm and arrive at 9.30pm Singapore and we leave the day after the cruise on the 9th April at 7pm and arrived Melb at 4.30am:eek:

 

We don't have long to go now!!!!:D

 

Kerri