Bangkok or Singapore Pre Stay

[cleobella]

Which would you choose for a pre stay, and which for an over night stay on cruise? Bangkok or Singapore? I am trying to decide between 2 itineraries. On starts in Singapore and has an over night Bangkok port stop. The other starts in Bangkok and has a two day Singapore stop. Any opinions?

[Milhouse]

I haven't started a cruise from nor stopped as a port of call in Singapore and Bangkok but have visited both multiple times on land trips.

 

I'd probably start in Bangkok and have Singapore as the two day stop.  From what I understand, Bangkok's port is over an hour away in Laem Chabang while Singapore's port is in a central location.  Having Singapore as your port of call would make planning you port day simpler since you're in the city once you get off the ship, the city is compact, and it has a great extenstive public transportation system.  Having Bangkok as your port of call, you're wasting limited port time getting from the port to the city, the metro doesn't get you to all the key tourist places, and traffic can be move at a snails pace if you take a taxi/Grab.  Doing Bangkok pre-cruise gives you more time flexibility to explore the city.  And you can find many really nice Bangkok hotels at very reasonable rates for a pre-cruise stay whereas Singapore accommodations are more expensive. 

[cleobella]

Great input Milhouse, thanks very much!

[iancal]

Agree.  

 

If you want a great hotel beside the river take a look at the Chatrium Riverside.  The higher up rooms and 1 br suites have a wonderful view of the river.  Great breakfast.     

 

Or near Jim Thompson House and the Siam Center....Vie Hotel.  Close to transit, close to the canal boat route.

 

We have stayed at both and recommend them!

 

At the other end, near 

[iancal]

On 2/19/2022 at 12:50 PM, cleobella said:

Which would you choose for a pre stay, and which for an over night stay on cruise? Bangkok or Singapore? I am trying to decide between 2 itineraries. On starts in Singapore and has an over night Bangkok port stop. The other starts in Bangkok and has a two day Singapore stop. Any opinions?

In Singapore we stayed at Ibis Bencoolan.  It was fine.

 

We seldom book and pay in advance.  The one exception is SE Asia….Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore.  More often than not we book in advance for three nights.  And we book direct on their respective web sites.  Often the discount approximates 25–30 percent.

 

We are partial to Bangkok.  Mainly because this is where we usually fly in to start our snowbird vacation.  Even after five visits we still enjoy Bangkok.  Save a day just for exploring the city, using public transport, especially the canal boat, and getting lost.  Quite often the locals will not tell you about the canal boats…they feel that this is no good enough for tourists!.