One of the most common topics these days apart from vaccination is "I have not travelled in the last two years"! I actually plan to do another stay-cation this year but happened to see my friend's cruise trip in Sept. So I have finally decided to splurge a little by booking the palace suite after checking out blogs and vlogs' reviews.
For our room stay of 4 days 3 nights during this peak period in November school holidays, we paid SGD 3,777.00 + gratuities SGD 234.00 (this is charged separately - you need to settle the bill before you leave) for the three of us. Child price is the same. Other chargeable activities which we did were massage, kids' holiday program, VR, arcade and bingo. All these add up to a total of SGD 4,760.00. So divided by three about SGD 530.00 per night per guest.
I will go through more about the privileges of palace guests as we go along so you can gauge if it is worth all the penny. At the end of my post, I will still list down a summary for easy reference. By the way, World Dream is Halal-friendly and do have a read from this blog which covers a lot of what you might want to know.
Some points to note:
1) Our package is for Singapore residents only so it is a must to bring along NRIC together with passports. I brought Ethan's birth certificate as mentioned in the T&C, but it was not required. Still, just bring it in any case if you are travelling with children.
2) Guests above the age of 7 requires a trace together app on phone or the physical token. Note that whenever you go for dining-in, the staffs will always be verifying on your vaccinated status. Another token named 'Tracey' will be issued and if it is lost, a cost of SGD25 would be charged. I love it how World Dream actually prepares landyard for storing your passport and room card key. Pretty convenient really.
As of time of writing, for unvaccinated/partial vaccinated guests, after breakfast on Day 2, they are only allowed to dine in their stateroom.
3) Mandatory COVID-19 ART (Antigen Rapid Test) is required prior to embarkation for all guests. The cost is already included in your package. No ART is required when you come back to Singapore. I'm thinking because ours is cruise to nowhere with no port of calls.
What if you are tested positive for ART? World Dream allows you to postpone your trip by converting into credits for future trip. We were equally excited and afraid for the past two months!!
4) Once you have booked the cruise, you will be receiving an email informing you on the ART timing. Note that this is not the confirmed one until you have completed online check-in (up to 90 days prior to departure) via Dream Cruise website here. You will then receive your sail pass with the final ART time slot.
5) Download the Dream Cruise app which you could monitor your bookings and to settle all your bills before you leave. Note that the app could only be accessed by using Dream Cruise wifi. Palace guests get complimentary wifi. If your wifi suddenly becomes slow, just get your butler to reset it for you. Alternatively, settle your bills at the reception on level 6.
6) Register as a Dream Elite member so you can earn points. Since you are already spending a bomb for the cruise, might as well right? It's FOC anyway. Note that registration online isn't valid (that was what I did), so do go to the membership counter on level 6 to register.
7) To help you better understand the ship, FWD (forward) refers to the front. AFT (after) is back and MID is middle. The carpet on the flooring plays a part too. If the flower is facing in front, means you are going towards FWD. If the flower is upside down with the stems on top, means you are facing AFT direction.
8) World Dream do provide the necessary toiletries including toothbrushes so we did not bring anything at all. This is very important to me as Royal Carribean did not have them so I ended up buying onboard.
9) The first thing to do right onboard would be to call your butler (yes each palace suite comes with a butler) immediately to book all the shows, gym, pool, jacuzzi, spa etc or you would be getting those slots with weird timing like 2pm in the afternoon or maybe 8am in the morning. One guest is only allowed up to an hour each day.
10) The minimum height requirement for adults' water slides, rock wall climbing and adventure rope course with flying fox is 140cm.
11) Children below 16 years old are not allowed in gym for safety reasons. It should be the same for Palace spa (steam room and sauna) though we did not go for it.
12) If you are bringing back cigarettes, you will have to declare or would be subject to SGD200 fine. If you did delcare, there is also tax being charged as well. Just smoke finish before you leave the cruise lah. I'm not sure about alcohol, but I guess the same rules apply.
13) World Dream departure hall is located at Marina Bay Cruise Centre level 2. If you are looking to drive there, there is parking package of:
4 Days 3 Nights - SGD45
5 Days 4 Nights - SGD55
6 Days 5 Nights - SGD65
Once you arrived at the drop-off point, you may proceed to check-in your luggage. You can choose to carry all the way to the cruise too, so no issue. Palace baggage check-in is just next to the usual baggage check-in. Take note of the prohibited items.
Once you have checked in your luggage, go to level 3 opposite of baggage check-in counter (cross a road) for ART. The whole process plus waiting time took about 25 minutes for us. But it is said to be around 30 minutes to an hour depending.
While you wait for ART to be done (I forgot about this part, but it is either before or after), you need to fill up a health declaration form. Your test result is sent via sms or you could check the status on trace together app which is 5-10 minutes earlier. You will be given the 'Dream Daily' of the day to see what are the activities onboard.
If you have time to spare after clearing your test, there is shuttle service to Vivo City.
We decided to just hang out at Seaworld Cafe (next to baggage check-in counter) and have a meal before boarding. The shop also sells swimwear, hats, sun block etc in case you need to get them last minute. We did buy a sun block though which cost SGD25. *faints*
We did not know that everyone had already queued up to check in and the line was all the way at the other end once we stepped out of the cafe. Paste your priority check-in group sticker (given during ART test) for staffs to differentiate you as Palace guests as there are different queues.
Present your ART result together with passport and IC to the staffs who will then guide you to the palace queue. You would be given a random number card and guided to a waiting area. Palace guests used to have a lounge with refreshments but due to Covid, we were handed out bottles of mineral water and packets of snacks instead. The two-bite brownies tasted much better than macaroons.
As palace guests, we just needed to be seated comfortably while the staffs prepared our room card keys with landyards. The number card was collected after that. Immigration process was hassle-free since Ethan has signed up for facial recoginition & thumb print scan.
Follow the crowds and there is a lift specially assigned for palace guests.
For World Dream cruise palace suite, there are a total of four types:
- Palace Suite
- Palace Deluxe Suite (bigger room size than palace suite with an additional dining area for four)
- Palace Penthouse
- Palace Villa (stays up to six with an outdoor jaccuzi all to yourself)
Check out World Dream's website here.
Our room is on deck 11 FWD, room no. 11508. All palace suites come with a bathtub (yay for us!) and we love our super spacious room. Other than the usual coffee/tea/mineral water, palace guests get nespresso and a free minibar (one-time only and additional top-up will be charged).
Our first lunch (usual timing from 12pm to 2pm) was at the Palace Restaurant (only for palace guests) and the menu changes every day for lunches and dinners. Kids' menu seems to be the same every day though. But we did not eat at Palace as much since we have other specialty restaurants to go to. Kids can also order adults' menu, it is fine.
You may order as many times as you want. For example, you can order like two of the same main dishes, three desserts and four soups/appetizsers etc. Coffee, tea and chilled juices are available throughout. For those looking for beers/wines etc, palace guests get 'Happy Hour' from 5pm to 7pm free of charge.
On Day 2 and 3, Palace guests can enjoy afternoon tea between 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Palace restaurant washroom's view was too awesome.
Palace restaurant's dinner which we tried on Day 3 from 6pm to 9pm.
I believe Palace's supper starts from 10pm onwards. Our supper for two nights were around 11pm to 11:30pm. Those comfort foods really annoyingly tempting. We were eating with our eyes half-closed but still die die want to eat. Lol!
Our last day's breakfast at Palace and I heard the menu is the same every day. We only went on the last day. Note that if Palace is full, you will be re-directed to Prime Ribs/Seafood Grill instead. They are serving the same varieties.
Palace
guests get to try out one time each (additional order is chargeable) for all the specialty restaurants
(which is chargeable for guests staying in other staterooms) ranging
from Seafood Grill/Prime Ribs Steakhouse, Silk Road Chinese
Restaurant, Hotpot to Umi Uma Teppanyaki/Korean BBQ.
Note that for those in red, they are located within the same restaurant. So you can only visit once for free. Since there are three of us, we can order three sets. But I tell you, the sets are extremely filling.
If you find yourself still hungry after this, there are inclusive Lido buffet restaurant, Upper Dining and Lower Dining to go to. We did not try them as we just have too many other foods to eat.
Seafood Grill & Prime Ribs Steak House
We ordered two seafood sets and one steak set.
Umi Uma
Teppanyaki was fully booked as we were too late by the time we decide to go for it. So we ended up having Korean BBQ which was better as we could sort of like grill the meats ourselves. Bento sets are available too if you are not into BBQ.
Hot Pot
Note that rice are not included and cost SGD1 per bowl.
Silk Road Chinese Restaurant
For Palace guests, they have their own pool and jacuzzi area so more privacy. Main pool with adult and children water slides (first pic below) are available for everyone. We did not go for the water slides as the weather was too hot!
We only managed to secure palace pool and jacuzzi at 2pm on Day 2 and 8am on Day 3. By the way, we slept in on Day 3 so did not got for a second round. A tip for booking of jacuzzi in Palace is to get the ones facing the front of the ship and not those next to the pool. This is so you get a great view of the ocean while soaking in warm jacuzzi.
Palace guests get complimentary gym at their own private one which is much smaller than the main gym. As Ethan did not meet the age requirement, we only get to be in the gym for like 5 minutes before being chased out politely. Sigh pie!
Children between 2 to 12 years old is allowed an hour free at Little Dreamers Club each day. They get to participate in activities according to the timeline. We happened to drop by during their 'Design Your Own Gingerbread'. There are also Mario video games free for play after that but must be within the one hour time span.
There are also a few shows which are free. They do have repeat sessions and a lot of seating available. Other free activities onboard would be those gigantic chessboard, some jumping games, mini golf, table tennis, adventure rope course with flying fox and rock wall climbing.Those activities in red need to be booked directly and not through butler. Reason being they are open to everyone not just for Palace guests.
We also tried out those chargeable activities. If you are going for VR, there is promotion at certain timing (check your dream daily) like 2 games for SGD22 or the one which we bought SGD40 for unlimited games in 30 minutes. There is height limit for VR, so Ethan only get to play fruit ninja.
Finger coaster is interesting since you could design your own track. The most fun part would be Dark Ride where we were seated in a room wearing glasses looking at 3D screen. It was a horror circus shooting game.
Arcade games cost around SGD3 to SGD4 depending. All charged to your room card and settle it before you leave. You will have to redeem your gifts at level 6 and the minimum is 60 tickets. Should be an eraser I think.
We went for our massage at Crystal Life Spa while Ethan was with the Special Christmas Program at SGD60 for 2 hours. Our body massage is at SGD175 for 1hr 30mins but after service charge and tax total up to about SGD206 per pax.
I loved the Bingo game so much that I went for two days in a row. Set of three tickets for SGD30 and you need to get all 24 numbers in one of the cards within 40 house calls to win the grand prize. There is also a consolation about SGD300+ if you complete within 70 house calls if I remembered correctly.
To summarise, Palace Suite guests (individual guest) are entitled to the following:
- priority check-in and check-out (but we requested for late check-out around 10am coz we still struggling to eat breakfast at 9am)
- complimentary wifi
- one-off complimentary minibar
- large room that comes with bathtub (room size is double of normal balcony stateroom)
- nespresso coffee machine
- exclusive pool, jacuzzi, spa (sauna & steam room) and gym (only an hour is allowed per day)
- personal butler who books all your shows, meals, pool, jacuzzi and gym
- happy hour from 5pm to 7pm daily of free-flow alcohol
- meals at chargeable specialty restaurants (only once) but for Palace restaurant could be visited multiple times.
Note that if you had lunch at specialty restaurant, you cannot eat at Palace during the same timing. So if you are really hungry, just go to inclusive restaurants at Lido buffet.
You do the math and see if this is something you are keen to try out. Will probably go back to Dream Cruise again as Palace guest as I really enjoy those privacy. Till next time!!
