Manila to Singapore Cruise: Singapore, part 1
In this sixth post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Gardens by the Bay in Singapore on her Manila to Singapore Cruise on Crystal.
Welcome to the last port of call of my amazing Manila to Singapore cruise on Crystal! I spent one full day and night in Singapore on the Crystal Symphony before disembarking and spending a couple more days in Singapore on my own. Since I had so many fantastic experiences in Singapore, my time here is divided into two posts. Follow along as I start to explore Singapore with a day at Gardens by the Bay.
Manila to Singapore Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about the first half of my time in Singapore. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- February 23-25: Manila, Philippines
- February 26: Boracay, Philippines
- February 27: Puerto Princesa, Philippines
- February 28: At sea
- March 1: Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- March 2: Muara, Brunei
- March 3-4: At sea
- March 5-7: Singapore
- March 8: Hong Kong
Sailing into Singapore
My last full day on the gorgeous Crystal Symphony kicked off with a spectacular arrival into Singapore. I was awake early this morning, so I had the opportunity to step out onto the Promenade Deck and watch the beautiful sunrise over Singapore as we arrived into the port.
After arriving into the port, I headed back to The Marketplace for breakfast with a pretty amazing view! I enjoyed a light breakfast while looking out at the skyline of Singapore.
Gardens by the Bay: Super Trees
Today’s excursion was to the Gardens by the Bay. This spectacular attraction is actually a series of three different gardens: Bay South, Bay East, and Bay Central. My visit today took me to Bay South. Our guide took us to the Super Tree Observatory first. These towering structures are up to 16 stories tall.
After admiring the Super Trees from the ground level, we headed up to the suspended walkway between a few of the trees. Needless to say, the views from up here are pretty spectacular! Seven of the Super Trees are designed to harvest solar energy, and all are sustainable vertical gardens. There are over 200 species of plants (and nearly 163,000 plants!) in these Super Trees.
After the awesome Super Trees, our guide led us on a walking tour through the Bay South gardens. There are lush flowers and plants interspersed with fantastic views of the city skyline here.
Gardens by the Bay: Flower Dome
The next stop of the tour was one of the two large domes on the site. The first one we explored was the Flower Dome. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest glass greenhouse. It is covered with 3,332 glass panels and has a volume equal to 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
After a quick introduction to the dome, our guide gave us some free time to explore the Flower Dome. There are many different areas and exhibits inside…some are permanent and others are temporary and change throughout the year. One of my favorites was a smaller one called “Aloes in Wonderland,” which made me giggle.
As I wandered through the Flower Dome, I was captivated by the various types, colors, and sizes of fantastic flora everywhere.
The center of the Flower Dome holds the largest exhibit, which changes throughout the year. On my visit today, they were just starting an exhibit honoring the cherry blossom season in Japan.
Gardens by the Bay: Cloud Forest
The final stop of the excursion was the second domed area, the Cloud Forest. This impressive dome is the size of one and a half football fields. The Cloud Forest maintains a humidity level of between 80%-90%, so it is an ideal spot for many tropical plants. One main area is called “Orchid Haven.”
The central feature of the Cloud Forest is the 115-feet-tall (35-meter-tall) indoor waterfall. After exploring a bit of the ground level, I took the elevator up to the top and started the journey back down on a series of suspended walkways and escalators.
As I made my way back to the ground level, I enjoyed seeing all of the different tropical plants. There were also lots of sculptures throughout the area.
One Last Dinner on the Ship
After my amazing day at Gardens by the Bay, I headed back to the ship. This evening was my final fabulous dinner on the ship. I returned to Waterside, the main dining room, for tonight’s dinner.
- Shrimp Har Gow (dumplings) with soy dipping sauce and radish
- Cream of Sweet Potato Soup with ginger, lime, peanut, and pistachio relish
- Sweet and Sour Pork with pineapple, vegetables, and sticky rice
- Coconut and Passion Fruit Trifle: coconut panna cotta, passion fruit curd, coconut macaroons
Conclusion
My last final day and night on the Crystal Symphony were just as wonderful as the rest of the cruise has been! After a picture-perfect arrival into the port of Singapore, I got to enjoy a fabulous day at Gardens by the Bay. One last dinner on the ship capped off a fantastic 8-night cruise. Luckily, I spent more time exploring Singapore on my own…check out Singapore Part 2 for the rest of my time in Singapore!
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
Click the button below for more information about Crystal:
