Shanghai 'Magic City' Cruise Day 1: Blinked & Missed It! What Did I Even Accomplish?!

[Franklin Weimann IV]

Certainly! Here's the translation of the text while keeping the details and the fun, adventurous spirit intact:

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• Do you guys know that amazing feeling you get when you unexpectedly take off from work in the afternoon, hopping straight into a taxi to rush towards the cruise ship terminal (that’s where big ships dock, by the way)! The bliss of waving goodbye to work, heading straight towards freedom!

  • Road Condition Tip: However, the road to the terminal is surprisingly congested with long-haul trucks, turning a 30-minute ride into an hour-long journey. So if you plan to take a taxi, make sure to leave some buffer time!

• Boarding time was set between 12:45 p.m. and 13:15 p.m., but I reached there at 12:00 p.m., and could directly check-in my luggage at the terminal parking lot.

  • Boarding Tips:
    • Arriving early is always a plus!
    • No need to carry tapes or anything; the staff handles it by fixing luggage tags with staplers.
    • Ship tickets (boarding passes) can be printed at the venue, though it’s recommended to bring them already printed for convenience.

• After entering the departure hall, there’ll be some waiting. Approximately half an hour to an hour will pass until boarding actually begins, involving a call number announcement via broadcast. Same advice applies here: arriving earlier means easier boarding!

  • A duty-free store is passed before boarding.
    • Money-saving Tip: If you plan to buy cigarettes, they’re cheaper here than onboard.

• Stepping onto the cruise was a real eye-opener! It’s simply stunning! The design style is a classic representation of lavish oriental aesthetics, featuring abundant gold and red colors; foreigners might see this as a typical Chinese characteristic.

• Onboard staff seemed to be roughly split between Chinese and Southeast Asians, and communication with simple English or Mandarin was generally doable. Although sometimes accented, these interactions became more acceptable over time (laugh).

• I had secured the "Preferred Balcony Suite" (a suite class with access to a balcony), which, while compact, was well-equipped (this idiom in Chinese basically means everything you require would be there).

  • Numerous hangers (I counted precisely fourteen!), tissues, hairdryers were all available.
  • Toiletries like shampoo and body wash were provided.
  • Accommodation Advice:
  • Bring a water bottle to use at free drinking stations if you frequently drink water.
  • Use a portable shower filter if you are sensitive about water quality. Otherwise, pack everything as you would for a regular trip.

• The delay in receiving checked-in luggage to the guest suites was somewhat long and seemingly random. While waiting for luggage, a room service attendant introduced the amenities of the cabin.

  • Room Door Complaint: I must vent a tiny gripe about the peephole location on the room door! It’s been placed too high and too far to the side, requiring me to stretch my neck to barely observe who’s outside, not very accommodating for shorter guests.

• Time-wise, food consumption only kicked off around 3:00 pm after boarding, since it wasn’t prime dining hours, hence the limited variety offered by the restaurants, which was nonetheless suitable for our tastebuds.

  • The dinner banquet took place in the 'Palace Restaurant', served as a menu of Chinese or Western options, with identical starters, soups, and desserts, differing solely by main dishes.

    • Chinese main courses included pork rice & vegetable stew, beef short ribs, and spicy sour fish dish.
    • Western options comprised lamb chops and baked salmon.

  • Service waiters promoted additional paying dining spots onboard after the meal, and we reserved one for Cantonese cuisine.

• We went to listen to the jazz performance in the “Bavarian Lounge” (a German-themed bar on board).

  • Consumption Notice: Not everyone’s exempt from charges in the lounge; only VIPs enjoy the privilege, others purchase entry tickets or opt to spend in the lounge.
  • We ordered two drinks, feeling relaxed with the lively ambiance.

• Eventually, we explored the entire ship, and found levels 3-5 as very labyrinthine!

  • Navigation Tips: Be wary of restricted zones during lunch hours that required circumvention due to the unclear signage onboard; querying attendants often solved the maze. For the visually navigating challenged, just openly ask for directions.

• Later, we filled water from the 10th deck refill point, settling for the evening preparations; about 11:00 pm.

• Participated an hour of Chinese idioms game called "成语接龙" with friends, finally headed to bed.

• In conclusion, an incredibly joyous first day aboard!

[Lorena Runolfsson]

Yesterday, I got pretty flustered! I was even thinking of just driving straight there from Hangzhou.

[Sonja Schroeder]

In that case, I'd recommend you get there a bit earlier. Also, while I'm not sure if the parking lot I saw allows for overnight parking, it's quite far from the pier.

[Karen Zulauf]

I was wondering, do I need to wear long-sleeved shirts for a trip to South Korea and Japan?

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

Cruise trips are so incredibly therapeutic! Anyone looking for last-minute cruise deals, feel free to hit me up – hoping to help you all save some money!