Japan Airlines Singapore to Tokyo

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Heading Home

All cruises come to an end, and so it was time to leave Southeast Asia and return home.  The journey began with a 6 hour flight from Singapore to Tokyo, Japan on Japan Airlines.

After leveling off, the flight attendants served beverages and rice cracker snacks.  Our plane was a Boeing 777, so there was an entertainment system in our seats which offered music, movies, games, and more.

In Flight Service

We were served chicken with rice, noodles, salad, fruit and dessert for lunch.  The flight was smooth and on time.

This was the first time we'd flown Japan Airlines and we were definitely fly them again.

Soon we could see the coastline of Tokyo.  We were able to get some amazing photos from the air (see our album).   There was a bit of snow on the ground, but that didn't cause any delays.

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Related Album:

JAL Singapore - Tokyo

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Back to the Future

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Good Morning from Changi


We checked out of the Crowne Plaza Hotel around 5 AM January 25th and headed to the airport. Back home it was 3 PM on January 24th.  If our flights were on time, we would land in Chicago at 3:10 PM January 25th (5:10 PM Singapore time on January 26th).

Our flight wasn't until 8:20 AM, but we didn't know how long it would take to go through immigration and security. We also wanted to get something to eat before our flight.

Breakfast Choices

As is typical on international flights, we would be served multiple meals on our flight from Singapore to Tokyo.  We did want something light in the meantime, however.   A pastry shop was exactly what we were looking for.   Splitting a Palmier was just right.  It was ironic that we were thousands of miles from home and yet found a pastry which was one of our favorites back home.

There were several other choices including local favorites which you could purchase at Burger King or other locations.  Some of these Asian breakfast items can be seen in this photo.

At Our Gate

The immigration and check-in process went very quickly so early in the morning.  By 5:22 AM we were headed to check our baggage and get our boarding passes.  There wasn't anyone in line, so we were done quickly and on our way.

Less than 30 minutes later, we had already had something to eat and were sitting outside our gate.   The gate doesn't open until about an hour before the flight.

Waiting for our Flight

You might not be able to see from the photo, but the security screening occurs right at the gate.  We'd have another hour before the security and airline personnel arrived and started checking passports and hand bags.

Unlike airports in the states, once you pass through security you are now in a controlled waiting area.   There are rest room facilities there as well as limited charging stations.

We sat near one of the charging stations so that our phones were recharged before boarding the plane.  Boarding for our flight began at 7:50 AM.

Allowing 3 hours at the airport before our flight gave us plenty of time to leisurely have something to eat and get to our gate.  We'd rather be early than rushed and stressed.

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Related Album:

Changi Airport Singapore

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Where have you explored? 

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Your Cruise is Departing From a Nearby Port

SAVE TIME + MONEY! Shorter Flights - or None Needed - to the Cruise Terminal Your dream vacation starts as soon as you walk out the door! No longer do you have to dread the hustle and bustle of the arduous airline experience when planning your next cruise vacation. Now more than ever can you visit some of the world’s most fascinating destinations at the lowest prices and without venturing too far to get there.	Click Map for Options
No Need to Fly to Your Next Cruise - Ask Us How
With major cruise lines departing from more and more popular port cities like Miami, FL; New York City, NY; Galveston, TX and even San Francisco, CA, you will undoubtedly find an incredible ship that’s the perfect fit.
There are 21 US Cruise Ports Nearby  [Tweet this]
Sail from a Port Near You
To Find a Cruise Nearby simply Click on the Map above or click here to get started. Next, Select a Departure Port by Clicking on a City or scrolling down on the page to find the region of the country that you wish to depart from. Finally, Select From Amongst the Fascinating Destinations to look at the various cruise itineraries that you can pick from. EASY as 1 - 2 - 3
If you found this information helpful, spread the word and subscribe to our blog.  We are writing a complete series of articles for National Plan a Cruise Month You may also be interested in our eSavers Newsletter

Winter Weather Delayed Queen Mary 2

The Queen Mary 2  Credit: Robert Neal Marshall

Winter Storm Hercules Dumps Snow on Midwest, Northeast 

When the weather at home is cold and snowy, travelers take to the seas to get out of town and head to somewhere warm. Imagine the surprise to Cunard Line Queen Mary 2 passengers as they embarked their ship in New York on January 3rd and found the scene above. 

Queen Mary 2 arrived in New York ahead of schedule in order to avoid the worst part of the storm.  She didn't sail until after midnight to allow sufficient time for passengers to embark the vessel.  According to the line, the ship is still expected to arrive in Southampton, England on time January 10th.

Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day Part 2

Evening Before Debarkation

Most cruise lines now offer an "Easy Walk-off" option for those that don't have a lot of luggage, or for those that have early flight arrangements.  It is important to note that if you plan to use this method, you must be able to handle your entire luggage on your own. The crew will not be allowed to assist you.

For those that want to avail themselves of the normal process, bags must be packed and placed outside your cabin by the stated deadline.   This is usually shortly after late dining is completed.

Plan for What You Need in Morning

If you attended the cruise director's talk, he may have told you stories of passengers forgetting that they would need clothes in the morning and having to walk off the ship in a towel.  This may sound silly, but you do need to think about what items (clothing, toiletries, medicines, etc.) that you'll need in the morning.

We always have at least one carry-on bag with us so that we'll have a place to put our sleepwear, shavers, 3-1-1 bags with all our toiletries, and souvenirs that we don't want to pack in our larger suitcase.  Of course, you'll need your passports and other important travel documents with you as well.  Pack your large suitcase(s) and also have your carry-on packed, or at least know what will go in them, before placing the bags to be picked up outside your cabin.

Cruise Isn't Over Until 

the Paperwork is Done

Before retiring to bed, we suggest that you fill our your U.S. Customs Declaration Form and place it together with your passports.  Only one form is needed per family that are traveling and living together back home.   You'll need to know how much you spent in port and on the ship for things like souvenirs, jewelry, liquor, and clothing.   Anything that you purchased and are bringing off the ship must be counted.  You will have an allowance per family and the good news is that for things like liquor, your children count in determining the allowance.

Since the morning is an early one (usually all guests must be out of their cabins before 8 AM) you'll want to complete this the night before.  Doing so will allow you time for breakfast and a smooth, hassle free departure.

Once Docked, Crew  No Longer in Charge

Disembarkation is controlled by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection.  You'll find that there are several areas of the ship that will be blocked off and traffic patterns are strictly enforced.  You don't want to attempt to enter a controlled area.   It is for this reason that waiting areas are suggested by the crew in the instructions.   Don't proceed to the disembarkation point until your luggage color is called.  This will help keep the process moving for all passengers.

Go have breakfast and try to keep your entire traveling party together.   This way when an announcement is made for your luggage tag group, you will be able to disembark the ship.

There is a definite order of disembarkation and that will be listed in the instructions.  You might want to keep a copy of that handy so that you can tell when it is close to your time to disembark.  That allows you time for that one last bathroom break for example.

Note that the times listed for debark time are only approximate.   It is possible that the process may be halted several times to allow for crowd control.  There are a maximum number of passengers that can be in the terminal at a given time and as we mentioned, this is strictly under the control of the CBP.   Therefore, if there any doubt that you'll need more time, take the earlier tag when picking your luggage tags.

Getting to the Airport

Cruise lines sell "transfers" which can be prepaid or purchased on board the ship up to the stated time.  This is the easiest method for transferring to the ship because the ship's personnel will direct you to waiting buses for the trip to the airport.  You'll be amongst the earlier groups to depart the ship as well (ordered by flight times).  Caution: this could be a higher cost that arranging your own transportation, but it typically be the easiest.

Your travel professional can go over the various options applicable for your pier and airport location and can assist in booking the arrangements with the cruise line or other provider.   Remember, to be sure to allow sufficient time for the debarkation process.

Post-Cruise Tours

In many ports it is possible to book a post-cruise tour through the cruise line.  This is very similar to booking transfers but in addition to the transportation to the airport, you will also see one or more local sites.   This is a great option for those that booked later flights.  Consult the shore excursion sight before your cruise or during to determine your options here.  

Take-A-Ways

• Pack your luggage early so that you can enjoy your final evening onboard
• Leave clothing and other essentials for the morning
• Complete your Customs paperwork before retiring for the evening
• Pre-book transfers, tours, or know options for transfers to airport in advance
• Have a nice breakfast and listen for announcements
• When your luggage group is called, gather your belongings and head for the debark point
• Planning will help keep the stress levels down
• Also see Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day (Part 1)

Surviving Cruise Debarkation Day

Ending Cruise on a High 

The final full day of the cruise has arrived and fortunately it is a sea day.  That means you don't need to rush breakfast and get ready to go into port.   You plan to take full advantage of the ship and let any remaining stress melt away.

Last night you didn't have time to read the daily paper, so you pick it up and start to see what activities are planned by the staff.   Scanning through the list of morning activities, you see one that catches your eye ... "Debarkation Information - hosted by Cruise Director".  There is a note that says, one person from each family should attend.   Wait, what - I'm on vacation - what do you mean?

MUST I ATTEND?

Especially if you are a cruise rookie (first time cruiser) it is highly advisable that you attend any briefing offered by the Cruise Director or staff.   This will make your life much easier, since they will provide all the information you need and answer any questions.   On most ships, this information is disseminated in multiple ways, so if you have some conflict, you can skip the session.

For example, there should also be more information either in the daily paper or as a supplement covering everything you need to disembark the ship.  Often the debarkation talk is recorded and available for viewing on the ship's TV station during the rest of the day.

Flight Times Dictate Departure

Just Say When

When you listen to or read the information about debarkation, you'll soon discover that by mid-morning everyone is expected to be off the ship so that the crew can welcome aboard the new set of passengers.  There is a lot of activity that happens to make this possible.

WHEN TO LEAVE

You may not realize it, but your departure time was determined by you when you booked your trip and made travel arrangements.

How's that you ask?   When you picked your return flights, or made other arrangements for your return home, you determined the time that you needed to be off the ship in order to make your flight on time.   Upon leaving the ship you'll need to collect your bags, process through Customs, and board a taxi, shuttle bus, or other means of transportation to your departure destination (airport, bus, train station, rental car etc.).

How much time do you need?

There are a lot of variances in terms of when the cruise line calls your luggage group and when you are outside with bags in hands.   It may take some time to catch an elevator and actually get to the disembarkation point on the ship.  Once through there, it's usually a walk along a ramp, down the escalator or elevator to the lower level, where you'll find your baggage sorted by color tag.  There are porters to assist you in finding your bags and getting you through Customs.

In most cases, the pier isn't far from the airport, so you may have about 30 minutes to an hour for transfer time from pier to airport.  There are several ways to get to the airport, but for now, let's just assume you need to factor in some travel time.    Since you will be checking bags, and there will be several hundred or more of you arriving at the airport at the same time, you'll need at least 1.5 to 2 hours for checking in and clearing airport security.

The rule of thumb is that for flights before noon, you'll want to be in one of the first groups off the ship but for later flights you can take your time.

Key Take-A-Ways

• When booking your return flights, be sure to factor in the time it will take to disembark and travel to the airport
• Ask your travel professional for guidance before making arrangements
•  It is best to book flights later in the day to avoid having to rush - why add stress to your vacation after you have finally started to relax
• Be sure to attend any information talks and/or read and follow printed instructions

In Part 2, we'll talk more about preparation the night before debarkation as well as what to expect in the morning.

Your Cruise is Departing From a Nearby Port

SAVE TIME + MONEY! Shorter Flights - or None Needed - to the Cruise Terminal Your dream vacation starts as soon as you walk out the door! No longer do you have to dread the hustle and bustle of the arduous airline experience when planning your next cruise vacation. Now more than ever can you visit some of the world’s most fascinating destinations at the lowest prices and without venturing too far to get there.	Click Map for Options
No Need to Fly to Your Next Cruise - Ask Us How
With major cruise lines departing from more and more popular port cities like Miami, FL; New York City, NY; Galveston, TX and even San Francisco, CA, you will undoubtedly find an incredible ship that’s the perfect fit.
There are 21 US Cruise Ports Nearby  [Tweet this]
Sail from a Port Near You
To Find a Cruise Nearby simply Click on the Map above or click here to get started. Next, Select a Departure Port by Clicking on a City or scrolling down on the page to find the region of the country that you wish to depart from. Finally, Select From Amongst the Fascinating Destinations to look at the various cruise itineraries that you can pick from. EASY as 1 - 2 - 3
If you found this information helpful, spread the word and subscribe to our blog.  We are writing a complete series of articles for National Cruise Vacation Month You may also be interested in our eSavers Newsletter

We Are Going to Need More Bleach

Cruise Ships & Norovirus ...
Tis the Season

Celebrity Cruises Constellation is the latest ship to need to have a deep clean following an up tick in the gastrointestinal illness, known as Norovirus on it's 12-night wine tasting cruise to France, Spain and Portugal.   

What happened and who is to blame?

Sanitation Delays Departure

When Celebrity Constellation pulled into port in Southampton, England yesterday (Nov. 6th) the Southampton's Port Health Authority confirmed about 350 passengers had fallen ill with the vomiting and diarrhea bug out of the more than two thousand passengers.  Celebrity Cruises delayed the departure until 8 PM to allow the crew to deep clean 200 affected cabins, identified by the health authority, and all public areas of the ship.

The procedures, that Celebrity Cruises followed, adhere to the guidelines set forth by the international cruise industry.  A statement from Celebrity Cruises said: “A small number of guests experienced a gastrointestinal type illness. We therefore conducted extra cleaning and sanitizing onboard the ship and within the cruise terminal as preventative measures. As a result of the additional cleaning, boarding began at the revised time of 2:00pm yesterday. Our hygiene procedures on-board are comprehensive and always strictly adhered to.”

Who is to Blame

The first inclination when you hear about an outbreak would be to blame the cruise line. Clearly, they have let you down - you expected a healthy cruise, and you got sick.   In fact there's a group of passengers that were on sister cruise line's Independence of the Seas that are suing Royal Caribbean International for £500,000 after contracting norovirus while onboard the ship.

The cruise line is responsible - right?

The cruise line IS responsible  for cleaning the ship and providing the facilities for passengers and crew to maintain proper hygiene onboard the ship.   They do that - you'll notice signs posted in all the rest rooms and crew members pointing out sanitation machines, such as the one in the picture above posted outside the restaurant entrance.  

But, ladies and gentleman - I suspect that YOU are to BLAME.   Did you stop to wash your hands after using the bathroom?   Did you sanitize your hands every time you entered a restaurant onboard the ship.   Did you do so all but one time?   That one time would be enough to kick off this sort of outbreak.

We've just returned from two short cruises on Disney Dream and Carnival Sensation.  On both ships, we noticed the sanitizing materials and signs.  We also noticed many passengers disregarding the signs and avoiding the sanitizing of their hands before entering the restaurant. 

Working together, the cruise lines and passengers could Prevent Norovirus!

USEFUL LINKS ABOUT NOROVIRUS

Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships  -  gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses can be prevented

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with hand washing.

Norovirus outbreaks, when they occur on a cruise ship, always make the news.  The truth is these outbreaks can occur anywhere there are groups of people in a small area such as nursing homes, restaurants, catered events, hotels, and cruise ships.

Vessel Sanitation Program - prevention and control of spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships