Hey hey hey, thanks SO MUCH for watching! Let me know what you think... 😁😋 Interested in cruise destinations? Check out these: British Isles - ua-cam.com/video/tvAZK5KePQ8/v-deo.htmlsi=ApwhbLT6RbeWgpqr Arctic Circle - ua-cam.com/video/bH7WapVQ8po/v-deo.htmlsi=vg5mhsHuVErYjC78 New York - ua-cam.com/video/qN4WPbpo6YI/v-deo.htmlsi=Wum9q4k4lGkMEMWT Want to see the bloopers from this video? www.patreon.com/posts/bloopers-asia-on-92817614?Link& 😁😇
You do have to remember that manners are different in each country. I live in an Asian country, but come from Australia. Some manners in Australia don't exist in Asian countries (I can't begin to tell you how many Asian doors have been slammed in my face, lol, because Asian people don't check behind and hold doors for following people like is accepted manners in Australia), but there are also many, MANY missing manners that I REALLY wish were also in western countries, that make western people seem rude. Service and service attention for example! Body space is not a manner thing at all in my Asian country at least - that's probably what you experienced - that wasn't ill-mannered for them at all. Asian people experience individuality a little different than western people do - individuality is a little more shared in many ways, which includes personal space. This isn't a negative thing - there are a lot of unexpected positivenesses about it - it's actually a thing I love for a lot of reasons that take years living in a country to explain.
I really appreciate you explaining the cultural context about why the pizza place is different. Some people reviewed this cruise and just said everything was “weird” when clearly there’s just a cultural difference!
Me too! I love this channel is because she gets to travel to places I'll never get to go, so I love hearing about the cultural difference and about her perspective as well.
That "creepy sky" you mentioned is called a shelf cloud. Hot rising temperatures cause it to stretch out and "roll" into that shape. You can actually watch it roll if you're patient. It doesn't always bring rain, but it may start to break apart if other weather starts to push it.
I'm from mostly tropical Brazil (albeit from the subtropical part of it) and that kind of cloud is pretty common here on hot summer days. I was going to say that maybe Emma is more used to higher latitude weather, but she has sailed the Caribbean and should have seen that.
"I'm happy to participate as long as I'm in the dark, nobody can see me, and I don't have to stand up..." That's one of the most British things I've ever heard, haha.
I am right there with you. Going on a cruise seems like the most plastic way to travel. Even on the stops, you get nothing from the culture, you are just a deluge of people mobbing some small town.
never say never. "zero plans to ever go on a cruise" is what I said when I started watching this channel and now I have a Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Viva under my belt. It was the best time and I'll definitely do it again. Thanks Emma!
17:01 In Japan it is a standard with restaurants to have "models" or mock-ups of the food they serve. There are even videos of how those are made. Much recommended to watch. Those people are doing a phantastic job. The mock food looks so convincingly real like in advertisements. And I agree. Every restaurant should do this. As a tourist in Japan I really appreciated that custom.
Japan has a million little things they do differently that are better. Awesome country. It's too bad its a very expensive place to visit. In Thailand you can live like a king or queen for two weeks because everything is significantly cheaper. $4 dinners. $40 hotel rooms that are very nice.
Hi Emma. Watermelon is extremely abundant in South East Asia, and is a very common palate cleanser/dessert choice. In buffets/parties across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, that amount of watermelon slices heaps available for consumption is just the standard. 😄
I've been watching Emma for years. I'm not really that interested in cruising but I watch because the channel is very informative and entertaining. What makes me smile is that years ago Emma was shy and didn't post many pictures of herself. Now I can see she is more confident in herself and I love that she posts short shots of herself. Makes me smile every time as I love her confidence now.
Literally same. Husband and I would love to go on a cruise at some point, but it won’t be anytime soon. We have little small wee kids and the idea of cruising with them sounds awful 😂. But ya, love Emma.
Gotta say I'm impressed that Royal either looked into or hired someone to think about a fact as small as walking and eating culture. It's not the first thing you'd think of and that they made that change shows that they didn't half-ass the design of the ship for the specific market. I like it.
@@h0tel1 mayo's an interesting choice, but it's popular in Canada too apparently. I guess it's not to far off from ranch, which is my fry dip of choice, but it sounds pretty bland to me
Casinos are probably popular because casinos are not allowed to operate in many Asian countries. Really liked your review as one that is aware there’s cultural differences and this is definitely catered to the Asian market 😊
That hit my mind as soon as Emma came to the casino - I've never been to Asia myself, but I've noticed that gambling seems to be very popular with Asian visitors to the United States and the UK. 🎰😇
Emma, what an excellent review. I'm in your camp with the 'cursor' thingy 😆. Few reviews have me wanting to go on a cruise, but this review did. Thanks a million for your fantastic channel and honest, straightforward and comprehensive content. Keep it up.
This is the first of your videos that I have watched. I now want to see others. You are an excellent speaker and the features you highlight are perfect.
Having the cruise line keep my passport would give me the creeps. If cruise lines sometimes lose a passenger's suitcase, the logically they also sometimes lose passports. The staff are only human after all. Not to mention if you miss the ship at one port, your options for re-joining at the next port drop to zero and trying to return home would require a visit to the nearest consulate for an emergency passport. Too many downsides to this requirement.
Singapore is right on the equator and is always hot, hot, hot. It also rains, rains, rains too. It is rarely sunny, when it isn’t raining it is cloudy. I’ve been there three times, and I loved it - but had two or sometimes three showers per day. Very sweaty place.
I just started watching your videos and must say that you are very articulate about telling us about them. Very well done. At 65 years old I really have no plans to cruise, mostly because I am retired US Coast Guard. But watching your videos is the next best thing. Thank you, stay safe and God bless.
restaurant model food is DEFINITELY a cultural thing. Japan is all about model food and Japanese food culture definitely influences countries like Taiwan and Singapore... and cities like Hong Kong as well.
You are absolutely a blast to watch, and your videos are great. I'm not sure exactly how to say this, but since I hardly ever cruise, I hope when I do I can find someone like you to associate myself with. The "frequent flier" knowledge that you bring to your trips and videos is invaluable. Also, the cursor on the screensaver would DRIVE ME INSANE.
Really enjoyed your perspectives on this Video as someone from Singapore watching. I actually took the cruise back from Tokyo (literally the one after yours) and really enjoyed myself too. One thing I realized that this long cruise felt more like an actual Royal Caribbean cruise, because there's a lot of things done differently when more guests besides people from Singapore are on the ship. I can say they really do tune whatever activities and experiences to cater to the demographics on board. Like one fun fact is I never see formal nights on a 4 night cruise in Singapore here because everyone is just too lazy to dress up here.
I don't ever plan on going on a cruise, it really is just not for me, but I love watching your videos. Your storytelling abilities are impeccable. Always feels like we're actually tagging along on your travels :))
Yes! I was waiting for the second part ! And oh my god you actually got me , my mom and my sister ! Never thought we would actually see ourselves here since they were so many people on board . I showed the video to my mum and my sister and they were so happy to see it. They especially complimented you on your camera skills and what a great quality the video is and they said thank you for this amazing video P.S By the way they were cookies at the 720 as well during certain times :)
Excellent commentary, I agree with you about people making low scores, there are some folk who will complain about everything, unless its perfect they wont give a good score even though they might have an excellent deal, so sorry for them, life must be tough
I went on this ship last January, and we were surprised to only be two of 237 Americans on a sailing of about 4300. Great cruise, though. I’m surprised Spectrum gets so many negative reviews. We met lots of cool people, and because it was the Lunar New Year, there was quite a bit of extra fun.
@@user-pf5xq3lq8i Lots of fun things! They did a balloon drop at midnight, a special meal with Lunar New Year items from a few different cultures, and loads of special decorations. We were so jetlagged we fell asleep after dinner and missed the big party, but it sounded like a blast.
I think you misunderstand the Chinese language. The Chinese characters (Hanzi) are understood by many from places that would pronounce them very differently. Mandarin is the standard, mainland China pronunciation, where in the southern areas, the traditional pronunciation is Cantonese. These people may not understand each other when speaking, but they could read the same newspaper. Also, one of Japan’s written languages is a subset of Hanzi, which is called Kanji. I hope that makes sense and that I explained it adequately.
cool to see the ship sailing, i saw it getting built at Meyer werft Papenburg, the hall it was in was truly massive, prob the largest building i've ever seen.
The excursions are definitely something to consider to get priority seating for tenders as well as transports to leave the ports. On our Spectrum cruise, people were waiting almost 2 hours for their number to be called for tenders in Nha Trang and over an hour for taxis to leave the port in Kagoshima.
You just have to go early enough to get tender tickets . It’s a bit in the pain to wake up early but if you go 30-45 minutes before the “official” time to get the tickets you are guaranteed to be on the first tender
As a crew member I’m glad my cruise line has returned to the regular drill with everyone lining up. Even though it IS a hassle and so many people dislike it, I think it’s much safer if anything were to happen. Just on a drill it’s hard for people to listen and understand directions. So imagining how hard it would be in an emergency if they had never done the drill makes me shudder. I hope I’m never in that situation! I do understand it’s so much more convenient this way and 99% or the time it’s totally fine but I feel like I can keep guests safer the other way. And even though we’ve returned to in person group drill, it is shorter than pre pandemic I think.
I think that the in-person emergency drill is critical. Most people would not know what to do in an emergency. The drill is a simple and short way to give passengers an idea of what to do in an emergency.
I really love how detailed your review of this cruise was. It just seemed so enjoyable. It’s also good to see that the cultural differences you point out , aren’t just seen as being weird but more unusual to a more western culture 😄. Thanks for sharing this amazing adventure, I will definitely never visit these places but it’s good to see how much you enjoyed it .
I'm guessing the watermelons are also intended for japanese crowds they (and also other imported fruits) are really expensive in Japan. Watermelon can cost in Tokyo somewhere between 20-50 dollars.
Thanks Emma, so much great information. I am happy that you enjoyed it. Nice to see what other cruise ships offer. I love cruising and have sailed on all three Cunard Queens.
Anyone who complained was probably just looking to be reimbursed at least some of their fare. Im very sceptical of folk like them. I always think you are very honest with your reviews
Wow i didn't know what goes on with cruises these days, thanks for the well made video about it. It seems like such an interesting and varied trip with great port adventures
Thanks for all the video's. Watch a lot of them from you and this one really sounds great to do. Really scary first time it will be if you hear al the info, things to do and not. I would be almost scared to go to sleep in chance you missed something onboard.
Awesome insight. As a US travel agent can’t really ever do European cruises and I am loyal to Royal and know about spectrum but nice to hear an intelligent insight on the china market cruises. But donuts are sooo breakfast Emma.
Skin whitening cream is popular with Japanese and Korean women. They don’t like to get tan. It doesn’t sound like an Asian cruise without any announcements in Chinese or Japanese at minimum. Anywhere in Asia, public announcements happen regularly in multiple languages.
We've been looking forward to this video, and it didn't disappoint. We especially enjoy your presentation, i.e. the way you read your script! Great job Emma!
5:00 if you have ever been to Florida, our thunderstorms often look like this. You can see the actual rain coming down in parts of the sky. And rain = more humidity so it gets steamier and muggier when it rains here rather than cooling it down.
I did this cruise but from Singapore to Penang then Phuket. Passengers were mostly Indonesians. My goodness, they have no concept of queueing and being on time! At the shows, they were coming in late, screaming at their friends when they found seats in their language (while the singer was doing a song), filming with their flash on and what not. They also constantly hog seats and cut queues at the buffet. Horrible experience!
I love cruising with you. You make it so entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I’m not able to travel now but I truly enjoy and appreciate your content!
We were on a Norwegian cruise to Alaska last year in the Norwegian Sun, which we were told was originally built for the Chinese/Asian market. We made friends with one of the hostesses in the main dining room (I was in a wheelchair from a fall a few weeks before, and she took us under her wing). She told us all about this, about how NCL decided the ship wasn't working in Asia, so they rebuilt the whole thing, changing all the signs, which were in Mandarin, the rooms, the toilets, everything. We've always gone on their mega ships but I've been agitating with my wife to try a smaller, older NCL ship. We loved it.
I second your feelings about photos on menus and model food (that’s what I call the presented/resined/preserved/example food they have out). It’s something I’ve always loved about Asian restaurants, in particular. It comes in especially handy when there is a language barrier.
I got to take several selfie shots with the entire crew on my last cruise. Wasn’t expecting to. They just happened to show up where I just happened to be having a snack. I love it..they were really wonderful people too.
16:47 It's Titanic First emoji symbolizes Jack and Rose Second emoji symbolizes the ship, which is the RMS Titanic Third emoji is the snow/ice, which is the iceberg.
Hello Emma, I love your movies about cruising en especially these ones about Asia. This brings back memories. My wife and I did a 4 month world cruise with MSC last year and where also about a month in Asia including 10 days in Japan. That was one of the highlights of the cruise. A once in lifetime experience, I recommend it to everybody! We are in our early 40ies and try to cruise on a budget. We are non native English speakers but understand everything what you say. Greetings from Belgium, Inger & Stijn
It's so funny that you were confused by donuts as a breakfast food. As an American, it's other other way around, I wouldn't want a doughnut unless it's breakfast time and I was having it with coffee. Americans have a strong sense of breakfast foods (scrambled eggs, French toast, pancakes, sausage links, orange juice) and non breakfast foods (meatloaf, burgers, spaghetti, literally any vegetables lol) and donuts are definitely in the breakfast food category!
One of the main reasons America is in the throes of an obesity epidemic, plus diabetes and all the other preventable diseases. Getting worse every year, and the same eating patterns spreading to other countries. Krispee Kream donuts ... Yum!
Interesting point on the lighting differences for the restaurants! I do feel like Western restaurants value darker atmospheres whereas Chinese culture tends to prefer brighter restaurants to better read the menu and see the food.
Interesting as I can never imagine doing an ocean cruise, it seemed quite good value. Your soda habit was something of a shock! I gave up my 1-2-a-day Real Thing habit when I moved Down Under 15-yrs ago - I should be rich seeing how much I've saved!! It was also a shock how other travellers seem immune to cultural differences - but I'm still not quite sure where the Chinese vibe was - I sense it was more Asian than American, but I didn't see many Chinese staff or overwhelming Chinese food options....Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree about that mouse pointer on the screen saver! Arrrghhhh! P.S. - it’s not a laxative that’s added to Coke Plus, it’s dietary fibre, which helps with digestion!
I love watching these. However, I'm such an introvert and a game-avoider that I think I'd be miserable. But, I'd enjoy staring out at the sea and doing solo excursions onshore. And, the food looks great! 😂
Thanks so much for mentioning about vegetarian options, Emma. That's really important to me as a longtime veggie. I want to pick holidays where I can be catered to.
Emma - I absolutely love you and your presentations. What refreshing reviews! Don't change a thing. I'm a big Celebrity fan, but I always search for your reviews!
SCREENSAVER CURSOR OCD: Lol! I couldn't agree more. We sailed on the DCL Fantasy last month and the interactive screen right next to our table at Animators Palate had large green text in the upper right corner that continously showed the display settings (VGA + resolution #). I felt too embarrassed at the time to admit how much it bugged me, secret is out now. 😂
If you ever face the need to complain about something like that again in the future, knowing the phrase "breaks my illusion of luxury" will come in handy.
11:53 That box on the screen would wind me up too. 20:00 May not be veggie marsh mellows. Emma, one little thing: The audio is distorting (clipping) a lot when you speak to camera, you may need to tweak your settings or watch the audio level during editing.
@@roriemcfadden6097 A mouse cursor that doesn't disappear when it's supposed to. Like you're not using it because you're typing or watching/playing something. As shown, it keeps up the menu in videos and can ruin the look nevermind the immersion.
I have never been on a cruise, and probably won't go on one since I get really sea sick, but you just have a really nice way of speaking that I enjoy listening to!
Thank you Emma the excursions you took were beautiful. You didn't show the "weird" food at the buffet. You are so really cool just mentioning the cultural differences. OMG I have to warn my family about Coke Plus. They often travel to Japan.
Coke Plus is not a laxative - it's just coke with some dextrin in it to act as fiber. Dextrin is in all sorts of foods that you probably eat all the time already, and eating more fiber is good for most people.
I just realized why the cafe was called "270", it's like degrees. The smaller restaurants on board like that tend to be open when buffet and MDR are closed, so it's in between. In between 180 and 360. I'm also on Team Torch, if its acceptable to use them during a performance. I don't know how normal this is, but on Oasis of the Seas last year, a server in the main dining room liked to sing in the middle of dinner; there would be an announcement and he was given a microphone. He was pretty good! So during one of his performances, I started a torch wave and some other people joined in 😂
From Australia here and I feel many of the items described as weird is quite similar to Aussie/south pacific cruising - miss Emma, you need to come and review a cruise down under
I LOVED the spa on MSC Seashore! My husband and I got 3 massages each. It was heaven. Also there is an amazing hot tub overlooking the ocean where we spent tons of time. It was perfection.
We were on the inaugural cruise in 2019. It is a very beautiful ship. It was clearly designed for the south Asian market and, we understood, as a gambling orientated cruise. We had a lovely holiday but haven’t sought it out. Even though RC was our usual go to cruise line we have tried other lines post pandemic as the general ambience didn’t suit us.
That cursor would drive me bonkers, as well. Those 3D directories Royal has are really nice, and they always orient the directory in the same direction as the ship, so if you get turned around like my wife often does, you can quickly reestablish your bearings as to starboard, port, forward, and aft.
I don't think coke plus has any laxatives in it. It's just fiber and some artificial sweeteners. While some artificial sweeteners do have a laxative effect, the ones used in it don't.
Ha Ha, thanks for the heads up on Coke +! It is fascinating for me to see you cruse on a different Royal Caribbean ship, for I just finished sailing on the Ovation of the Seas, a similar ship that had a lot of the same names and designs. As to food services, entertainment, cleanliness, and the quiet of the rooms; I thought there was nothing to complain of at all. My only disappointment was since I was taking the last cruise of the season up to Alaska, the ship ran into bad weather, forcing cancelation of two of the ports of call, leaving me only to visit Juneau as my only stop in Alaska. So, most of my trip was at sea which felt at times like being on a giant rollercoaster... but I must be a born sailer for I never had a twinge of seasickness despite 40 foot swells. Regarding the entertainment I was impressed how the jugglers were able to juggle when you could feel the floor pressing against your feet while we watched performances.
I think for the destinations and port calls, the price you paid would be considered cheap, relatively. Budget cruising is not a thing in Asia as cruising itself is a luxury activity. Also, as you had pointed out, this cruise is very different than any other cruises you had done and most certainly it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people. The price definitely justified by it.
So interesting to see the differences in the ship for the Chinese market. Very glad to see the warning about the Coke Plus, will steer clear if we're ever in Japan! 😅
i'm curious about the Asian food that was served onboard and how it was. I took a Princess Alaska cruise this past summer and what they called "ramen" was basically small pasta noodles with beef bouillon with one bok choy (hey they got that right). A friend took Celebrity from SG to HK and all the food onboard was western. Maybe the menus are posted somewhere?
Hey hey hey, thanks SO MUCH for watching! Let me know what you think... 😁😋
Interested in cruise destinations? Check out these:
British Isles - ua-cam.com/video/tvAZK5KePQ8/v-deo.htmlsi=ApwhbLT6RbeWgpqr
Arctic Circle - ua-cam.com/video/bH7WapVQ8po/v-deo.htmlsi=vg5mhsHuVErYjC78
New York - ua-cam.com/video/qN4WPbpo6YI/v-deo.htmlsi=Wum9q4k4lGkMEMWT
Want to see the bloopers from this video? www.patreon.com/posts/bloopers-asia-on-92817614?Link& 😁😇
will u explain the back to back 12 days in a vlog ... and maybe even the back to back to back...
Hi Emma, Silk Road is about Marco Polo's journey. It's a brilliant show and I thought told the story well.
You do have to remember that manners are different in each country. I live in an Asian country, but come from Australia. Some manners in Australia don't exist in Asian countries (I can't begin to tell you how many Asian doors have been slammed in my face, lol, because Asian people don't check behind and hold doors for following people like is accepted manners in Australia), but there are also many, MANY missing manners that I REALLY wish were also in western countries, that make western people seem rude. Service and service attention for example! Body space is not a manner thing at all in my Asian country at least - that's probably what you experienced - that wasn't ill-mannered for them at all. Asian people experience individuality a little different than western people do - individuality is a little more shared in many ways, which includes personal space. This isn't a negative thing - there are a lot of unexpected positivenesses about it - it's actually a thing I love for a lot of reasons that take years living in a country to explain.
China is the number one grower and consumer of watermelon in the world, by the way
BINGO BINGO BINGO 😂
I, too, am bothered by wayward cursors, uneven pictures hanging, etc. so I get you. 😊
I really appreciate you explaining the cultural context about why the pizza place is different. Some people reviewed this cruise and just said everything was “weird” when clearly there’s just a cultural difference!
Ha ha!! I love finding out why, some people just go DIFFERENT = BAD!! 😡
@maggiecaitlin I know exactly who you're referring to 😂
I don’t know but I’m sure it could go for a lot of people 😂❤
Me too! I love this channel is because she gets to travel to places I'll never get to go, so I love hearing about the cultural difference and about her perspective as well.
Thanks so much you are very kind! @@CatherineTheChatty
That "creepy sky" you mentioned is called a shelf cloud. Hot rising temperatures cause it to stretch out and "roll" into that shape. You can actually watch it roll if you're patient. It doesn't always bring rain, but it may start to break apart if other weather starts to push it.
Really?! That’s incredible. Thanks for sharing! 🥳👏🏼
They are from chemtrails. Period.
I'm from mostly tropical Brazil (albeit from the subtropical part of it) and that kind of cloud is pretty common here on hot summer days. I was going to say that maybe Emma is more used to higher latitude weather, but she has sailed the Caribbean and should have seen that.
"I'm happy to participate as long as I'm in the dark, nobody can see me, and I don't have to stand up..." That's one of the most British things I've ever heard, haha.
I watched the whole thing even though I have zero plans to ever go on a cruise. It's just so very nicely presented!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
What RYN988 said. For the first time ever I thought a cruise could be fun. Nicely presented indeedd.
I am right there with you. Going on a cruise seems like the most plastic way to travel. Even on the stops, you get nothing from the culture, you are just a deluge of people mobbing some small town.
@@HarryJarrell Your ignorance is showing Harry ❤️
never say never. "zero plans to ever go on a cruise" is what I said when I started watching this channel and now I have a Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Viva under my belt. It was the best time and I'll definitely do it again. Thanks Emma!
17:01 In Japan it is a standard with restaurants to have "models" or mock-ups of the food they serve. There are even videos of how those are made. Much recommended to watch. Those people are doing a phantastic job. The mock food looks so convincingly real like in advertisements. And I agree. Every restaurant should do this. As a tourist in Japan I really appreciated that custom.
Same in many restaurants in China, Korea, and Thailand.
I'd heard those "mock up or models" of food are very expensive to create and their purpose is to bridge the language gap.
Japan has a million little things they do differently that are better. Awesome country. It's too bad its a very expensive place to visit. In Thailand you can live like a king or queen for two weeks because everything is significantly cheaper. $4 dinners. $40 hotel rooms that are very nice.
Hi Emma. Watermelon is extremely abundant in South East Asia, and is a very common palate cleanser/dessert choice. In buffets/parties across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, that amount of watermelon slices heaps available for consumption is just the standard. 😄
I actually genuinely agree with you.
I've been watching Emma for years. I'm not really that interested in cruising but I watch because the channel is very informative and entertaining. What makes me smile is that years ago Emma was shy and didn't post many pictures of herself. Now I can see she is more confident in herself and I love that she posts short shots of herself. Makes me smile every time as I love her confidence now.
Literally same. Husband and I would love to go on a cruise at some point, but it won’t be anytime soon. We have little small wee kids and the idea of cruising with them sounds awful 😂. But ya, love Emma.
There are just some people you just root for in life. Emma is one such person. Keep the vids coming!
Oh my this is so kind, thanks so much! I have lots of people like that so it's so nice that somebody thinks of that as me. Thank you! 😁❤️
@@EmmaCruises ❤
She has a boyfriend dude.
Ok so your Australian-ism of the week is "root" actually maybe I best not say what its slang for!
Gotta say I'm impressed that Royal either looked into or hired someone to think about a fact as small as walking and eating culture. It's not the first thing you'd think of and that they made that change shows that they didn't half-ass the design of the ship for the specific market. I like it.
No one can ever accuse this channel of presenting too little information at too slow a pace.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
😂
The "Ketchup Please" station cracked me up. What an absolutely perfect name choice I love it
@@h0tel1 mayo's an interesting choice, but it's popular in Canada too apparently. I guess it's not to far off from ranch, which is my fry dip of choice, but it sounds pretty bland to me
@@h0tel1 mayonnaise is the normal french fries topping in most of western Europe. Ketchup on fries sounds weird to me 🙂
Casinos are probably popular because casinos are not allowed to operate in many Asian countries. Really liked your review as one that is aware there’s cultural differences and this is definitely catered to the Asian market 😊
Yes! I love it, so interesting. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
That hit my mind as soon as Emma came to the casino - I've never been to Asia myself, but I've noticed that gambling seems to be very popular with Asian visitors to the United States and the UK. 🎰😇
@@dieseldragon6756casinos are great venues for them to launder money
ASIANS LIKE TO GAMBLE
@@CJ-xv7rw yes, they are degens
Emma, what an excellent review. I'm in your camp with the 'cursor' thingy 😆. Few reviews have me wanting to go on a cruise, but this review did. Thanks a million for your fantastic channel and honest, straightforward and comprehensive content. Keep it up.
Thanks so much for watching and your kind words! I appreciate it 😀❤️
This is the first of your videos that I have watched. I now want to see others. You are an excellent speaker and the features you highlight are perfect.
Having the cruise line keep my passport would give me the creeps. If cruise lines sometimes lose a passenger's suitcase, the logically they also sometimes lose passports. The staff are only human after all. Not to mention if you miss the ship at one port, your options for re-joining at the next port drop to zero and trying to return home would require a visit to the nearest consulate for an emergency passport. Too many downsides to this requirement.
Looks like every buffet I’ve ever been too? Squeeze guards on the top.
Fair enough, you do you. 😀❤️
Hugely different things . There is an immense different between keeping official documents and random luggage
On 50 cruises not one has lost my passport OR a suitcase.
Singapore is right on the equator and is always hot, hot, hot. It also rains, rains, rains too. It is rarely sunny, when it isn’t raining it is cloudy. I’ve been there three times, and I loved it - but had two or sometimes three showers per day. Very sweaty place.
I love how you explain the difference in the way things are done in different countries.
Thank you! 😁❤️
I just started watching your videos and must say that you are very articulate about telling us about them. Very well done. At 65 years old I really have no plans to cruise, mostly because I am retired US Coast Guard. But watching your videos is the next best thing. Thank you, stay safe and God bless.
Thanks so much for watching and your kind words! I appreciate it 😀❤️
restaurant model food is DEFINITELY a cultural thing. Japan is all about model food and Japanese food culture definitely influences countries like Taiwan and Singapore... and cities like Hong Kong as well.
You are absolutely a blast to watch, and your videos are great. I'm not sure exactly how to say this, but since I hardly ever cruise, I hope when I do I can find someone like you to associate myself with. The "frequent flier" knowledge that you bring to your trips and videos is invaluable. Also, the cursor on the screensaver would DRIVE ME INSANE.
Thanks so much for watching and your kind words! I appreciate it 😀❤️
@@EmmaCruises MOVE THAT CURSOR XD
You are quite possibly the most lovely & understanding person. Manners included. Our society could learn a great deal from you!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Really enjoyed your perspectives on this Video as someone from Singapore watching. I actually took the cruise back from Tokyo (literally the one after yours) and really enjoyed myself too. One thing I realized that this long cruise felt more like an actual Royal Caribbean cruise, because there's a lot of things done differently when more guests besides people from Singapore are on the ship. I can say they really do tune whatever activities and experiences to cater to the demographics on board. Like one fun fact is I never see formal nights on a 4 night cruise in Singapore here because everyone is just too lazy to dress up here.
Haha!! I’ve heard that! Love it. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
I don't ever plan on going on a cruise, it really is just not for me, but I love watching your videos. Your storytelling abilities are impeccable. Always feels like we're actually tagging along on your travels :))
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Yes! I was waiting for the second part ! And oh my god you actually got me , my mom and my sister ! Never thought we would actually see ourselves here since they were so many people on board . I showed the video to my mum and my sister and they were so happy to see it. They especially complimented you on your camera skills and what a great quality the video is and they said thank you for this amazing video
P.S By the way they were cookies at the 720 as well during certain times :)
Yay!!!! So glad to hear that. I always wonder if people find themselves (I do try not to film others so much but it’s hard when there’s a crowd) 😂❤️
I'm planning to take my family on their first cruise later this year! Thank you for these videos. It's making better at choosing cruises.
Excellent commentary, I agree with you about people making low scores, there are some folk who will complain about everything, unless its perfect they wont give a good score even though they might have an excellent deal, so sorry for them, life must be tough
Agreeeed!!! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
OH. Yeah. The curser would have driven me crazy as well. Glad I am not the only one!
I went on this ship last January, and we were surprised to only be two of 237 Americans on a sailing of about 4300. Great cruise, though. I’m surprised Spectrum gets so many negative reviews. We met lots of cool people, and because it was the Lunar New Year, there was quite a bit of extra fun.
What happens at lunar new year on the ship?
@@user-pf5xq3lq8i Lots of fun things! They did a balloon drop at midnight, a special meal with Lunar New Year items from a few different cultures, and loads of special decorations. We were so jetlagged we fell asleep after dinner and missed the big party, but it sounded like a blast.
I think you misunderstand the Chinese language. The Chinese characters (Hanzi) are understood by many from places that would pronounce them very differently. Mandarin is the standard, mainland China pronunciation, where in the southern areas, the traditional pronunciation is Cantonese. These people may not understand each other when speaking, but they could read the same newspaper. Also, one of Japan’s written languages is a subset of Hanzi, which is called Kanji. I hope that makes sense and that I explained it adequately.
cool to see the ship sailing, i saw it getting built at Meyer werft Papenburg, the hall it was in was truly massive, prob the largest building i've ever seen.
What a clever idea, sharing other cultures cruise! Thank you Emma for your charming take on cruising, we love it!
The excursions are definitely something to consider to get priority seating for tenders as well as transports to leave the ports. On our Spectrum cruise, people were waiting almost 2 hours for their number to be called for tenders in Nha Trang and over an hour for taxis to leave the port in Kagoshima.
Those waiting times are unacceptable and appalling 😢
You just have to go early enough to get tender tickets . It’s a bit in the pain to wake up early but if you go 30-45 minutes before the “official” time to get the tickets you are guaranteed to be on the first tender
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As a crew member I’m glad my cruise line has returned to the regular drill with everyone lining up. Even though it IS a hassle and so many people dislike it, I think it’s much safer if anything were to happen.
Just on a drill it’s hard for people to listen and understand directions. So imagining how hard it would be in an emergency if they had never done the drill makes me shudder. I hope I’m never in that situation!
I do understand it’s so much more convenient this way and 99% or the time it’s totally fine but I feel like I can keep guests safer the other way.
And even though we’ve returned to in person group drill, it is shorter than pre pandemic I think.
Fair enough 😀❤️ Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@EmmaCruises Love your channel btw! I’ve learned a lot about other cruise lines since I only know mine! 💕💕
Amen to that, from a 19 year emergency management planner. @emmacruises
Appreciate it lots!! 😘❤️
I think that the in-person emergency drill is critical. Most people would not know what to do in an emergency. The drill is a simple and short way to give passengers an idea of what to do in an emergency.
I really love how detailed your review of this cruise was. It just seemed so enjoyable. It’s also good to see that the cultural differences you point out , aren’t just seen as being weird but more unusual to a more western culture 😄. Thanks for sharing this amazing adventure, I will definitely never visit these places but it’s good to see how much you enjoyed it .
The food displays in Japan's restaurants are insanely accurate. What you see is what you get.
I'm guessing the watermelons are also intended for japanese crowds they (and also other imported fruits) are really expensive in Japan. Watermelon can cost in Tokyo somewhere between 20-50 dollars.
Nothing to fear about the Coke Plus - it's just added fibre!
With that being the case, pass the Coke Plus please! Great idea
Sounds great, would buy 😀
I wish that was available in America, actually would like "Coke Plus Zero" because I can't eat sugar.
Thanks Emma, so much great information. I am happy that you enjoyed it. Nice to see what other cruise ships offer. I love cruising and have sailed on all three Cunard Queens.
Wonderful review, you are direct, genuine and fun! Thank you!
Thank you! 😁❤️
The "heart pill" is traditional Chinese medicine for angina. Similar to nitroglycerin tablets. Interesting to see it sold over the counter like that
I wondered if it was a euphemism for an impotence treatment - but Angina makes more sense.
Is it clinically effective?
@@Croz89 Nitroglycerin? Absolutely it's been used for over a century and is still widely prescribed today.
@@zogworth I know that, I meant the traditional Chinese heart pills.
@@Croz89no, traditional Chinese medicine is not useful unless you can count on a placebo.
Really enjoyed following along on this cruise with you. I did a similar one 10 years ago and now I want to go again. thanks Emma!!!
Thanks so much, the best isn’t it?! 🥹❤️
Anyone who complained was probably just looking to be reimbursed at least some of their fare. Im very sceptical of folk like them. I always think you are very honest with your reviews
Wow i didn't know what goes on with cruises these days, thanks for the well made video about it. It seems like such an interesting and varied trip with great port adventures
Thank you! 😁❤️
Thanks for all the video's. Watch a lot of them from you and this one really sounds great to do. Really scary first time it will be if you hear al the info, things to do and not. I would be almost scared to go to sleep in chance you missed something onboard.
Awesome insight. As a US travel agent can’t really ever do European cruises and I am loyal to Royal and know about spectrum but nice to hear an intelligent insight on the china market cruises. But donuts are sooo breakfast Emma.
Skin whitening cream is popular with Japanese and Korean women. They don’t like to get tan. It doesn’t sound like an Asian cruise without any announcements in Chinese or Japanese at minimum. Anywhere in Asia, public announcements happen regularly in multiple languages.
We've been looking forward to this video, and it didn't disappoint. We especially enjoy your presentation, i.e. the way you read your script! Great job Emma!
Thank you! 😁❤️
5:00 if you have ever been to Florida, our thunderstorms often look like this. You can see the actual rain coming down in parts of the sky. And rain = more humidity so it gets steamier and muggier when it rains here rather than cooling it down.
I did this cruise but from Singapore to Penang then Phuket. Passengers were mostly Indonesians. My goodness, they have no concept of queueing and being on time! At the shows, they were coming in late, screaming at their friends when they found seats in their language (while the singer was doing a song), filming with their flash on and what not. They also constantly hog seats and cut queues at the buffet. Horrible experience!
I love cruising with you. You make it so entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I’m not able to travel now but I truly enjoy and appreciate your content!
Thanks so much, you are very kind! 🥹❤️
We were on a Norwegian cruise to Alaska last year in the Norwegian Sun, which we were told was originally built for the Chinese/Asian market. We made friends with one of the hostesses in the main dining room (I was in a wheelchair from a fall a few weeks before, and she took us under her wing). She told us all about this, about how NCL decided the ship wasn't working in Asia, so they rebuilt the whole thing, changing all the signs, which were in Mandarin, the rooms, the toilets, everything. We've always gone on their mega ships but I've been agitating with my wife to try a smaller, older NCL ship. We loved it.
Love your description, makes me feel like I’m in this Cruise ❤
Looks like you had a fantastic cruise. Thanks for the very nice review and great information!
Thank you! 😁❤️
Princess kept our passports when we went from Gursney to Cork. They were two days late bringing them back too, super weird.
Love your videos! Very well put together and informative!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
The dish at the entrance of restaurants was once typical in Mexico in tourist areas but has become less prevalent since the 90s.
I visited Japan earlier this year for three weeks and loved Coke Zero Plus. Drank it all the time and had NO issues, it was good! 😊
I love watching these but have never cared about cruises before now. All your things are v interersting and intriguing
I second your feelings about photos on menus and model food (that’s what I call the presented/resined/preserved/example food they have out). It’s something I’ve always loved about Asian restaurants, in particular. It comes in especially handy when there is a language barrier.
Yesss 😁🙌
These videos are a joy to watch, and Emma is charming. I’ve already watched three, and all at 1x speed. :)
I got to take several selfie shots with the entire crew on my last cruise. Wasn’t expecting to. They just happened to show up where I just happened to be having a snack. I love it..they were really wonderful people too.
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Thank you for an excellent review. Quite detailed in all aspects.
16:47 It's Titanic
First emoji symbolizes Jack and Rose
Second emoji symbolizes the ship, which is the RMS Titanic
Third emoji is the snow/ice, which is the iceberg.
Hello Emma, I love your movies about cruising en especially these ones about Asia. This brings back memories. My wife and I did a 4 month world cruise with MSC last year and where also about a month in Asia including 10 days in Japan. That was one of the highlights of the cruise. A once in lifetime experience, I recommend it to everybody! We are in our early 40ies and try to cruise on a budget. We are non native English speakers but understand everything what you say. Greetings from Belgium, Inger & Stijn
It's so funny that you were confused by donuts as a breakfast food. As an American, it's other other way around, I wouldn't want a doughnut unless it's breakfast time and I was having it with coffee. Americans have a strong sense of breakfast foods (scrambled eggs, French toast, pancakes, sausage links, orange juice) and non breakfast foods (meatloaf, burgers, spaghetti, literally any vegetables lol) and donuts are definitely in the breakfast food category!
One of the main reasons America is in the throes of an obesity epidemic, plus diabetes and all the other preventable diseases.
Getting worse every year, and the same eating patterns spreading to other countries. Krispee Kream donuts ... Yum!
so basically anything goes for breakfast for Americansmakes so much sense.
@@missives3894no there are definitely specific breakfast foods and non breakfast foods 😊
The amount of work you put into these cruise reviews is unreal. I've learned so much watching your channel! ❤
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Interesting point on the lighting differences for the restaurants! I do feel like Western restaurants value darker atmospheres whereas Chinese culture tends to prefer brighter restaurants to better read the menu and see the food.
11:42 The Heart Pill is a weird translation to use. It is basically a TCM version of nitroglycerin or aspirin, for when you suffer from angina.
Interesting as I can never imagine doing an ocean cruise, it seemed quite good value. Your soda habit was something of a shock! I gave up my 1-2-a-day Real Thing habit when I moved Down Under 15-yrs ago - I should be rich seeing how much I've saved!! It was also a shock how other travellers seem immune to cultural differences - but I'm still not quite sure where the Chinese vibe was - I sense it was more Asian than American, but I didn't see many Chinese staff or overwhelming Chinese food options....Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Emma!! I've been watching for this one. Sounds like great cruise.
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Totally agree about that mouse pointer on the screen saver! Arrrghhhh! P.S. - it’s not a laxative that’s added to Coke Plus, it’s dietary fibre, which helps with digestion!
I love watching these. However, I'm such an introvert and a game-avoider that I think I'd be miserable. But, I'd enjoy staring out at the sea and doing solo excursions onshore. And, the food looks great! 😂
Thanks so much for mentioning about vegetarian options, Emma. That's really important to me as a longtime veggie. I want to pick holidays where I can be catered to.
Yes! Of course. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
@@Littleonesmicrosanctuary thanks! I will check that out.
Emma - I absolutely love you and your presentations. What refreshing reviews! Don't change a thing. I'm a big Celebrity fan, but I always search for your reviews!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
SCREENSAVER CURSOR OCD: Lol! I couldn't agree more. We sailed on the DCL Fantasy last month and the interactive screen right next to our table at Animators Palate had large green text in the upper right corner that continously showed the display settings (VGA + resolution #).
I felt too embarrassed at the time to admit how much it bugged me, secret is out now. 😂
If you ever face the need to complain about something like that again in the future, knowing the phrase "breaks my illusion of luxury" will come in handy.
11:53 That box on the screen would wind me up too.
20:00 May not be veggie marsh mellows.
Emma, one little thing: The audio is distorting (clipping) a lot when you speak to camera, you may need to tweak your settings or watch the audio level during editing.
Honestly, a non-disappearing cursor would send me into a full uncontrollable meltdown. Little things like that are legit like bugs on my skin.
RIGHT!!! HA HA. Thank you! 😁❤️
Did I miss that? What is a non disappearing cursor? 🤔
@@roriemcfadden6097 A mouse cursor that doesn't disappear when it's supposed to. Like you're not using it because you're typing or watching/playing something.
As shown, it keeps up the menu in videos and can ruin the look nevermind the immersion.
Sweat the small stuff much
@@JJ-vy2rh I only sweat the small stuff. What do you do, sweat the big stuff?
I have never been on a cruise, and probably won't go on one since I get really sea sick, but you just have a really nice way of speaking that I enjoy listening to!
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
Thank you Emma the excursions you took were beautiful. You didn't show the "weird" food at the buffet. You are so really cool just mentioning the cultural differences. OMG I have to warn my family about Coke Plus. They often travel to Japan.
😂😂😂
Coke Plus is not a laxative - it's just coke with some dextrin in it to act as fiber. Dextrin is in all sorts of foods that you probably eat all the time already, and eating more fiber is good for most people.
10:11 I spot a steam deck! That's actually a real wonderful idea of a device to bring instead of a laptop for a cruise.
I just realized why the cafe was called "270", it's like degrees. The smaller restaurants on board like that tend to be open when buffet and MDR are closed, so it's in between. In between 180 and 360.
I'm also on Team Torch, if its acceptable to use them during a performance. I don't know how normal this is, but on Oasis of the Seas last year, a server in the main dining room liked to sing in the middle of dinner; there would be an announcement and he was given a microphone. He was pretty good! So during one of his performances, I started a torch wave and some other people joined in 😂
From Australia here and I feel many of the items described as weird is quite similar to Aussie/south pacific cruising - miss Emma, you need to come and review a cruise down under
That’s the dream 😀💪🏼
Excellent video Emma, I went on Anthem this year so interesting to see the difference. Solarium’s my fave!
Have a great time! 🥳🥳
I LOVED the spa on MSC Seashore! My husband and I got 3 massages each. It was heaven. Also there is an amazing hot tub overlooking the ocean where we spent tons of time. It was perfection.
We were on the inaugural cruise in 2019. It is a very beautiful ship. It was clearly designed for the south Asian market and, we understood, as a gambling orientated cruise. We had a lovely holiday but haven’t sought it out. Even though RC was our usual go to cruise line we have tried other lines post pandemic as the general ambience didn’t suit us.
Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Yes! The screensaver on the TV with the play dock visible would have driven me nuts! I would have asked a staff member to move the mouse lol
🤣🤣🤣
I literally never plan on going on a cruise. Yet I watch every video lol
Thanks so much 🥹❤️
I never knew there was a difference between “quite nice” in the U.K. & US, everydays a learning day
That cursor would drive me bonkers, as well. Those 3D directories Royal has are really nice, and they always orient the directory in the same direction as the ship, so if you get turned around like my wife often does, you can quickly reestablish your bearings as to starboard, port, forward, and aft.
Yes! Love those. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼
Great overview! (btw - doughnuts are standard breakfast, morning, company meeting fare in the US!)
I don't think coke plus has any laxatives in it. It's just fiber and some artificial sweeteners. While some artificial sweeteners do have a laxative effect, the ones used in it don't.
Ha Ha, thanks for the heads up on Coke +! It is fascinating for me to see you cruse on a different Royal Caribbean ship, for I just finished sailing on the Ovation of the Seas, a similar ship that had a lot of the same names and designs. As to food services, entertainment, cleanliness, and the quiet of the rooms; I thought there was nothing to complain of at all. My only disappointment was since I was taking the last cruise of the season up to Alaska, the ship ran into bad weather, forcing cancelation of two of the ports of call, leaving me only to visit Juneau as my only stop in Alaska. So, most of my trip was at sea which felt at times like being on a giant rollercoaster... but I must be a born sailer for I never had a twinge of seasickness despite 40 foot swells. Regarding the entertainment I was impressed how the jugglers were able to juggle when you could feel the floor pressing against your feet while we watched performances.
I lived in Tokyo many years ago 🥰 I think I would love this cruise!
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I'm going on this ship in 2 weeks and I'm so glad you made this video!
Hope you enjoyed it 😊
I think for the destinations and port calls, the price you paid would be considered cheap, relatively.
Budget cruising is not a thing in Asia as cruising itself is a luxury activity.
Also, as you had pointed out, this cruise is very different than any other cruises you had done and most certainly it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people. The price definitely justified by it.
Yep totally agree 😀❤️
I like the style of your videos. You've gained a new subscriber.
Thank you! 😁❤️
So interesting to see the differences in the ship for the Chinese market. Very glad to see the warning about the Coke Plus, will steer clear if we're ever in Japan! 😅
I am always impressed by how well you speak on these videos. I do not see any obvious edits.
Thanks so much 🥹❤️ This videos almost 1000 separate clips ha ha.
GREAT review, Emma. I so much enjoy your channel. It's not only entertaining but very educational.
Thanks so much for watching and your kind words! I appreciate it 😀❤️
I haven’t wanted to take another cruise but I am interested in this one!
i'm curious about the Asian food that was served onboard and how it was. I took a Princess Alaska cruise this past summer and what they called "ramen" was basically small pasta noodles with beef bouillon with one bok choy (hey they got that right). A friend took Celebrity from SG to HK and all the food onboard was western. Maybe the menus are posted somewhere?