TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

Returning from my first trip of 2025.....  I just returned from my first trip of 2025. It was a 8-nights cruise from Singapore to Bali and Lombok and back to Singapore onboard Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas. I had visited Bali multiple times before because it is a favourite vacation destination for me and is only about 2-hours by flight from Singapore. I had however, only visited Lombok once before, in 2014! The sailing from Singapore to Bali actually took slightly more than two days and I am glad to say I finally get to sail across the Java Sea. 🛳 While I did not take any land excursions during the three Port Days of the cruise, I did disembark from the ship each time to walk around the vicinities of the port areas just to take in the sights and sounds. I must say that I felt I actually enjoyed the port days more this way as I get to interact with the locals and to simply spend the short time at port to discover what each port has to offer the random cruise visitor like mys...

From the balcony of my hotel room at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, I saw Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas leaving port enroute to Thailand's Phuket on the night of 3 December 2024. The colourful lights of the cruise ship and its reflections in the pitch black water of the night was a delightful sight to behold. A rare photo moment that I just could not miss. 📸 Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas leaving port, Georgeotown, Penang, Malaysia (2024)

Gearing up for my next trip......  In less than a week's time, I will be going on my planned vacation. This will be my second trip of the year. After this, I have no other trips either planned or confirmed for 2024. I am still trying to come to grips with the astronomical increase in travel costs. Thus, I have been searching and waiting for discount deals on flight tickets and accommodations, but no luck so far. And so, the search and wait continue. The coming trip is a relatively short and unadventurous 5 days/4 nights return cruise from Singapore to Penang and Phuket. I had booked this cruise sometime in the middle of last year, paying a lot less than what I would need to pay if I am to book a similar cruise itinerary today. And, I love the ship, Spectrum of the Seas. Sadly for me, this ship will leave Singapore next month (April 2024) for its new home ports in China. Thus, this will very likely be the last time I cruise on Spectrum unless it returns to be home ported in Singapor...