Autumn Cruise with Parents: Embracing the Ocean Spectrum

**6-Day Cruise Adventure: A Journey Through Gourmet Food, Shopping, and Scenic Wonders**

**Activities: Gourmet Food, Shopping, Cruise**

**Author Visited: The Bund in Shanghai, Kumamoto Castle, Suizenji Park**

**Published on: 2019-10-26 10:28**

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### Embracing the Cruise Experience

Cruises are a remarkable travel innovation that addresses challenges such as language barriers, mobility issues, and the dispersion of dining and entertainment options. While some may not consider these significant, for my parents’ generation, these can be significant obstacles to international travel.

I vividly remember my last cruise with my parents during the cherry blossom season. My mother’s joy as she stood on the deck of the Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas was palpable; it was her inaugural cruise. At that time, the Spectrum of the Seas had not yet been introduced. Post-voyage, my mother was eager to experience the Spectrum of the Seas once it became operational.

### The Spectrum of the Seas: A Family Affair

A year passed, and the Spectrum of the Seas, long anticipated by my mother, finally set sail. After evaluating various options, a cruise emerged as the ideal choice for a family vacation. I rearranged my work, packed my bags, and this time, brought my parents to experience the Spectrum of the Seas.

The Spectrum of the Seas is the first ship in the Royal Caribbean Quantum Ultra series. We embarked on a 6-day, 5-night journey, round trip from Shanghai, passing through Fukuoka and Kumamoto, to savor the autumn charm during the maple leaf season.

### The Grandeur of the Spectrum of the Seas

This ultra Quantum ship, costing $1.25 billion to build, is a colossal and high-tech vessel. Measuring 347 meters in length and 41 meters in width, it is nearly as long as a standard 400-meter track and as wide. The ship boasts a total tonnage of 168,666 tons, with 14 of its 16 decks accessible to guests, and a capacity to carry 5,622 people. It stands unmatched in size and overall strength among its peers.

### Accommodations and Comfort

For our trip, I prioritized comfort and booked a family room suitable for 3-4 people, ideal for living together. The family room is also the predominant type of accommodation on the Spectrum, constituting about half of the rooms. For larger groups with a sufficient budget, the ship offers the only perfect family suite, spanning 261 square meters, with three separate bedrooms to accommodate up to 11 people from three generations. This suite includes a karaoke room with a complete surround sound system for family entertainment. The master bedroom features an unparalleled sea view bathroom, making even a foot soak a delightful experience.

### Cruise Travel Tips

The convenience of cruising to Japan includes no visa requirement, but passports are mandatory and will be collected by the ship’s staff post-boarding. Shore excursions in Kumamoto and Fukuoka necessitate photocopies of your passport and temporary landing cards.

### Departure and Boarding

We flew from Beijing to Shanghai, opting for an evening flight and a night’s rest in a hotel before boarding the ship the following day. A taxi ride from the hotel to the boarding location at Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal was our mode of transport. Here are some practical tips:

1. Pre-departure ‘check-in’ is required and can be completed and printed through the Royal Caribbean website, WeChat public account, or mini-program; the boarding pass serves as the entry ticket on the day of departure.
2. Luggage check-in is also necessary, and it can be facilitated by providing your cabin number; staff will deliver your luggage to your room, a thoughtful service.
3. Upon boarding, your original passport will be held by the staff, so it’s essential to have two photocopies of your passport for shopping or filling out forms.

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This journey with my parents was not just a trip; it was a heart-warming cruise experience that we will cherish for years to come.4. Like air travel, avoid bringing fruits, meats, dairy products, and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as alcoholic drinks. It’s more cost-effective to purchase a beverage package on the cruise. There is a kettle in the room with drinking water provided on the day of boarding.
5. The room card is very important. It serves as the room key, identity recognition, and the sole certification for consumption. It must be carried at all times and kept safe. If lost, report to the service center for loss. Highly recommended is the Royal Caribbean’s smart app, which allows mobile phone access to rooms, eliminating the need for a physical card.

The night before, we took our parents to experience the Bund’s night view. The next morning, we smoothly boarded the ship. Transitioning from a modern city to the pristine wilderness of nature, the international star-level experience never drops off. From the moment of boarding and ticket inspection, we felt the enthusiasm and care from all the crew members. Despite serving thousands of tourists day after day, they maintain passion and vitality with each departure.

My mother, on her second cruise, considered herself an expert and introduced various facilities to my father along the way, showing her confidence in traveling abroad. We easily found our room, a family room with a balcony. Opening the window to the 43 square meter sea view balcony, we savored the scent of the sun and the sea. From cherry blossom season to maple leaf season, the whole family gathered, ready to ride the wind and waves to enjoy the autumn.

A cruise is the top choice for family outings mainly because it offers a complete range of entertainment, dining, and leisure on board, sparing the fatigue of travel. There’s no need to worry about seasickness affecting appetite, as large cruise ships do not experience a sense of rocking. From the moment we stepped on the deck, the pace of life slowed down. The only thing to do on the cruise is to fully experience and enjoy the enriching sense of holiday brought by dining and entertainment, and to experience the unique scenery of the sea voyage. My parents particularly enjoyed the daily updated cruise guide, which allowed them to quickly grasp the highlights of daily activities.

The Spectrum of the Seas has upgraded its dining options compared to the Quantum of the Seas. Not only expanding the area of the buffet restaurant and returning to the classic three-story high main dining room but also adding six new dining choices, namely Sichuan Valley Gathering, Japanese Teppanyaki, Seafood Hot Pot, Coffee Tea Ceremony, Children’s Water Play Restaurant, and Noodle Bar. With these six additions, there are 33 dining options on the Spectrum of the Seas over 6 days and 5 nights, enough variety to not repeat meals even if staying for 10 days.

Given so many restaurants and only 6 days and 5 nights, I recommend a few restaurants that are worth visiting repeatedly based on two experiences:
Recommendation 1: Sichuan Valley Gathering – Royal Sichuan Cuisine Chinese Flavor
On the first day’s lunch, the family first chose Sichuan Valley Gathering located on the 4th deck. Although northerners love spicy food but are not very good at handling it, there are various reasons for seeking authentic Sichuan flavors.
Chuan Gu Hui features a new Chinese-style decoration style. Stepping into the restaurant, one is instantly immersed in a royal atmosphere. We reserved a table in advance. As a hungry family, upon entering the restaurant, without much ado, we directly ordered. Spicy and fragrant, loving spicy food, my parents said that the spicier, the better with rice. So, before all the dishes I ordered were served, they had already eaten several bowls of rice. Looking at the table full of still steaming Sichuan dishes, I exclaimed – it’s so ‘spicy’ for me! Dad quickly took over and said, patting his stomach, ‘What’s so difficult? There’s plenty of room here.’

Recommendation 2: Hai Han Hot Pot – The inclusive maritime self-service
Sichuan cuisine has achieved a great start. The hot pot is not convinced and thus challenges on the 14th floor! Hai Han Hot Pot can be said to be the beauty of the restaurant. Eating a steaming hot pot while looking at the 270-degree invincible sea view at the stern, Mom jokingly said, ‘With this view and style, even eating pickles doesn’t feel wrong.’ Hahaha~ Although the hot pot is at your own expense, fortunately it is self-service with unlimited supply of fresh meat and seafood, and a rich selection of pot bottoms and seasonings. Hot pot lovers really can’t miss it.

Recommendation 3: Teppanyaki – A feverish delicacy from Japan.
Every ship of the Royal Cruise has an American steakhouse, which should be considered a classic restaurant of the Royal Caribbean brand. If you are going for meat, then the signature steak is highly recommended. Since their marriageThe teppanyaki in the store is selected from top-quality ingredients. The chef’s superb cooking skills handle the details of the steak extremely well. Every piece of roasted meat sizzles, tender and springy. If you want staple food, you can order a portion of fried rice. While eating, enjoy the chef’s teppanyaki cooking show, enjoying both delicious food and a great visual feast.

Recommendation 4: Upgraded Main Dining Room – The Palace of Feasts. The cruise price includes room charges and free access to the main dining room. Spectrum has a three-story high ceiling and a grand free main dining room that can accommodate up to 1884 people. It offers world cuisine every day. There are Chinese and Western menus for tourists to order global delicacies à la carte. They can freely choose individual servings or family sharing. Don’t think it’s low-grade just because it’s free. The ingredients are still fresh. The dishes include European, American, Mediterranean, and Asian fusion cuisines. However, there may be more people. It is recommended to line up in advance and have meals at off-peak times. The dinner time for the main dining room is usually the first batch from 4:45 pm and the second batch from 6:45 pm.

Recommendation 5: Delicious Noodle Bar – All about Cleanliness and Neatness. Dad loves noodles and likes the chewy texture and neatness. Fortunately, there is a Delicious Noodle Bar in the free restaurant on the cruise ship. It really is Dad’s favorite. At first, I didn’t believe it. Later, when I went to eat there, I found that it is really a noodle bar not to be missed. Northerners love noodles and naturally have high requirements for noodles. The way of making noodles here is by no means perfunctory. The smooth and chewy noodles are distinct, topped with a clear soup and side dishes of ‘one clear, two white, three red, and four green’. Served steaming hot, it seems to gather a world in a bowl. After a bowl of hot soup, the whole person is full of confidence. Hahaha~

Recommendation 6: Windjammer Buffet – An All-Day Energy Supply Station. The most popular and largest restaurant on the ship is undoubtedly the Windjammer Buffet. Here is a full-time catering service from breakfast to late-night snack, and it’s all self-service. The restaurant that parents like the most is also on the cruise ship. Because they can go in and eat whenever they are hungry. Elderly people like the feeling of unlimited supply. Judging from the types of meals, in addition to various common Chinese and Western dishes, there are also special noodle stalls, pizza, baking, pastries, as well as Japanese teppanyaki and Haihan hot pot. It should be noted that the buffet dinner time is from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. There are many people before 7 o’clock, and then there are fewer.

In addition to the recommended restaurants after checking in above, Dadong, Quan, and Italian restaurants can all be tried. It can be said that the delicacies on the cruise ship are just like the cruise ship itself, with high standards and internationalization. From desserts to bars, from Chinese food to Western food, there is everything.

Sea entertainment – High-tech on the Spectrum with extraordinary entertainment facilities allows the audience to follow the big show actors and scale walls. The symbol of Quantum is the North Star, and the symbol of Spectrum is the South Pole Ball. This north and south combination of cutting-edge technology integrates traditional projects into a new artistic conception.

Recommendation 1: One south and one north – Have fun with gravity. Opposite the North Star at the bow, look for the huge hollow orange sphere with a diameter of 13 meters at the stern. This is the signature facility of Spectrum – the South Pole Ball. The inspiration for this shape comes from free fall starting from the North Pole, passing through the center of the earth and finally reaching the South Pole. The physical acceleration and deceleration process under the action of the earth’s gravity. Inside the South Pole Ball, there are four trampolines, which are used to simulate the journey through the center of the earth. The staff patiently popularized knowledge to parents, but after all, they are old and their physical fitness is not as good as mine. So, the task of experiencing is left to me. Although the safety measures are in place, there is still a strong sense of weightlessness. Accompanied by the visual adventure effect of VR, after a few minutes, seeing my parents standing and laughing again is like being separated for three years! Outside the ball is a suspended glass walkway. Those without acrophobia can try it. It has a feeling of walking on the skytree in Singapore’s sky garden. Only when walking on the walkway can youEnjoy the blue of the sea and sky at a 360-degree high altitude. Each glass cabin can accommodate 14 people. There are two price levels. The basic experience is 20 dollars per person per time (10 minutes), and the panoramic experience is 40 dollars per person (16 minutes). The advantage of the gold card suite is once again shown, and you can enjoy a free basic experience once. I prefer the feeling of taking a ride at night rather than during the day.

Recommendation 2: Three major shows – Ingeniously create The Phantom of the Opera. As a musical enthusiast, of course I am most interested in the performances on Spectrum. The big shows on Spectrum are completely different from those on Quantum. The three main repertoire are ‘Silk Road’, ‘Spectrum Heroes’, and ‘Dancing Charm of Past and Present’. They are mainly performed in the 270-degree panorama hall and the Royal Theatre. You need to pay attention to the performance time at any time. ‘Silk Road’ is an original large-scale magical scene show specially developed for the Chinese market. The production is top-notch. The performance integrates the cultures of China, Persia, India and Rome, making it easy for Chinese audiences to understand and have affinity. I took my parents to watch some musicals before. They liked them very much. At the beginning of this silk road trip, the two of them were overwhelmed and couldn’t even spare time to nag me from time to time as usual.

The actors perform with vigor, the stage design is stunning, and the collision of colors and music makes life at sea extraordinary. The ‘Spectrum Hero’ is performed in the Royal Theater and is the most sought-after grand show. The story revolves around a team of superheroes demonstrating their unlimited power, joining forces to battle their adversary, Crash. ‘Charm Dance Tonight’ is an original and brand-new song and dance feast, combining ultra-modern choreography with unparalleled vocal performances and high-end atmospheric lighting and video effects, leading the audience to dance along. Due to copyright protection, photography is not allowed during the shows, but we can enjoy some official images to get a sneak peek.

Recommendation 3: Star Moment KTV – I’m the King of the Mic. The previously mentioned enviable family suites come equipped with KTV facilities, but most people stay in the main types of rooms. However, the Spectrum’s Star Moment rooms offer a dedicated music gathering space for those who love to sing. It’s the first time the whole family has come together to sing, and the professional sound equipment enhances the vocal imperfections, making it feel somewhat professional. The extensive music library includes both Chinese and international music, and even the era songs that mom and dad love are available. Various packages can also be ordered within the KTV. At their age, parents are not particularly interested in thrilling entertainment projects, but they are very fond of the ship’s rich health and fitness facilities. Dad’s favorite activity is indoor archery, which, after guidance from the staff, he can hit the bullseye, although it requires a lot of strength, resulting in sore arms the next day. Mom’s favorite spot is the sunbathing area on the 14th deck, where sunlight fills the entire pool. After getting tired, one can order a drink, lie on a lounge chair, and after resting enough, play in the water. They can also wear beautiful swimsuits and take ‘senior photos’ with various middle-aged and elderly poses, keeping mom very busy and happy.

Meeting in Kumamoto – The Historical City of ‘Maple Emotion’. After three days of drifting at sea, feeling languid, the cruise ship slowly docked at Kumamoto Port at 7 a.m. on the fourth day. For Japan, Tokyo, Osaka, and Hokkaido are well-known and become the first choice for free travel, while the less-known Kumamoto and Fukuoka have become favored destinations for cruise ships. As one of Japan’s three famous castles, Kumamoto is actually a national historical and cultural heritage site. Here, there is the world-famous composite active volcano, Mount Aso, and the magical mirage on the sea surface of the Yatsushiro Sea, also known as the ‘Fire Sea’. After the ship docks, tourists will follow a guide to visit. Since there is no visa and not traveling freely, the group cannot be left throughout the journey, but the itinerary also fully considers the Chinese people’s shopping needs and arranges a certain amount of free time. It is important to remember to bring a photocopy of your passport and your ship card, as they will be needed for tax refunds when shopping. Yes, you can also get a tax refund after disembarking from the cruise ship! Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan’s three famous castles, on par with Osaka Castle and Nagoya Castle. It is currently under repair after an earthquake, and the interior cannot be visited. In autumn, KumThe ancient Kumamoto Castle Square has become the first choice for local people to exercise and relax. Walking around the small city with parents is refreshing. The tour bus guide has set a meeting time, but for me, it’s a fixed revisit without a sense of urgency.

In the Shui Qian Temple Cheng Qu Garden, experience the legendary “Water of Longevity”. There is a mouthful of longevity spring water at Izumishrine. The water is extremely clear and tastes sweet when entering the mouth. It turns out that the name of Suizenji Jojuen Garden comes from the sentence “The garden becomes interesting with daily strolls” in Tao Yuanming’s “Returning Home”. In fact, it is modeled after the fifty-three beautiful sceneries on the Tokaido Road from Nihonbashi in Edo to Sanjo Ohashi in Kyoto during the Edo period. The spring water brought by the undercurrent from Mount Aso volcano complements the scenery in the garden, giving it a bit of the feeling of a Jiangnan courtyard.

It is said that Myojin Shrine of Yatsushiro Shrine is a very effective place for praying. Although it is not as large as Yasaka Shrine, it is valuable for its tranquility and undisturbed state. Such scenery is also limited to autumn!

The short one-day landing really gives a feeling of traveling from nature back to the city, just with a bit more exotic flavor. If you haven’t had enough fun, it doesn’t matter. Just regard the short one-day encounter in Kumamoto as the first meeting. Looking forward to a deeper experience next time!

Surprises continue, cruise journey upgraded again. On the way back from Shanghai to Beijing, I always joke with my mother. In the world, what is owed will be repaid sooner or later. I have repaid your wish for the cherry blossom season with the maple leaf season. Next time, let’s try some new ways to play with my dad. Before I finished speaking, my mother held her mobile phone and said to me that Royal Caribbean has launched a new ship again. Look, what’s it called? I can’t understand this English. I immediately changed from surprise to shock, thinking that my mother would take another ride soon. After taking the mobile phone and looking at it, I realized that the new ship is expected. It turns out that the fifth cruise ship of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis series will set sail from China in 2021 and is named Wonder of the Seas. This will be the world’s newest and largest cruise ship. It combines the most iconic seven community concepts of Oasis-class sister cruise ships as well as a series of novel and interesting experiences, imaginative cuisine, unparalleled entertainment activities and the most cutting-edge technology, becoming a new milestone in the development of the cruise market in Greater China. My mother quietly asked: Daughter, there are still two years. Can I make this wish? By then, I can bring others on board by myself. Looking at my mother’s extremely excited look, I replied to her, “This is possible.”