Introducing Singapore
Singapore, a sovereign nation, is located off the southern point of the Malay Peninsular in Southeast Asia 85 miles (137 km) north of the Equator. Singapore and the Malay Peninsula are connected by a 1km bridge crossing the narrow Johore Straits. The country has a total area of 278 square miles (720 square km) made up from the main island and 54 smaller nearby islands.
The Malay Annals tell how Singapore was founded centuries ago when a prince from Sumatra when hunting on the island of Temasek saw a lion. He took the sighting as a good omen and established a city at the place named 'Singapura' after the Sanskrit for 'lion city'.
Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles who signed a treaty with local rulers giving control of Singapura to the British.
Raffles' confidence in the trading prospects of the island were proved over the following decades as Singapore's growth surged, in step with an increasing demand for East Asia sourced rubber and tin in Europe. More and more ships' quays were built along the banks of the Singapore Straits - eventually extending to more than 3 miles (5 km) in length.
Singapore's prosperity and security crashed to an end when Japanese aeroplanes blitzed the sleeping city in the small hours of 8 December 1941. Singapore surrendered to the Japanese on Chinese New Year 15 February 1942, and was renamed Syonan-to (Light of the South). Japan surrendered in 1945 and Singapore was put into British Military Administration.
In 1959 the growth of the independence-movement led to self-government and Singapore's first general election. Lee Kuan Yew was installed as the country's first Prime Minister.
Today many elements of Singapore's multi-cultural, wartime and colonial past can be found around the city. The cruise tourist can step back through time by following a history trail such as the Jubilee walk, the Singapore River walk or the World War 2 trail visiting important docks, buildings, bridges and memorials.
You Choose The Cruise
There is a whole multitude of cruises available which depart from Singapore. The two most popular itineraries are both 7 day trips - firstly the voyage hugging the eastern seaboard of the Malay peninsula and secondly the voyage circumnavigating the Gulf of Thailand. Alternatively choose from many of the more extensive cruises on offer including grand voyages to Southern India, Australia or Indonesia. Cruises from Singapore is a comprehensive calendar of cruise ship sailings out of the city.
Singapore Cruise Terminals
In 1991 Singapore's first cruise centre, the Singapore Cruise Centre at Harbourfront, opened. Then in 2012 a second centre, the Marina Bay Cruise Center at Marina Bay, was inaugurated.
Singapore Cruise Centre
Singapore Cruise Centre offers efficient baggage services, fast customs clearance, separate passenger embarkation and disembarkation areas and security screening. Passengers can enjoy a range of facilities at the centre including an information counter, left luggage services, free Wi-Fi and food and beverage outlets.
The cruise port can cater for for two cruise ships, with one quay 310m long, 11m deep and the other 270m long, 11m deep.
Parking can be found at the nearby HarbourFront Centre car park costing about $40 per day.
Marina Bay Cruise Center
The cruise centre boasts separate arrival and departure halls as well as a substantial ground transport area all to ensure a smooth and hassle free experience for cruise passengers. There's comfortable seating in the lounges, with luggage porters, a foreign exchange counter, toilets, a stylish cafe and an information desk.
A 360m pier by the terminal with two berths down both sides so two large cruise ships can berth at the same time.
The DriveCruise option includes discounted parking at the cruise centre's car park.
Sightseeing in Singapore
Merlion Park
Merlion Park, the home of the iconic Merlion statue, is located in front of the Fullerton hotel on the shore of Marina bay. The statue was constructed by sculpturor Lim Nang Seng and was inaugurated in September 1972 by then PM Lee Kuan Yew to greet visitors to Singapore. To reach Merlion Park take the MRT to Raffles Place on the North South or East West line.
ArtScience Museum
The ArtScience Museum beautifully mixes art and science to create a thoughtful narrative. The museum has a permanent exhibition with an arresting three dimensional video presentation and has two extra galleries for temporary exhibitions. Part of the Marina Bay Sands area, the ArtScience Museum is a few minutes walk from the Marina Bay Cruise Center.
Gardens By The Bay
Costing over $1billion Gardens by the Bay is a masterpiece of horticulture and garden creativity that displays flora in an unparalleled way. The two showpieces are its signature Supertree Grove, a collection of tall trees made of steel covered by vertical greenery, and the Cloud Forest, a gigantic conservatory that mimics the climate and environment of a mountaintop forest. Gardens in the Bay is not far from the Marina Bay cruise port.
National Gallery Singapore
Costing $530 million, taking 10 years and completed in 2015, the refurbishment of the Supreme Court and City Hall buildings created the splendid National Gallery Singapore.
In the Supreme Court wing (the one with the dome) view the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery showcasing the works of Southeast Asia artists including Latif Mohidin, Nguyen Gia Tri and Hernando Ocampo. In the City Hall wing tour the DBS Singapore Gallery with more than 400 masterworks from local artists including Chua Mia Tee, Chen Chon Swee and Liu Kang.
The Long Bar Raffles Hotel
Raffles Hotel, immortalized by writing legends like Ernest Hemingway, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling, is a colonial-style hotel established by two Armenian hoteliers in 1887. Birthplace of the Singapore Sling, the two-storey Long Bar located on the 2nd floor of the hotel is where to enjoy this famous cocktail. The hotel is easy to find, located a few minutes walk from City Hall MRT.
Siloso Beach
Siloso beach on Singapore's Sentosa Island is a wide stretch of clean white sand, lapped by the clear turquoise sea. Facilities include beach chair and umbrella hire, showers and restrooms. The beach is an exciting gondola ride from the International Passenger Terminal or a cab ride from the Marina Bay cruise centre.
Traveling to the Singapore Cruise Terminals
The easiest way to transfer from Changi Airport to either of the cruise terminals is via taxi. The fare is approximately $25.
