Cloud Dream Voyage in August 2021
Clearly says you love me.
I see your cool smile,
Also shy at times.
Through my hair and ears,
Your and my summer.
Day 1 itinerary: Sea cruise. Accommodation: Genting Dream.
Day 2 itinerary: Sea cruise. Accommodation: Genting Dream.
Day 3 itinerary: Sea cruise. Accommodation: Genting Dream.
Day 4 itinerary: Return to Hong Kong.
On the afternoon of the first day, we arrived half an hour earlier than the scheduled boarding time. It was said that for epidemic prevention, the cruise company had also staggered passengers' boarding times more. We smoothly passed the two newly added procedures due to the pandemic, finally entering the departure hall. After clearing immigration, we prepared to board. Walking through the skybridge, it felt just like boarding a plane. Perhaps due to fewer passengers and the staggered timing, even though the boarding process had many more steps than before, we didn't wait too long—the whole procedure took about thirty minutes. Before 5 p.m., we boarded this giant ship weighing over 150,000 tons.
We boarded near the bow; from here the stern was out of sight. The ship, 335 meters long, exceeds the height of the Eiffel Tower—a length we could only appreciate later while walking inside. The boarding design was not very reasonable. We boarded on Deck 7, but the reception was on Deck 6, and our cabin was on Deck 9. Because we were somewhat dissatisfied with the room, we ended up going back and forth between several decks. However, room keys were given to passengers before boarding, so normally guests could go directly to their cabins and start enjoying the ship.
Leaving the reception, we began exploring the cruise. We first went to Deck 16. At the bow there was a small game arcade; the middle deck was the main area for outdoor enthusiasts—the main pool and other sports facilities were accessible from here. But we were soon attracted by two large round beds on Deck 19. At the highest deck, overlooking the ship and Victoria Harbour was an endless pleasure, especially since few people had boarded yet, so we could take photos freely. Crossing the Palm Court on the bow of Deck 19, we saw a pool deck exclusively for The Palace suite guests—a place extending outdoors along the deck all the way to the bow. Then we passed Deck 17, continuing toward the stern. The middle area here housed the reservation center for various outdoor sports. Two decks above, there were giant water slides, a sky rope course, basketball court, rock climbing wall, mini golf, and more.
After exploring, it was 6 p.m. Feeling hungry, we headed to the Lido Buffet on the stern of Deck 16. Lucky to find a window seat, we began our first dinner with a sea view. Due to the pandemic, like other buffets, we had to wear masks when leaving our seats, and even selecting food had to be done through crew members, greatly reducing freedom. The variety of food was limited, far below the standard of a typical four-star hotel. The overall quality was average; desserts were slightly better. The fish fillet was decent because the meat was fresh. The Chinese soup had plenty of ingredients. Nothing else stood out—just enough to fill our stomachs. We consoled ourselves that the mesmerizing sunset over Victoria Harbour already made the ticket worth it.
Soon after leaving the restaurant, the ship slowly set sail. In Victoria Harbour, the movement was barely noticeable. Even as we gradually left Hong Kong waters, there were only occasional slight sways. This steel giant's stability was unquestionable.
We continued our exploration. Deck 8 was where restaurants were concentrated, and the open decks on both sides were great places to chat while enjoying the sea breeze. On Deck 15, we found the fitness center. Due to pandemic control, even the free fitness sessions required reservations. There was also a captain's observation room, but you could only see the bridge through the glass during the day. Fortunately, the ship model there revealed that there was an outdoor cinema at the stern of Deck 17, part of the ZOUK party club. But you didn't need to spend money at the club to watch movies. We found a comfortable spot under slightly purplish lighting, with a gentle sea breeze, and watched a film—truly a joy of life.
Day 2: Last night, the ship had entered the South China Sea, but the itinerary didn't go deep into it—mostly staying 50–60 km offshore between Zhuhai and Shantou, not even reaching the Dongsha Islands. But when we woke up, seeing the boundless blue sea and sky from the balcony of the ship sailing on the ocean was wonderful for us, who had been stuck in Hong Kong and unable to go out. The experience of waking up lazily, swaying slightly with the sea breeze and waves hitting the hull, is something only a cruise can offer.
For today's three meals, we switched to the Dream Restaurant on the stern of Deck 7, which offered both Chinese and Western set meals. When seated, we were asked whether we preferred Chinese or Western cuisine, and the seating areas differed. Actually, you could order both Chinese and Western dishes, or any item from the set menus, and you could add unlimited servings of your favorites. The quality of the main meals was better than Lido Buffet. Personally, I found the Chinese set better than the Western one, though the Western desserts were excellent in presentation, plating, and taste. The breakfast Chinese options were disappointing. When we returned for lunch, it was packed; we were told to wait 30 minutes for a seat. But we felt it was worth it. The steamed silver pomfret was tender and sweet—our top choice for extra orders. The appetizer fried wontons were not bad—the wrapper remained golden and crispy, while the filling inside wasn't dry. The chicken soup with snow fungus and papaya had a very rich chicken aroma. At dinner, we arrived a bit earlier to get a seat before it was full. The baked crab shell appetizer was enticing. But the most delicious were the clams with garlic and vermicelli—a perfect match. We ended the day with a Western dessert, apple pie—simply wonderful.
Cruise time naturally slows you down. Although the ship prepared many activities, everything is about idling—no need to chase every show or try every activity. After breakfast, we wandered inside for a while, then went to the Zodiac Theater to watch a 3D movie. The sound was good, but the screen was a bit small. However, it was too cold inside, so we left before it ended and played on the outdoor decks of different levels. By noon, the entire aft deck of Deck 17 had very few passengers—maybe because everyone was hiding inside due to the heat. At that moment, it felt like we owned the whole ship. Then we kept shuttling between bow and stern, looking for the best spots to capture the blue sky and white clouds.
After lunch, we planned to rest a bit in the cabin, but unexpectedly found the sky outside the balcony had a huge expanse of blue and white. After taking photos, it was time for our booked fitness session. The gym was free, but due to pandemic control, reservations were needed to limit the number of people. We'd passed by several times and seen few users, but during our booked time, it was almost full. Not used to gym equipment, we played around for about an hour facing the sea. Though not intense, we were drenched in sweat. The scenery in the middle of the vast ocean was not monotonous—the water and clouds kept changing. We had planned to try the sky rope course, but the sunlight was too harsh—even looking up was dazzling—so we played semi-outdoor table tennis nearby, joining the Olympic spirit.
Time flew. After freshening up in our cabin, it was already night. After dinner, we walked on the outdoor decks of Decks 7 and 8, enjoying the night sea breeze—cool and comfortable, unlike the morning's heat. But we still couldn't find an outdoor deck that reached the bow.
We lingered until around 9 p.m., then returned to the Zodiac Theater to watch a show blending Peking opera, Sichuan opera, and modern song and dance—a modernized take on traditional Chinese opera. Then we went to the 360 bar on Decks 6–8 and the main pool on Deck 16, dancing to different music. Well, I just moved my body—my pitch is off and my sense of rhythm is worrying, but the music's rhythm always gets you going. Looking back over the past year or more, under the global pandemic, opportunities to dance to live music have become rare.
Day 3: We woke up later today. Pulling back the curtains, we looked out at the sky and sea. Probably due to a forming tropical depression nearby, gray clouds dominated almost the entire sky, with only a few streaks of light blue scattered. Even the sea water seemed infected by the gray, losing its blue.
We arrived at the restaurant with only half an hour left for breakfast. We decided to try Lido Buffet again. Maybe because we were late, there was little food left, but many others had also woken up late—almost every station had a line. The food quality was still unremarkable. The xiaolongbao, the highlight of the day, we missed because we were too late for the last batch. Very disappointed with this restaurant again. The only solace was sitting by the window at the stern, watching the wake created by the propellers forming and changing as the ship moved—quite therapeutic.
Due to bad weather, we returned to the cabin after breakfast. Soon we heard the captain's announcement that we might encounter stronger winds and rain in the afternoon. The ship continued cruising offshore between Hong Kong and Shantou. The captain seemed to be trying to find blue sky. After staying in the cabin for a while, we stepped onto the balcony and saw a large patch of blue sky and white clouds. We immediately moved to the lounge chairs on the balcony, enjoying the slightly warm sea breeze, listening to the gentle slap of waves against the hull, watching the seemingly still sky and clouds recede as the ship sailed. Sitting on the balcony, with the air conditioning from inside meeting the natural breeze, it was actually warm and comfortable. With the ship's slight rocking, we felt drowsy. Human strength is still insignificant in the vast ocean. Even a giant steel beast like this is just a drop in the ocean. From endless sea to where sky and water meet, it seemed only this ship was sailing. Those on board could see whether the ship was heading toward dark clouds or clear skies, but they could never see what lay beyond the horizon.
We spent most of the day doing nothing. With such mesmerizing scenery from the balcony, time quickly passed to lunch. We returned to Dream Restaurant for Chinese set. The steamed egg with black truffle didn't lose its egg flavor despite the strong truffle, and the egg remained smooth and fragrant, though the pumpkin in the middle had little taste. The char siu wasn't made in the traditional Cantonese way; it seemed baked in an oven, and some parts were too dry. The fried hairtail was slightly sweet and sour, average overall. Finally, we ordered the Western dessert again—cheesecake with purple sweet potato. The cheese wasn't very strong, but the cake itself was good—moist and just right. The purple sweet potato sauce was irresistible.
Afternoon, we continued being lazy. At the stern of Deck 17, with the sea breeze blowing and waves hitting the hull, seated comfortably on chairs facing the outdoor big screen, watching intense Olympic matches was an absolute pleasure. The weather became more unstable; it started raining heavily. Many passengers' outdoor plans were probably disrupted. But after the rain, blue skies and white clouds returned. Whether it was a sudden shower ending or the captain steering us out of the clouds, the sky seemed even more beautiful after the rain.
Taking advantage of the good weather after the rain and nearing sunset, we tried more outdoor activities. We wanted to do the rope course—a skywalk over the sea—but it was temporarily closed due to expected high winds. The staff recommended rock climbing. This was our first time; it required a lot of arm strength and careful consideration of handholds. Indeed, many things are harder than they look. After failing the first attempt, we barely made it to the top along the easiest route. Then we realized that going down is harder than going up—overcoming the fear of hanging in the air is not easy. Next we tried the water park's tube slides. Earlier, because the main pool's water was too shallow, we hadn't bothered to change into swimsuits. Today we finally got wet. There were five slides; though only three decks high, the speed was decent. Both adults and children enjoyed them endlessly.
When the red glow of sunset was swallowed up, we started our star-seeking journey. After an unsatisfactory experience on the stern deck, we decided to have dinner first. Tonight, both the Chinese and Western sets at Dream Restaurant appealed to us, so we each chose one. The Chinese appetizer, roasted duck, had decent texture and generous portion, but it had cooled down. The sea cucumber wasn't as tasty as the braised shiitake mushrooms, but they paired well together. The spicy and sour shrimp had great seasoning—made you want to eat more. The steamed fish was a bit disappointing—probably frozen too long, losing freshness; the pickled vegetables on the side were good. The dessert with peach gum and longan created a nice texture combination. The Western appetizer, smoked salmon, was decent—the salmon remained fatty and delicious. The sirloin steak was slightly overcooked, but the fat on the meat saved some texture. The Western desserts kept up their good presentation and taste.
After dinner, we planned to continue star-hunting, but as soon as we stepped onto the outdoor deck, heavy rain hit. We had to stay inside, listening to music and playing foosball. Before we knew it, it was late. Back in our cabin, we stepped onto the balcony and unexpectedly found that the rain had stopped and the sky was clear. Being able to stargaze from our own room—what a wonderful thing! Although the ship's lights affected visibility and we couldn't see many stars, seeing the long-lost magnificent starry sky was still satisfying.
Another comfortable night's sleep. Even though the return trip was under a typhoon signal, thanks to the massive hull, even with white-capped waves hitting, the ship didn't rock much.
On the morning of Day 4, the ship was already docked securely. We could still enjoy breakfast before disembarking. But perhaps because some crew were handling disembarkation matters, breakfast at Dream Restaurant was served slowly today. Today we tried the Western breakfast for the first time—slow work doesn't always produce fine results; the overall quality was average. Switching to Chinese breakfast was a pleasant surprise: the xiaolongbao and salted egg yolk buns were quite good.
