The Ultimate Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay in Singapore

The best way to start your luxury cruise holiday is with a pre-cruise hotel stay in the city from which you are embarking your ship.

Not only does this give you peace of mind in case of any flight delays or cancellations, and of course a comfortable place to rest and get over any jet lag, but it also gives you the opportunity to discover somewhere new and exciting before your cruise adventure begins!

I have been incredibly lucky to be given the opportunity to sail aboard Seabourn’s beautiful luxury ship, Seabourn Encore, for two weeks around Southeast Asia (read more in an upcoming blog post!). We embarked the ship in Singapore and at the time of writing this, I am in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand!

One of the most exciting aspects of the lead-up to this wonderful cruise was our pre-cruise hotel stay in Singapore. I truly can’t think of anywhere better to explore for a day before boarding a luxury cruise ship.

Where to stay

We stayed at the beautiful Grand Park City Hall. A truly grand hotel from the outside, we were greeted by the bubbly concierge team upon arrival who relieved us of our heavy luggage and escorted us to the main lobby to check in.

It is in a fantastic location about 10 minutes’ walk from Marina Bay and we found our way easily to the closest MRT station (like the metro or subway) appropriately named City Hall, just five minutes’ walk from the hotel on the green and red lines.

Of course, there are a number of luxurious hotels to spend the night in Singapore. For the ultimate bucket list experience, spend a night in Marina Bay Sands and enjoy all that this beautiful hotel has to offer – from gorgeous city views and the stunning rooftop pool to the superb restaurants and shopping experiences available.

For a more classic, historic stay in Singapore, why not try the Fullerton or – better yet – the iconic Raffles Hotel? The former offers splendid views across the Bay while the latter (the birthplace of the Singapore Sling!) is tucked in the heart of the city and offers a timeless experience for those who appreciate a bit of history in this ultra-modern city.

What to do

There are so many things to do in Singapore, you won’t be able to do it all in one day. If you have time, I’d highly recommend staying 2-3 days to see everything! However, if one day pre-cruise is all you have, I’d suggest the following:

• Marina Bay Sands – wander around the shopping mall beneath the iconic hotel in Marina Bay or head up to the rooftop for sunset drinks.
• Visit the Gardens by the Bay – a surreal and futuristic experience in Singapore, visiting Gardens by the Bay offers excellent views of Marina Bay Sands and the chance to visit the world’s tallest indoor waterfall in the magnificent Cloud Forest.

• Stroll around Clarke Quay – here you’ll find great shopping, amazing views of the bay and the iconic Marina Bay Sands, the curious Merlion statue, and the extraordinary light show ‘Spectra’, an immersive symphony of water jets and colourful beams of light across the bay.
• Enjoy a Singapore Sling in the iconic Raffles Hotel! This fantastic experience is not to be missed; spend an evening supping cocktails at the Long Bar or splash out on a meal in one of the world’s most famous hotels.

• Eat in a hawker centre, Chinatown, or Little India – Singapore is well known for the fantastic food on offer and you will have plenty of options to choose from! Traditional hawker centres offer an abundance of street food while Chinatown showcases Chinese classics and Little India is home to some of the best curry houses in Southeast Asia. My personal recommendation is Zam Zam’s opposite the Sultan Mosque – the chicken murtabak is the signature dish and not to be missed!

I hope you’re convinced that Singapore is the best city for a pre-cruise hotel stay! I didn’t expect to love it so much but it’s truly one of the greatest places I’ve visited. Make sure to add a Southeast Asia cruise to your list and treat yourself to a few nights in Singapore before or after your luxury cruise!

Want to experience this? Give the Panache Cruises team a call on 0161 513 8200 and they'd be happy to help!