Modern Bride
April 1, 2008
Crystal Pampers in Asia

Aboard the Crystal Symphony's 11-night Mysteries of the Far East cruise between Hong Kong and Singapore, I was torn about which I enjoyed more, the ports we visited in Vietnam and Thailand or the days at sea when I could book a Swedish massage in the spa, lounge by the pool while an attendant fetched chilled bottles of water and towels, and snack on to-die-for Portuguese custards in the Bistro café. Just the right size, the Symphony carries 940 passengers double occupancy, but has enough space for endless diversions.

Crystal pampers you with choice. Playing the pampered erudite was a breeze, running from a French class to a wine-tasting seminar and courses on website design and digital photography. Five impressive guest speakers gave talks throughout the cruise, from conservation biologist Bill Toone to Singaporean author Dr. Catherine Lim and historian Dr. Jay Wolff who gave mesmerizing lectures about the Indochina War.

Dining was an onboard highlight, especially the over-the-top themed lunch buffets. The Asian spread, for instance, offered sushi, satay, Vietnamese spring rolls, sweet and sour pork, and papaya salad. At another bacchanal-like buffet set up in the atrium, shrimp were heaped on multi-tiered serving trays. Of the five dinner venues, the best were the Italian specialty restaurant Prego (loved the linguine with lobster tail, zucchini and spicy tomato sauce) and Silk Road, where consulting Chef Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa offers his famous Japanese and South American fusion cuisine. There’s also a sushi bar.

Space is the ultimate luxury, and the Symphony’s generous public rooms have a lot of it. There was plenty of elbow room even when half the ship gathered in the atrium to watch an impromptu performance by the excellent roaming accapella group – four young and talented hotties in dark suits. The wide wraparound promenade deck is ideal for after-dinner strolls under the stars and the lovely tiered decks at the aft of the ship are usually deserted, surprisingly considered the great views of ship’s wake. Symphony’s décor incorporates everything from cruise shippy marble, glass, chrome and mirrors, to more old-world dark wood paneling and funky touches like aluminum.

On an 11-night cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore last spring, the itinerary was planned perfectly, with a sea day positioned between each port, which for all but one, were overnight visits. From the pier in Hong Kong, we walked over to the famous green and white Star Ferry to cross Victoria Harbour. We took the Mid-Levels escalators (yes, just like your local mall) and the Peak Tram (a 106-year-old funicular railway) to Victoria Peak for a drink and panoramic views of the city and harbor (we got lucky and there was no smog that day).

Our first port was Chan May, Vietnam. Since I’m not crazy about long bus tours, I arranged a private car and guide for $125 per person through a travel agency based in Singapore (Hong Thai Travel Services, People’s Park Complex mall in Chinatown, (65) 6532 3223). We went to Hoi An, an old-world gem where we saw a Japanese covered bridge dating back to the 1600s and a Chinese temple from the 17th century (I couldn’t resist a “Tintin in Vietnam” poster and a pair of t-shirts I spotted in small shop). On the drive back to the ship we headed for the legendary wartime hangout China Beach, framed by the scenic Marble Mountains.

Fortunately, the Crystal Symphony was small enough to transit the Saigon River, and the several-hour meandering journey to Ho Chi Minh City through the Mekong River Delta afforded lovely up-close views of rice fields and small boats. With two days to kill, we booked a cooking tour through the ship (it was disappointing -- too much time spent carving vegetable flowers) and a half-day city tour which was excellent. Highlights included a “cyclo” bicycle rickshaw ride through the city (bumper to bumper with the city’s three million motor scooters), a traditional water puppet show and a stop at a lacquer factory. Passengers who signed up for the ship’s Cu Chi Tunnel tour (to see the underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong) raved about it.

Again, opting to skip a long two-hour bus ride, we took a taxi from the industrial port of Laem Chabak to Bangkok from the pier and stayed the night at the old world-y Four Seasons (Crystal sells packages with stays at the Peninsula Hotel). We hired a taxi for $20 and spent half a day exploring the Grand Palace (in awe of the brilliant gold leaf spires, domes, prangs - tall thin towers - and mythical demon guards) and snapping photos at the 140-foot-long golden reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. The stop at the Jim Thompson silk emporium wasn’t a bad move either.

Once in Singapore, the ship’s city highlights tour by bus is as dull as it sounds; a better bet is doing some advance planning to arrange a private walking tour. Geraldene Lowe (geraldenestours@hotmail.com) or Diana Chua (dianachua1999@yahoo.com.sg) lead walks in ethnic neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little India or Arab Street, or the island’s famous black and white bungalows left over from the British colonial days.

The beauty of touring solo in most ports is not having to get up at the crack of down to board a bus. More than one morning we lingered in our comfy beds, ordered room service (delivered on crisp white linens) and watched movies (from An Inconvenient Truth to Sound of Music). That’s what I call a vacation. Standard cabins aren't huge (compared to Silversea, Regent and Seabourn), but they've been recently upgraded and are pleasant with Murano glass lamps and leather headboards. (11 nights, from $4,495 per person including bottle water and soft drinks; 888/722-0021 or www.crystalcruises.com.) Stay on a few days in Hong Kong or Singapore; in the later, go for super posh at the brand new 299-room St. Regis on Tanglin Road (doubles from $1,000; 800-325-3589 or www.starwoodhotels.com) or go for hip arty vibe at the boutique-y and much smaller New Majestic Hotel on Bukit Pasoh Road in China Town (doubles from $300; (65) 6511-4700 or www.newmajestichotel.com).