I previously shared our experience at the Marhaba Lounge before our flight to Singapore, so now it's time to begin a new travel series featuring our 9 Days in Singapore, Batam, Indonesia, and Disney Cruise Adventure.
This trip was originally planned to celebrate our wedding anniversary. However, things didn't go exactly as planned. Disney Cruise Adventure moved its Maiden Voyage sailing date to March, which meant our original booking was canceled and we had to rebook our cruise.
I was honestly disappointed at first. It was supposed to be our very first cruise experience and our anniversary celebration, so receiving that cancellation email wasn't exactly the news we wanted. Looking back, though, everything worked out for the better.
Thankfully, I hadn't booked our flights yet, so only the cruise dates had to be changed. Disney Cruise also offered a 50% discount for affected guests who rebooked, and because I booked through a travel agency, the entire rebooking process was smooth and hassle-free.
The unexpected discount even allowed us to extend our vacation to nine days instead of our original plan. The only downside was that my son had to miss a few days of school after their academic calendar was extended. Fortunately, we arrived home just in time for his final exams.
Sometimes, travel plans don't go as expected, but they can still turn into something even better.
Our Planned Itinerary
Day 1
· Manila to Singapore
· Check in at Robertson Quay Hotel
· Dinner at Lau Pa Sat
Day 2
· Singapore to Batam, Indonesia
· Check in at Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam
Day 3
· Batam Private Tour
· Return to Singapore
· Check in at Robertson Quay Hotel
Day 4
· Skyline Luge Singapore
· Universal Studios Singapore
Day 5
· Fort Canning Park
· Disney Cruise Adventure Embarkation
Day 6–8
· Disney Cruise Adventure
Day 9
· Disney Cruise Adventure Disembarkation
· Gardens by the Bay
· Flight back to Manila
Planned vs. Reality
As with most trips, not everything went according to plan.
We skipped our dinner at Lau Pa Sat after receiving a complimentary one-night upgrade to Siloso Beach Resort in Sentosa. Instead of heading to the hawker center, we decided to make the most of our unexpected beach stay.
We also missed Fort Canning Park because my son needed to attend his morning online classes. On our last day, we decided to skip Gardens by the Bay and head straight to Changi Airport, hoping we could change to an earlier flight. Unfortunately, all flights were already fully booked, so we simply enjoyed exploring the airport instead.
Despite these changes, our trip was still packed with wonderful experiences and unforgettable memories.
Day 1: Manila to Singapore
After eight months of waiting, our Singapore adventure had finally arrived.
Before leaving the Philippines, we made sure everything was ready, including our Singapore Arrival Card, eTravel registration, Singapore Airlines online check-in, and our Park N Fly reservation.
It had been years since my son and I last visited Singapore, so we were excited to experience the city again as a family. We booked our flights with Singapore Airlines during one of their travel sales the previous year, which gave us a great airfare deal.
Since travel tax wasn't included in our ticket, we paid it at the airport before check-in. We also exchanged some cash for both Singapore and Indonesia before relaxing at the Marhaba Lounge while waiting for our flight.
Our flight landed ahead of schedule, and we took a taxi from Changi Airport to Robertson Quay Hotel, where I had originally booked three nights. To our surprise, the hotel staff offered us a complimentary one-night upgrade to Siloso Beach Resort in Sentosa. Of course, we couldn't say no!
Because of the last-minute change, we skipped our planned dinner at Lau Pa Sat and headed straight to Sentosa instead. It was a bit of a shame because we arrived in Singapore late in the day, and our ferry to Batam was scheduled early the next morning, leaving us very little time to enjoy the resort.
Still, I was grateful for the opportunity to experience staying in Sentosa, something we hadn't originally planned.
Day 2: Singapore to Batam, Indonesia
Since we've already visited Singapore several times, we thought it would be fun to add a side trip to Batam, Indonesia.
The ferry ride takes only about an hour, making Batam an easy day trip from Singapore. However, because ferry tickets aren't exactly cheap, we decided to stay overnight instead.
For our stay, we chose Radisson Golf & Convention Center Batam.
Preparing for this part of the trip required a bit more work since we had to arrange our Indonesia visa along with the arrival cards for both Indonesia and Singapore.
Day 3: Batam Private Tour
There are several Batam tours available through Klook, but I chose a private tour so we could visit only the places we were interested in.
Interestingly, I changed our itinerary the night before. Instead of squeezing in as many tourist spots as possible, I decided I would rather spend more time shopping and relaxing.
Our final itinerary included:
· Barelang Bridge
· Welcome to Batam Sign
· A local temple
· A souvenir shop
· Nagoya Mall
· Welcome to Batam Sign
· A local temple
· A souvenir shop
· Nagoya Mall
Our driver even joked that our itinerary was one of the easiest he'd ever handled.
The private tour usually lasted up to ten hours, but since we visited only a few attractions, we reached Nagoya Mall after just two hours. We spent around three hours shopping before our driver picked us up and brought us back to the hotel.
After resting for a while in the hotel lobby, we headed to the ferry terminal for our trip back to Singapore.
Day 4: Skyline Luge Singapore & Universal Studios Singapore
Since Universal Studios Singapore isn't very large, I knew we wouldn't need an entire day inside the park. To maximize our time, I added Skyline Luge Singapore to our itinerary.
We rode the luge first before spending the rest of the day enjoying the rides and attractions at Universal Studios Singapore.
Days 5–9: Disney Cruise Adventure
Finally, it was time for the highlight of our entire trip, Disney Cruise Adventure.
This cruise had been on my travel bucket list for years, so finally experiencing it felt surreal. I never imagined Disney Cruise would become accessible from Asia. With no visa required, reasonably priced flights to Singapore, and shorter cruise itineraries, it has become much easier for families in our region to experience a Disney cruise.
We booked the 5-day, 4-night sailing. Honestly? Even after five days, it still wasn't enough. There were so many activities, shows, character experiences, and dining options that we couldn't fit everything into one sailing.
Our first cruise exceeded our expectations, and I can already tell this won't be our last.
Day 9: Singapore to Manila
After disembarking from the cruise, we originally planned to visit Gardens by the Bay before our flight home. Instead, we headed straight to Changi Airport and tried to move to an earlier flight. Unfortunately, every flight was already full.
Since there wasn't much we could do, we simply made the most of our remaining time by exploring one of our favorite airports in the world before flying back to Manila.
Looking back, this trip didn't go exactly according to plan, and that's perfectly okay. Some attractions were skipped, our anniversary cruise was postponed, and our itinerary changed more than once. Yet somehow, everything still came together into one unforgettable family adventure.
Sometimes the best trips aren't the ones that go perfectly; they're the ones filled with unexpected moments that become your favorite memories.
This is just the beginning of my travel series. In the next posts, I'll be sharing detailed guides, hotel reviews, Batam travel tips, and, of course, our complete Disney Cruise Adventure experience.
