5D4N Royal Caribbean - Quantum of the Seas (17 - 21 March 2022)

During the school break in March this year, we decided to venture on a 5D4N Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas cruise from the 17 - 21 March.

The ship was fully packed with families and children and while it does look packed, the ship was operating on 50% capacity during Covid so it was manageable (in terms of space and booking of facilities).

We managed to download the Royal apps before the trip and studied it briefly. It turned out to be a well planned trip as we managed to book for most of the activities and shows that we wanted at the timing.

We chose for the 1pm onboard timing on the day of the cruise so we had to proceed to do the ART testing at the Raffles City Convention Centre an hour before that (12pm). The process was incredibly smooth and within 15 minutes we managed to get the results and we proceeded our way to the Cruise Centre.

When we were onboard, we managed to explore the ship for a little while and reserved the speciality restaurant which we wanted (i.e Wonderland) for day 2 dinner. As this is an extremely popular choice, we wanted to get our seats early.

The first stop we did while on board was to get some snacks at a pizza store on deck 4 which was complimentary. We managed to eat a while before exploring the ship and check in to our room soon after.

We rested a bit in our room before deciding to head out for our first activities of the day at 3pm, which is board booging. This activity is very popular and require reservations on any day except on the day of the onboarding. This is also the reason why we quickly proceeded to head there first to complete this activity.

Boogie's Boarding:

Turns out that when we arrived, we were the first person to be there and queues soon follow afterwards.

I completed my "stuns" and oh boy it was not easy as the water current is very strong. In fact, on my first try, I was blown off and my pants dropped until the knees level, becoming the very first member in the ship on that occasion to have done that. LOL.

Rock Climbing

We did our rock climbing activity on day 2 right on the first thing when it opens after we had our breakfast.

It was the first time all of us did the rock climbing so it was a mixed reaction of terrified yet excited.

At the end, we managed to try it out and did okay and would be looking forward to doing it more the next time we see it again.

Bumper Cars

The bumper cars activity has to be reserved and we played it on the first night.

The boys loved it and we decided to try our luck and revisit them on the second night through walk-in. Thankfully, as the capacity of the crowd is manageable, we were able to play it twice on our trip.

Pickle Ball, X-Box, Table-Tennis

These were some other activities that were offered onboard on Seaplex level 15 where we get to play our lungs out.

The key is to always book and reserve early, even days before so that you can get your available slots at the timing you desire. Most of these activities are booked full fast so do plan early.

Shows & Activities

We managed to secure two main shows on the Royal Theatre on day 2 and 3, while manage to attend a flurry of other activities on various days that we were on the ship.

Dining:

Dining in the Main Dining Room was complimentary and it was fantastic, definitely above what we expected.

These were the type of foods that you usually get outside for casual fine dining and it was great to have our first dining of the night in great fashion.

The speciality restaurant - Wonderland was what we expected the most on day 2.

We heard rave reviews about it and can't wait to try it out ourselves.

We were greeted very warmly by the host and was placed to our seats.

The menu was sort of magical where you have to put on a water for it to appear.

To be frank, the overall food was a little too sweety for my liking. The kids like it better than I am for sure but I think I have experienced much better in terms of food otherwise.

Black Marble by Otto @ Raffles Holland V Mall - Review

We were looking around for new dining places to dine when we chanced upon this classy looking restaurant, Black Marble at level 2 of the Raffles Holland V Mall. 

It was situated right outside the escalator on level 2 so it was easy for any diners to spot.

Black Marble by Otto, is a steak and grill concept helmed by the famous Swiss-born culinary Chef Otto Weibel.

The restaurant has a great ambiance feeling of secluded and fine dining in the area yet they were pretty casual with what the diners were wearing. Our kids were wearing flip-flop sandals while there were other diners who were wearing singlets and shorts when we entered.

We were greeted by an overlooking different cow part of the body, providing us with a quick educational glance before we were ushered to our seats.

Entrance Trademark

Our sofa seats right at the end of the window

We started off with a Black Truffle Emulsion ($15) soup which had a strong overwhelming kick of truffle-infused-mushroom, spices and garlic mixed inside the overlooking thick soup. For truffle and mushroom lovers like us, we were immediately won and drawn over by our first taste of the meal.

A Winning Start.

Black Truffle Emulsion ($15)

Still front on the appetizer, we also ordered Baked Brie Cheese ($16) to get our craving for a full well spread of condiments that comes with the half-loaf of bread. The taste of the pasteurized cheese itself comes with a burning sensation which was elevated with a herbal form of fermented black garlic scattered around the cheese.

Whilst the meal feeds people of all ages, do note that Brie Cheese is generally not suitable for young children consumption as it carries a higher risk of listeria bacteria that might be more susceptible for young children.

Baked Brie Cheese ($16)

The next meal we had on the menu was the 24 Hour Brine Hand-Cut Fries ($8), which was fillings of side green yuzu mayo, grated parmesan cheese and chive to go along with the fries.

24 Hour Brine Hand-Cut Fries ($8)

For our main dishes, we chose the Lobster and Scallop Saffron Risotto ($36) and the MBS4 Australian Wagyu Rump ($33).

The authentic Lobster and Scallop Risotto were cooked slow and immersed with Cream Faiche, along with tender lots of Parmesan Cheese and Smoked Mullerbottarge and Chives served inside. The lobster and scallop were freshly cooked and every bite gives the oomph feeling that comes straight at the mouth from the sea.

The MBS4 Australian Wagyu Rump Steak was roasted and cooked right at the 145°F degree (medium) and then rested for 3 minutes before serving. The meat was tender and juicy and the right warm temperature gave the meat its best couple of first bites on its own. The condiments on the sides include a clove of whole grilled garlic and tomatoes.

For the sauce, there is a wide selection available for diners to choose from which includes Bearnaise sauce, Red Wine Jus, Black Pepper, Mushroom Port Wine Sauce, Fresh Herbs Butter amongst the few.

Lobster and Scallop Saffron Risotto ($36)

MBS4 Australian Wagyu Rump ($33)

Conclusion

Overall, we spent about just over $100 for the dine-in which we thought was somewhat reasonable given the good amount of portion and service that we received.

We didn't manage to try the House Signature T-bone Steak this time round as we came in only a small group of 4 (including 2 young children) but we'll definitely come back next time to try them when we get the craving once again.

Black Marble by Otto
Raffles Holland V 118
Holland Ave #02-01
Singapore 278997

Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)
Opening Hours: Daily: 11am - 10pm

Peppa Pig World Indoor Playground - Shanghai

Peppa Pig World Indoor Park was one of our main itinerary for our trip to Shanghai, given that it was opened not long ago after a successful franchise from their UK theme park.

The indoor playground was located at LCM 2389 Zhangyang Road mall, which is a 5 min walk from 北洋泾路 Station at level 3. The mall was surprisingly grand and quite big with plenty of middle end shops and restaurants to dine in, which we essentially spend the entire day in to shop and walk around.

The entry fee was pretty standard and is equivalent to a price we paid for in Singapore. It charges 300 Yuan for 2 adults and a kid with a sock and a toy as a bundle package.

The theme world playground has a complete massive 1100 square feet of Peppa Pig World for children to roam around so you never feels like the place is overly crowded, even as we went during a weekend.

When we entered, we were greeted by the family car which we took a ritual family photo to start the day with.

The kids then ride the bus to school under the supervision of Mdm Gazelle (their teacher). The bus was huge and it can easily fit a few adult human size inside the bus.

The place houses a few toddler playing slides so it catered more to the younger crowd who has toddlers between the age up to 3 years old.

The place also houses the train ride, the supermarket, the post mail as well as Peppa's very own house itself.

By this time, we were actually a bit tired roaming around as we chase after the kid as the compound was big enough to wander from each room to another room.

Last but not less, the mandatory shot with Peppa herself.