We were seated in the cozy rustic-styled Italian restaurant, tucking into the dishes that our waitress, Sally, had recommended. In between chatting and serving our food, Sally would play with the young son of one of my dining companions. A few tables away, another waiter broke out into song to his guests’ delight. Before his guests left, they made sure to take a photo with him.

Giovanni’s Table — that’s where we were — isn’t some new trattoria that just opened in Singapore. We were out at sea actually, and Giovanni’s Table is sited on the Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner Of The Seas cruise ship. If you must know, the food here is every bit as good as what you’d find on land. Indeed, mention “cruise” to most people and a common response would be centred on what kind of food is available on the ship. Executive chef Kenneth Johansen revealed that about 15,000 meals and 10,000 fresh eggs are prepared daily to feed up to 3,000 guests on board the ship.

So yes, it does get crowded, particularly at meal times in the main dining room and buffet restaurant which offers a variety of international cuisine and some Asian dishes.

However, if you ask me, it’s absolutely worth paying the additional US$20 (S$25) to feast at Giovanni’s Table or US$30 at Chops Grille Steakhouse, the two specialty restaurants on the ship. Not only will you find less people there, the array of mouthwatering deserts beats those in the main dining areas. In case you’re wondering, you can order anything from the menu for that price including succulent scallops from Giovanni’s or the beef short ribs from Chopped Grill. There even is a Johnny Rockets on board the Mariner where, and for just US$4.95, you can get all the burgers, fries and dessert you want. Alcohol, however, is priced separately — starting at US$45 a day for beer, house wines by the glass, and the fountain soda.

MUCH TO SEE AND DO

I returned to my Balcony Stateroom after my meal to see a towel folded into the shape of a stingray greeting me on the bed. Cute. I suppose I could learn towel origami from the crew but there were more enticing activities beckoning: Ice skating, rock climbing, mini golf and of course, the movie-on-the-deck nights. The last time I took a cruise was yonks ago and it felt like such a non-event. On the Mariner, it almost felt like I needed to pack my hours with activities to get my money’s worth over these four days. And there is no shortage of suitable activities on this cruise for kids, both big and small.

I decided to take it easy (no gym classes, then), so I settled in for the ice skating Russian-circus themed performance. There are about five or so acts in the colourful showcase, featuring bumbling clowns, snake charmers and a touching scene of unrequited love between a clown and a ballerina. If you’re travelling with children, make sure you grab a seat at the front, as the little ones may get a chance to go on the ice with the performers at the end of the show. You can have Breakfast With The Stars, where you’re entertained by DreamWorks Animation characters such as the those cute creatures from Madagascar. If the 7.45am breakfast is way too early, see the parade at the Royal Promenade to catch the likes of Shrek or Po from Kung Fu Panda. One tip: Snag a spot on one of the higher levels to avoid squeezing in with the crowds.

LAND HO!

Those with cabin fever can disembark when the ship docks at Port Klang, Malaysia on Day Two. There are several paid tours that you can sign up for, such as the “Makan & Shopping” tour that brings you out to sup on bak kut teh, before being dropped off at Suria KLCC. If shopping is not your thing, you can take a tour to visit the Batu Caves and several city sights, such as the Royal Selangor Visitor’s Centre, Independence Squar and the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.

Our group had a little bit of both with the Light And Easy tour that took us to the National Monument and Independence Square before dropping us at KLCC. Alternatively, you can skip the tour and get a taxi to take you around instead. There are many of them at the port, so you just need to stick out your hand to hail one. Just make sure you arrive back in time to board the ship. Time and tide, as they say, wait for no man.

For those who need their Internet fix, you might want to wait until Port Klang. There is — I discovered unexpectedly — free wifi there. Trying to get connected while on board the ship can be a painful process. My iPhone and iPad could not connect to the ship’s wifi and the counter staff said it happens with some devices. It’s also rather expensive at US$35 for 60 minutes or US$0.65 per minute.

Online woes aside, the cruise was a good, albeit hurried, trip. Perhaps it was because I had too many activities to choose from, although it was great not having to plan anything, book accomodation or tours and generally figure out where to go beforehand.

In hindsight though, maybe I should have been less ambitious to spend more time lazing on the deck. You know, just me and the big blue sea.

Oh well, there’s always next time.

The trip was made possible by Royal Caribbean International.