18th entry - End of 2008 already?

Another Christmas just flew by. Like Garfield in the comic strip, I waited so long for it, and then, its gone. The New Year has arrived, and as I was writing this blog entry, I realised I had forgotten the details of how I had spent the first day of 2009.

The love of my life, S, came to fetch me this morning to the neighbourhood that I grew up in. The first thing we did when we arrived was to visit the marketplace where I used to buy breakfast on weekends and holidays, or whenever I was neither schooling nor working. Eating the food that I would usually order when I went to the market brought back memories of my childhood and adolescence - thosai masala (a crispy, thin vegetarian pancake with mild potato curry filling) from the Indian hawker stall, handmade bao and steamed glutinous rice with chicken & mushroom, you-tiao (crispy fried dough sticks), and minced pork and mushroom noodle.

I downloaded a picture taken of the market by another netizen and fellow blogger (Source: ZM's blog). The marketplace is quite typical of many "neighbourhood centres" built during the 80s by the Housing and Development Board, which enables residents to gain easy access to grocery and sundry goods shops, and cooked food eateries (known colloqially in Singapore as "hawker centers" and "coffee shops"). Neighbourhood centres will typically also have small bakeries, clinics, barbers/hairdressers as well as small furniture, stationery and clothing shops. These centres are slowly diminishing, giving way to large, air-conditioned buildings (aka "shopping malls") like those in Tampines and Sengkang.

After the meal, we explored the neighbourhood centre. Most of the shops facing the main road were open and some of them were even doing quite well considering that picky Singaporeans these days prefer to shop comfortably in modern malls. As expected, the row of shops nearest to my apartment block were quieter; in fact one entire row of shops had been left vacant. The owner of the bakery that I frequented (not because of the variety or quality of bread sold but because of convenience) recognized me and lamented that people's tastes were changing, implying that it was struggling to keep up. I guessed that it was only a matter of time before the owner would decide to wind up the business.

Next, S and I visited the apartment block in which I had lived for about 28 years. I noticed that the lift was quite small and dark compared to the one in the apartment that I am currently staying, and it did not stop at every floor. When we reached the floor, we were greeted with the nearly panoramic and unobstructed view of many neighbouring estates and even a glimpse of the sea and the Central Business Destrict. Having a penchant for nature, S commented that I was lucky to live just opposite a large park with lush greenery and tall trees.

On this trip down memory lane, I was greatly saddened by 2 things. Firstly, the Primary (Elementary) School that I studied in for 6 years had been demolished. I knew it closed down a few years ago, but I had hoped to catch a glimpse of it before the building was no more. When I saw the empty field overgrown with grass where my primary school building had stood, I felt as if it never existed - a most frightening thought, like waking up in the Twilight Zone and realising I was trapped in a different time-space dimension.

Secondly, I discovered that my former apartment had been rented out to some foreign workers or students. There was dried paint splashed all over the front steps leading to the doorway, indicating that one of the subsequent tenants or owners of the apartment owed money to "loan-sharks" (illegal money-lenders). What was once a glossy, beautifully polished marble floor in the living room (which we loved to sit and even sleep on) had turned into a dull, dirty surface that nobody with clean bare feet would consider stepping on. The sand-tex (a rough type of wall surfacing popular in the 80s) walls that my parents were so proud of were painted over in a ghastly shade of pale green, and the tenants pasted sticky brown tape all over it to keep wires in place. I felt as though my former apartment was disfigured and abused - like an innocent and lovely woman who had been violated by a vile rapist and beaten up.

Only five years ago, this apartment had housed a small, contented family. It shared this family's joy and laughter in better times, and gave warmth and shelter to this same family in bad times. It was almost a part of the family. Now, it was like a prostitute's den, used as a temporary living quarters for transient foreigners who did not know of its past, nor cared of its future.

I weep uncontrollably as I write this. I feel much, much sadder now than when I moved out of the apartment 5 years ago. And angry. Why didn't the subsequent buyer(s) take good care of the apartment? Mostly, I am upset with myself. I blame me for not choosing a good buyer or tenant. I should have been more thorough in screening those prospective buyers and in selecting a responsible agent who was not merely keen to close a deal and earn a commission.

Too much emotion over nothing? That maybe right, since I cannot do anything about the reality. I suppose the "old me" is simply unwilling to accept the reality that the "new me" sees.



2008 has not exactly been a good year for me. I realised that I didn't enjoy my current job and it was unsuitable for me, but I had not found a better substitute and my career future was uncertain. The financial turmoil sparked off by the US credit crisis not only ruined my hopes of making any profit from my investments, but also threatened to wipe out my hard-earned savings and made me fearful of losing my job. Tons of money spent on facials, beauty products and vitamins went down the drain after I contracted chicken pox, which made me loathe my appearance and lose my self-confidence. Due to a lack of exercise I gained a couple of kilos (5 to be exact) and this dealt yet another blow to my self-esteem - not that I think being fat is wrong (although I tend to agree that being overweight is bad for health) or that I dislike being fat per se (hmmm, actually I do, but this is besides the point), but I allowed myself to degenerate. Its like, I look in the mirror and discover - HEY! This isnt me!! This is NOT how I am SUPPOSED to look!!!

Looking at the political uncertainty in Thailand, the Middle East, Afghanistan and India/Pakistan, "World Peace" is definitely not something we can expect in 2009, though I hope its not all doom and gloom like what the Prime Minister warns in his New Year message. I will be contented if 2009 turns out to be a slightly better-than-expected year for me...and for everyone out there as well.


P.S. Check out the Garfield website for more Garfield comic strips.

17th entry - Legend of the Seas (Part 3)

Continued from Part 2

Information dissemination
(a) Comprehensiveness (covering all essential aspects of the cruise experience, including safety, directions) - [my score:5] guests received a daily schedule of all the activities going on concurrently throughout the day, including the meal times, the locations where the activities would take place, and highlights of main activities. However, there was a lack of proper instruction given on the gratuity (tipping) for the room attendant and fine dining restaurant staff. The prepaid gratuity coupons did not arrive with the envelopes meant to put them in, and my parents and I were clueless as to what we should do with the envelopes as there was no clear mention of the acceptable methods of giving the gratuity i.e. either to give the envelopes personally to the ones deserving of it, drop them off at the Purser's Desk when settling the bill or leave them in the room.

(b) Timeliness (not just without delay but ample enough for guests' decision making) - [my score:6] the daily schedule and fact sheets for the next day would always be neatly placed on our beds a day before when the room attendant prepared the bed for nighttime.

(c) Simplicity (easy even for "intellectually challenged" persons to read/understand) - [my score:5] The text on the fact sheets and schedules were relatively easy to follow in terms of language but due to the fine print, close line spacing and blue font color I thought it was easy to miss out information unless we went through the info sheet slowly.

Guest Relations, Room Service, Housekeeping
(a) Ease of access - [my score:6] Guest relations officers who took care of most of guests' needs (including requests for information), room service and housekeeping services were available 24 hours a day and all guests needed to do was to dial a button on the phone.

(b) Speed of response - [my score:5] On the 2nd day, I asked for 2 extra pillows for my aunt and myself. After 45 minutes nothing came, so I called again and the operator apologised and assured me that it would be arriving soon. When I put down my phone and went outside, I bumped into my room attendant, "Fox" and told him I called housekeeping etc. He told me that he would get on it right away, and true enough he returned with 2 pillows faster than the Flash!

(c) Staff friendliness - [my score:6] Besides the guest relations and housekeeping staff, other staff were also smiling and ever ready to greet guests (also sometimes I would be the first to greet the staff rather than the other way around).

(d) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs - [my score:6] My room attendant, "Fox", was a very warm and courteous man who not only made sure that the room was clean and properly made up, but also arranges special patterns (e.g. swan, snowman) with the towels and puts them on the bed to surprise guests! My parents and I loved these little gestures, especially the nightly chocolate mints placed on the pillows for us. Guest relations officers were a little mechanical, but helpful nonetheless.

Accommodation
(a) Overall comfort - [my score:3] I stayed in a twin-sharing ocean view stateroom which had a porthole window. The level of comfort I experienced was comparable to a 3-star hotel. The beds were relatively small and not firm (old spring mattress), and the pillows were too soft. What I disliked most about the room was the air-conditioning - I could not feel cool when I adjusted to the lowest temperature setting, and the air temperature along the balcony was actually lower than in the room. One of the light switches were faulty. However, the bedlinen and towels were of superior quality. I liked that the TV was placed on an extendable frame that could be adjusted to turn at a 45 degree angle so you can watch it on the bed or on the sofa couch.

(b) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities) - [my score:3] the wardrobe had ample clothing-hangers and space. The dressing table and side table had lots of drawers and cabinets to put clothing etc even though some of them needed to be lubricated because they were difficult to open. A hair-dryer was available but mine didnt seem to be working; the kettle was extremely efficient but relatively small. However, the room was small and basic toiletries (e.g. toothbrush) were not provided, and mineral water was not given free of charge (unlike in Star Cruises).

(c) Cleanliness - [my score:3] the room was acceptably clean in general but there were areas which could be improved e.g. the window ledge was dusty, and the toilet towl, sink and vanity top, shower cubicle and floor was not cleaned thoroughly. I suspect that the sheets and pillow cases were not changed daily. The cups were not washed thoroughly as well. The walls, decorative cushions (which the room attendant placed on our beds!) and sofa couch were also rather dirty.

(d) Size - [my score:2] the shower area was so small that I constantly hit my elbows against the walls when soaping myself: I got so fed-up that in the mornings I preferred to take my shower in the spacious showers at the Men's room in the spa. I had to move the coffee-table up against the wall to make space for walking. If the detachable single beds were configured to be a single queen bed, an average American person would have difficulties walking along the sides of the bed without turning sideways, his back pressing against the wall.

(e) Amenities - [my score:2] only 2 bars of soap were given for 3 nights' stay, and there was no bath foam, toothbrush/paste, shower cap, shoe-horns, slippers or bathrobes. Facial tissue paper must be taken from the bathroom. The complimentary tea and coffee were not replenished daily, and there were no welcome fruit basket etc (probably because we were not staying in a suite). The white bath, face/hair and hand towels were made of soft, good quality material but some were stained. The water from the room tasted funny even after it was boiled - twice.

Ship facilities, Shopping and Activities
(a) Variety of choices - [my score:4] you could buy a wide variety of goods in their shops - ranging from fashionable clothes to essentials like swimwear, underwear and socks; from cuddly toys to latest book titles; from beautiful jewellery and perfumes to rare wines and liquors, cigars and tobacco; from sinful chocolates to creams, medicines and vitamins. Some were even offered at great bargains. The sales service could be improved, though: the staff failed to deliver the right quantity of liquor that I bought at the shop, and the sales staff didnt provide good product information even when approached. In terms of activities, there was nearly something for everyone from the very young to the very old - rock climbing and miniature golf tournaments, line dancing sessions, table-tennis, yoga, origami, mahjong and various card and board games, electronic arcade games and bingo. I especially enjoyed the gym and spa (steam and sauna) facilities, but I felt that the jacuzzi and pools could be bigger. The large lounge/discos (Anchors Aweigh and Crown Vista) had plenty of tables and seats but these facilities were usually under-utilized. The casino was small and had relatively few tables and slot machines; the staff were also not very patient or friendly.

(b) Cleanliness and maintenance - [my score:5] Facilities on board the ship were quite well-maintained. I could see cleaning staff working tirelessly round the clock at the public-area toilets, stairways and practically everywhere, cleaning and repairing light bulbs etc. However, the "grass" carpets at its miniature golf course were quite worn-out, and the puts were rusty or damaged.

(c) Aesthetics and design - [my score:6] I liked the interior decor on board Legend of the Seas. One feature I noticed was the amazing works of art on display everywhere and the statues and potted plants placed strategically around the public areas - I felt I was in a museum or art gallery! Information about the layout of the ship could be found on all lift lobbies so directionally challenged individuals (like me) could navigate effortlessly around the ship unassisted, but staff seemed ever ready to give directions if required.

(d) Quality of Entertainment (i.e. whether enjoyable) - [my score:6] If there is one thing I enjoyed most about this trip, it would have to be the evening "live" performances. On the 1st night, the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers put together an interesting programme combining popular songs from the 50s to the 90s accommpanied by professionally choreographed dancing. Guests were treated to a magic show on the 2nd night, which was entertaining for both children and adults. The best performance was reserved for the last night, when Ilia and Valerie, the acrobatic couple (and their 4-year old son) performed a sequence of amazing acrobatic moves. Ilia, a Russian, had such a chiselled, toned, tanned and muscular figure that he appeared more like an personal trainer/model/actor than an acrobat. His wife Valerie, a French woman, was tall and beautiful like a model, graceful like a ballerina and agile (their opening act was body contortion in which Valerie was pulled out from a luggage bag). I was fortunate to be chosen by Ilia to go on stage to participate in their second act, in which Valerie changed rapidly into a series of evening gowns in front of the audience and me and pretended to "wed" me - I was told to walk out on stage with a baby doll after a brief moment backstage to the comical delight of the audience (see the youTube clip embedded below). Besides the main evening entertainment, there were live music performances all day, free Ben and Jerry's ice-cream in the afternoons. At midnight on the 3rd day, an engaging performance was put up by the Cruise Director and his staff with a rock and roll theme, in which they sang and danced with the guests at the centrium area - they ran from deck to deck to encourage shy guests to let down their hair and join in the fun.



On-Shore Excursions
(a) Speed of processing embarkation/ disembarkation - [my score:6] In spite of overwhelming demand to disembark for the Penang excursion, the crew managed to allow the guests to disembark within minutes of tendering. Re-boarding was also hassle-free and efficiently managed.

(b) Variety of choices (i.e. provision of a range of programmes to suit different needs) - [my score:3] according to the shore excursion programme sheet, about 3 package options were available for guests to choose from, but there was little flexibility for guests to customize these packages to suit their needs as they needed to adhere strictly to the itineraries. On the other hand, guests could choose to go free and easy but these were entirely at their own expense and little assistance were given.

(c) Land Transportation - [my score:1] RCL did not charter shuttle buses to ferry guests between the port and the city center or designated tourist areas. In contrast, SuperStar Virgo provided shuttle bus services and timings were also made known to guests to facilitate their own itinerary planning.

On the whole, I had a good cruising experience on board the Legend of the Seas. Normally I found cruises rather boring, but on this trip I never had a dull moment. Most of all I got time to spend with my parents, which was itself a luxury because of my busy work schedule. My aunt, my parents and I had fun playing card games and UNO while waiting for dinner, and the fine dining experience was quite enjoyable. My mum and I unexpectedly bumped into familiar faces on this cruise - she bumped into her primary schoolmate, while I ran into 2 former colleagues. My trip left me some fond memories (my first stage debut, for instance), which shall be cherished dearly.

16th entry - Legend of the Seas (Part 2)

(Continued from Part 1)
My own simple (and untested) customer satisfaction scale measures 7 items representing aspects of a cruise experience; each item is calibrated on a 6-point semantic differential scale (i.e. 1 for least satisfied to 6 for most satisfied):
1) Embarkation/disembarkation process - (a) Orderliness (systematic), (b) Speed (efficiency)
2) On-board Dining - (a) Freshness of food, (b) Quantity of food, (c) Taste of cooking, (d) Variety of dishes and beverages on menu, (e) Ambience of Dining Area, (f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter
3) Information dissemination - (a) Comprehensiveness (covering all essential aspects of the cruise experience, including safety, directions), (b) Timeliness (not just without delay but ample enough for guests' decision making), (c) Simplicity (easy even for "intellectually challenged" persons to read/understand)
4) Guest Relations, Room Service, Housekeeping - (a) Ease of access, (b) Speed of response, (c) Staff friendliness, (d) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities),
5) Accommodation - (a) Overall comfort, (b) Helpfulness and sensitivity to guests' needs (including for those with disabilities), (c) Cleanliness, (d) Size, (e) Amenities
6) Facilities, Shopping and Activities - (a) Variety of choices, (b) Cleanliness and maintenance (assumption: guests will be less satisfied using many poorly maintained facilities than using a few well-maintained ones), (c) Aesthetics and design, (d) Quality of Entertainment (i.e. whether enjoyable)
7) On-Shore Excursions - (a) Speed of processing embarkation/ disembarkation, (b) Variety of choices (i.e. provision of a range of programmes to suit different needs), (c) Land Transportation



Embarkation/disembarkation process
(a) Orderliness (systematic) - [my score:5] On arrival at the Harbourfront Cruise Center, there are clear signages and many personnel guiding and assisting guests to check-in. We received a queue number and was told to board when our number was called. As expected, there were many "kiasu" people who crowded around at the boarding area; for further improvement, some staff could be deployed to do "traffic control" e.g. by gathering guests with the same queue number and making them assemble at designated areas. The checking-out was very systematic as well. I liked the fact that guests could leave anytime after breakfast because passports were collected the night before and all the billing etc was also settled earlier. This meant the avoidance of long and stressful waiting time and unpleasant queuing because guests could leave comfortably on their own timing.

(b) Speed (efficiency) - [my score:6] Due to the orderliness of the process, I was quite happy with how fast I could check-in and out of the ship. We took only about 45 minutes to board and 15 minutes to check-out (including a few minutes of photo taking). The immigration clearance was quite fast as well.

On-Board Dining
(a) Freshness of food - [my score:5] except for boiled wontons that were not fresh at the buffet dinner for 2 consecutive nights, everything else was fresh. The only problem was that the food is prepared many hours in advance so some food items such as bread, cake and cheese were a little dry.

(b) Quantity of food - [my score:5] except for the delicious chicken satay (spicy BBQ meat on bamboo skewers) that perpetually ran out at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day, there was more than ample food throughout the trip. I put on at least 2 kgs after the trip ...

(c) Taste of cooking - [my score:4] On Captain's Night at Romeo and Juliet (the fine dining restaurant), I was treated to a delicious escargot appetizer which was firm but not too chewy, and the butter sauce was fragrant yet light; it really made me look forward to the main course, which was also very satisfying. My beef steak was probably the best I had ever eaten in my life up to now (although I must admit that I have never taken a lot steak in the past) - it was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth, and the sauce was flavourful and tasty but not too salty. The turkey that I took for the 3rd night was also amazingly juicy, and the accommpanying cranberry sauce blended perfectly with the gravy and the meat.
Some of the desserts, like the B52 dessert and banana souffle, were absolutely divine! The B52 dessert was a marvel of culinary skill - I was able to taste 3 distinct layers starting with the light buttery crust, followed by the fragrant vanilla egg custard just beneath the crust, and ending with a rich chocolate sauce that oozed out from the centre of the cake.
The frozen banana souffle was another surprising creation. It looked like banana mousse but its texture was actually closer to bread pudding, and drops of clear golden syrup flows out as the fork penetrates the fluffy upper strata, revealing a light yellow inner strata that melts away in the mouth, leaving the characteristic banana flavour lingering on almost mysteriously.

Sadly, my parents and aunt were not so fortunate. My aunt's sea bass and pan-seared salmon for the first 2 consecutive nights were dry and totally bland, and her tomato pasta on the 3rd night tasted as though it came out of a can or microwave-heated TV-dinner. My parents and I felt that the Asian dishes were not authentic in spite of Asian (Chinese and Indian) chefs being on board (can you imagine sake sushi using smoked Norweigian salmon, and tom yum soup that is neither spicy nor sour?), and after the first day I completely avoided such dishes (except the satay, which was acceptable). Some disgruntled Indian guests were so unhappy with their food that they even complained to the chef at the buffet lunch on the 3rd day and made a scene right in the middle of the Windjammer's Cafe (the buffet restaurant).

(d) Variety of dishes and beverages - [my score:6] Compared to Star Cruises, the variety of western food on RCL is considerably better. The fine dining dinner menus offered 5 appetizers, main courses and desserts that change daily in addition to a another 3-4 "staples". Many of the dishes were not only unique but also well-prepared, showing the chef's creativity and skill. When it came to Asian cuisine, however, the variety was deplorably limited. I can almost always see the same old curries used in the Indian food (and only 2-4 types) at the buffet; there are no Chinese or Japanese restaurants and totally no Japanese food served at the only 2 restaurants (except the fusion sushi at the buffet dinner on the first night). The wine and liquor list is quite limited although one is able to sample some rarer labels. In contrast, SuperStar Virgo and Leo have 6 restaurants each, plus cafes that serve all sorts of cuisine. RCL's cocktails are quite good, though. My mum had a mixed fruit Mai Tai which she enjoyed.



(e) Ambience in Dining Area - [my score:4] In terms of layout, I think the buffet restaurant was quite cramped and empty tables in the air-conditioned area during lunchtime are quite difficult to find. People were always overflowing into the poolside tables outside, where it is less comfortable. However, their gingerbread house centerpiece, numerous fruit carvings and decor appeared very aesthetically pleasing, and the Christmas theme was present to give a warm festive atmosphere but to the extent of being overwhelming. The buffet area was also not as "canteen"-like as SuperStar Virgo/Leo's; I really felt that I was dining at a buffet restaurant in a 4-star hotel, complete with napkins (not serviettes) but minus the usual table service. The equally cramped fine dining restaurant had modern European decor with complimentary dining cutlery (e.g. industrial stainless steel salt and pepper shakers with matching butter bowls, sugar jars and even escargot plates) yet interestingly the chairs appeared to be more classic than modern - rather out of place. A plus point is that both restaurants had wide ceiling-to-floor windows that provided diners with a panoramic views of the ocean as they dined, but you needed to be sitting near the windows during the day to enjoy it.

(f) Service of Head Waiter, Waiter and Assistant Waiter - [my score:5] Besides being friendly and polite, the young, pretty Waiter at the fine dining restaurant and her equally young, cute assistant, were also knowledgeable and candid in recommending the food choices. Being Chinese nationals, they tried their best to introduce the dishes in English and were always sensitive to the needs of the guests and very eager to please. What they lacked in terms of experience and finesse they made up for in terms of sincerity (ok, at least they were good actors). I didnt see the Head Waiter at all except on the first and last night (only for a brief minute or two) but I suppose he was busy attending to other tables or affairs. To the delight of many guests, on the 3rd night many of the staff gave a commendable song performance "Its Now or Never" in Italian. Over at the buffet restaurant, service was a little slow during the crowded breakfast times (in terms of clearing the plates and replenishing nearly empty trays of food), and most of the Asian staff appeared to be poorly trained.

Continued in Part 3... (sorry this is a LONG piece!)

15th entry - Legend of the Seas (Part 1)

My parents and an aunt are taking a cruise on board Royal Caribbean Line's Legend of the Seas this weekend. Over the next 4 days and 3 nights, we would be sailing on the high seas to Penang and Port Klang, experiencing the luxury of a 4-star hotel, with fine dining and a wide spread of international cuisine, and enjoying refreshing sea breeze and fabulous views of the Straits of Malacca... or so we are led to believe.


It was a last minute decision by my dad to try this liner. Costing nearly $700 per person (including taxes and pre-paid tipping - which just doesnt seem right in principle - shouldnt we be giving gratuities if we feel that service is good, rather than assuming that it will be so, and pre-paying according rates determined not by us but by the service provider?! Anyway...), the trip seemed a little expensive. A similar cruise on board Star Cruises would cost only $500 per person (for the same type of room we got, which was the stateroom with window at the lower deck). Sometimes there are even discounts, and off peak rates are also lower. The million dollar question in my head - is it value for money?



The representative of the agency selling RCL cruises in Singapore boasted that most customers who went for both Star Cruises and RCL tours preferred the latter. This was hardly reassuring and certainly not convincing because I have a low opinion of Star Cruises. I sailed on board Superstar Leo, Virgo (twice) and Gemini some years back and I felt that the food quality was mediocre and the menus were repeated for meals within the same day and throughout the trip so we hardly got to eat anything new; the service personnel were not quite as friendly or helpful (most didnt even speak proper English) and the room amenities and facilities were old and not well-maintained (there were stains on the old sofa and the stench that it was giving out was quite unpleasant; all sorts of stuff were floating in the pool, which was hardly used, for good reasons).



Surfing online, I discovered that many patrons of RCL (Legend of the Seas in particular) left their comments on cruise websites. Some reviews by professionals and guests were good, but on the whole I felt that the cruise experiences were mixed depending on where you embarked, so I gather that the standard of service delivery is quite inconsistent for this liner. One really bad review (the only one coming from a customer who embarked from Singapore) caught my eye. Fortunately, this customer who complained about the service and room appeared to be one who gets pampered on luxury travels and had really high expectations, so she was disappointed when many things didnt go smoothly (e.g. long waiting times during embarkation and disembarkation etc). I just hope that the service level has improved since then, and there are enough systems in place to ensure that staff knew what to do when things went wrong.



Having good systems and frameworks in place are important, but unless precision robots are delivering the service or staff are so well-trained that they can deliver the service consistently even under the most adverse conditions (like in an earthquake), hiccups are inevitable because of human factors. Good service recovery is just as important as good service delivery because people tend to remember bad incidents that they had to suffer during a bad experience and expect remedial action to be taken by the service provider. What's really important is how service personnel (especially the frontline managers) deal with the problems to provide effective service recovery.



I've developed a simple scale to measure the delivery and recovery standard on this cruise, which I will test on my trip.

(To be Continued ...)

14th entry - Beauty Tips

Recently I was attending a series of seminars on beauty and health, organised by Nature's Farm at Suntec City. As expected, the main aim of the seminars were to educate participants about the benefits of Nature's Farm products on improving skincare and general health and well-being. Two of the main "ingredients" of both beauty and health are pycnogenol and pro-biotics.


Pycnogenol is touted as one of the best anti-oxidants in the world right now. Made from the bark of the French Maritime Pine Tree (pinus maritima), this supposedly natural product reportedly has an antioxidant action that is more than 100 times more powerful than Vitamin C and E, and 16 times more active than grapeseed extracts. From the official website, I learnt that the pycnogenol extract has four basic properties – antioxidant (fights free radicals that cause aging and cancer), anti-inflammation (both internally when consumed and externally when applied topically), selective binding to collagen and elastin (to make skin firmer and reduce fine lines/ wrinkles), and helps to produce endothelial nitric oxide which helps to vasodilate blood vessels (improving circulation). When applied to the skin and absorbed, it apparently helps to reduce the harmful effects of UV radiation from the sun.

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help our body to digest food effectively. Such bacteria fall into 2 groups, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, with different species and strains within each group (e.g. Lactobacillus acidophilus). Specific probiotic formulations are used to treat diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome, to prevent and treat urinary tract infections. For most people, introducing live probiotics into our gastrointestinal system reportedly helps our bodies to maintain an effective immune system and fight diseases, and aids digestion and absorption of food and nutrients which is important for general health and well-being. It is important to consume the probiotics in the proper manner i.e. in freeze-dried capsule form, taken after/with meals to ensure that the bacteria are viable ("alive") even after passing through our gastric system till it reaches the intestines to colonize them. I am currently taking Kyo-Dophilus, which is freeze-dried and does not require refrigeration (which is apparently ideal because moisture "activates" the bacteria, and they would die quickly unless consumed immediately).

An "independent" website known as "Smart Skin Care" containing various information on skincare and beauty stated that:

You cannot build a house without a solid foundation. You cannot prepare a soldier without basic training. And you cannot, or at least you should not, embark on a sophisticated skin rejuvenation program without getting the basics right. In fact, neglecting the basics is almost guaranteed to make the rest of your skin care program far less effective.

While I do not believe that all of us need to take pycnogenol, I feel that to be beautiful and healthy, it is important to take care of what is inside our body instead of focussing only on what is skin-deep, and make adjustments to our lifestyle e.g. drink more water, sleep well, eat fresh and healthful food, protect our bodies from harmful elements, exercise regularly etc. We should pay attention to what we eat and what we put on our skin. As the "Smart Skin Care" website also states,


An optimal skin care product should contain one or more active ingredients in an effective concentration. Its inactive ingredients should not interfere with the active ones and, whenever required, should provide safe and adequate preservation, stabilization and delivery into the skin. Also, all ingredients should lack significant potential to cause skin damage.

Check out the Smart Skin Care website for more information on how to look beautiful.