faceboy

I am now planning a return trip to Tokyo after seeing your pics, I missed out on so much in my short two days!

SAtraveller

12. HND-HKG Cathay Pacific first class on 747-400

The next day we were off to Haneda, which is really convenient compared to Narita. We took a taxi to the monorail station and then took the monorail to Haneda which took all of 20 minutes.



Haneda was quiet at this time of the day, but it was very modern and a delight to use.




Still one of my favourite planes ever

We then headed for the lounge ...











The lounge was quiet with a lot of seating and fantastic views of the apron. The catering was top notch and the WiFi was fast and easy to use.

After a while we headed to the gate and boarded the flight. Boarding was a poor affair, with priority boarding allocated to first, business and premium economy all in one line. This amounted to about half the plane and rivaled the economy line. To be honest, priority boarding has never meant much to me anyway, but this challenged the whole definition of the word. They should at the very least let first class passengers board first, followed by business and then premium economy. Then again, 'priority boarding' is one of the selling points of premium economy.



On entering the nose of the plane, I was dazzled by the luxury of it. We were really glad to get a last shot at sitting in the nose of the 747 - it's being phased out by CX and most other carriers too really. This time we were in 2A and 2K (though 1A/K turned out to be exceedingly more pleasurable on our following flight). Load was light with 4 people in first - one in 1A and one in 3K behind us.



















The seat is WIDE and excessive, but one of the best first class experiences I have ever had. Did I like it more than EK? No. They're different and both nice to experience.

We had the best crew ever who were friendly and talkative. The purser also popped in every now and again for small talk, but she was efficient and great to chat to.

After a warm towel and a glass of Amour De Deutz Blanc de Blancs 2005 we settled back. Its strange to have enough space next to you to fit another person.




The last remnants of Japanese uber-friendliness


Nice line-up!

We taxied for a long time, and even crossed a bridge over water, which was a first for me. After lining up, the powerful 747 engines roared and we were off. It's quite different sitting right up front - undoubtedly the ride feels smoother, and there are other small things like hearing the nosewheel retract right below you or the sound of the brakes in close proximity.





After this we experienced a view of Mount Fuji on a clear day as well as some of the most unbelievable scenery I have ever seen on a flight.


the vastness of Tokyo

















The crew then jumped into action and topped up our champagne and provided us with some snacks.





Menu for the Day

LUNCH

Starters
- Serrano ham on mixed mushroom salad with balsamic sauce
- Roasted tomato soup

Main Courses
- Grilled Australian grain beef tenderloin with cabernet sauce, potato gratin, green beans, carrots and cauliflower.
- Kung po chicken with egg fried rice, pak choy and carrots
- Penne with Arrabiata sauce, green asparagus and shimeji mushrooms

Cheese and Dessert
- Petit Brie, stilton, red Leicester, Mimolette
- Fresh seasonal fruit
- Green tea icecream with vanilla sauce

Tea and Coffee
Pralines

JAPANESE MENU

Sushi
- Assorted sushi

Appetizer
- Simmered prawn, salmon and sea bream egg-yolk sushi, fried lotus root with spicy cod roe, steamed fish paste and pike conger roe with carrot, black beans served with green apple liqueur.

Braised Dish
- Fried bean curd rolled with zenmal vegetables, arrowhead, shimeji mushrooms, nabana green, carrot flower, ginan sauce.

Clear soup
- Sea bream covered with Yoshino-kudzu starch, carrot, radish, chopped chives

Side dish
- surf clam with egg yolk vinegar sauce, marinated carrot and radish with sweet vinegar, pickled cucumber.

Noodle
- Udon noodles with braised friend bean curd

Hot Dish
- Grilled amberjack in Yuan-yaki style, grilled beef with sesame sauce, yuzu citrus peel compote
- Rice served with assorted pickles and miso soup

Fruit
- Fresh seasonal fruit
- Ginjyo-sake

Beverages

Champagne
- Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blanc 2005

White Wines
- Louis Jadot Meursault 2011
- Brand's Laira Foundation Range Chardonnay 2009

Red Wines
- Wine Promotion : Saint-Emilion (Worldwide CX French Wine promo)
- Kalleske Greenock Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008
- Marchesi de'Frescobaldi Mormoreto 2010

Port
- Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10 yr old Tawny

Aperitifs and Cocktails
- Campari
- Martini Rosso
- Martini Extra Dry
- Tio Pepe Sherry
- Harveys Bristol Cream Sweet Sherry
- Tanqueray Ten Gin
- Bacardi Rum
- Belvedere Vodka
- Bloody Mary
- Screwdriver

Whiskies
- Chivas Regal 12yr
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label
- Canadian Club
- Gentleman Jack Bourbon
- MaCallan 17 Fine Oak single malt

Cognac
- Tesseron Lot 86 XO tradition

Liqueurs
- Cointreau
- Drambuie
- Kahlua
- Baileys Irish Cream

Beer - International Selection

Signature Drinks
- Oriental Breeze
- Cloud Nine

We requested to eat together - and the footstool as a seat was cozy rather than cramped. It's a real privilege to eat with your partner on board, as if sitting in a restaurant. The staff offered first, and were so obliging and overall fantastic.


Sushi, bread basket and welcome cards


Ham, Mushrooms and Balsamic


delicious tomato soup


Fillet and potato... the steak was dry, but the potatoes were a winner.


Fruit selection

I don't know how people eat so much. I went straight from the beef to having a fruit selection. The idea of having a cheese platter followed by a full dessert was unnerving. After a good 90 minutes together eating I headed back to my seat, and settled in a with a substantial glass of Johnnie Blue and the most delicious pralines that were forced upon me (hurrah..!)




And of course, some of the funniest modern family episodes I have ever seen.


Oriental Breeze just prior to our descent... its a non-alcoholic cocktail made with sour-plum tea, cranberry juice, honey and lemon juice. It was mediocre.


On finals




QR waiting at Hong Kong international.

Our first experience of Cathay Pacific first was sensational. We had the loveliest crew and couldn't wait to experience the flight again in a few days after that.

SAtraveller

That's a tough one and I would struggle to choose. The Conrad is very professional, modern and efficient - a perfect business hotel. The Capitol seems more laid back with rooms better catered for tourism. It might not be a fair assessment - overall the Conrad is a slightly better hotel, but I would be hard pushed to choose.

Thanks stevie

Thank you farbster... We decided to get a glimpse at several countries and decide on what we liked, then go back in more detail. We liked Japan the most, so next time we want to go to Kyoto and Osaka. I'm not sure about the Great Wall - but it was the section without the cable car (the one that attracts the most tourists). Go Mao!

I'm glad to hear I could be of some assistance - it's a fantastic place.

goingbananas

Nice pics of Tokyo and especially getting Mt Fuji on a good clear day from your seat on CX!

marcuslai

SAtraveller, always a fan of CX TR's. Can't wait for your SIN segment. In the meantime, can I ask if you / your companion was locked into the buddy seat after setting up the table for 2-person dining ? Or is it still possible to squeeze out ?

MAH4546

Great trip report, really enjoying it.

What day tour did you take to Mt. Fuji? The one on Viatour? I'm in Tokyo next week and was thinking about taking that tour.

SAtraveller

13. Hotel Icon Hong Kong

First of all I want to apologize for the appalling delay in posting. As it happens, I got a really bad case of gastroenteritis a day after landing back home and actually spent a few days in hospital. Now that I have survived, I can continue the TR and hope to be done in the next few days...

I've wanted to stay at Hotel Icon for several years mainly because of the rave reviews. The hotel was expensive, but at least they compensate you with a great room and excellent service. We also paid more for a room with a harbour view.









The lobby is beautiful and was geared up for the Chinese New Year, which would be the following evening.

















The room was one of the better ones in the hotel because of the great view it offered of the Hong Kong skyline. We also received a club option that provided canapes, snacks and drinks throughout the day in the club, only a floor above us.





The pool was stunning and offered similarly good views of the skyline. It's also heated, and fantastic to lie around in during very cold weather.

14. Sights of Hong Kong

The next day we decided to conquer Lantau Island and we were really looking forward to the Ngong Ping 360 cableway which is a staggering 5.5km in length. If you pay a little more you get a crystal car which has a glass floor, making the experience a little more terrifying and exciting.



Despite it being a very busy time in Hong Kong, we waited for no more than an hour to secure a ticket. I highly recommend the experience, it is sensational.













Now trust me when I tell you that the cableway is HIGH, as photos do not do it justice. If you fear heights, it may not be for you. However, it has one hidden treat and that is planespotting. For almost ten minutes you ride alongside the main runway of Hong Kong International and get to watch a multitude of planes taking off. It was a huge treat...





After finally arriving on the island we explored the town, as well as the giant Buddha on the hill, and the monastery.








statuette around the Buddha





The statue is very large, but you have to climb about a hundred steps to reach it. From there you get a great view of the surrounding islands.


The monastery from the bottom of the mountain


A monk

That night we watched the Chinese New Year's parade. There were millions of people but overall it was good fun and very festive.

















After only two days in Hong Kong, it was time to fly off to Singapore...

Eddy421

Great trip report with some very nice pics ...

For the record, I visited the Doha premium terminal few weeks ago and found it .. very noisy...
It was very hard to find any quiet place for a rest and the (tiny) relaxation area was closed.
Our flight left with a 2 hour delay (which is always bad when you should have leave at 02.00 am) and no one could provide clear explanation about the expected delay as the flight was not announced as delayed, even if official boarding time was already past since one hour..

SAtraveller

15. HKG-SIN Cathay Pacific first class on 747-400

The next morning we were off by taxi to the airport - a quick transfer of approximately 30 minutes.





There is a whole area at the airport exclusively for first class passengers, and we used it. However, as often seen in airports, there were dozens of business class check-in counters that weren't being used, so you actually take longer to check-in.

The ticketing agent told us where to find the Wing and that the new one was being renovated. As long as we weren't stuck in some horrible hovel, it made little difference, as we had no basis for comparison between the temporary lounge and the new one.


View from the Wing


Lots of Moet to go around





I didn't find the lounge all that remarkable - I think EK's lounge in Dubai is difficult to beat. This lounge did have waiters asking for your orders continuously, lots of free flowing champagne, nice bathrooms and WiFi, but on the whole, not better than most business class lounges.


Our plane


Boarding was a little better this time, but possibly only because the load was lighter.



As I'm sure you can imagine the cabin was identical to the previous flight, so I won't repeat any of the cabin shots. It was at this stage that we wished that we had tried out the 777 first class, but then again, we'll have plenty of time in the future with the 747 on the way to the retirement home.

The paediatric factor on this flight was hilarious - 4 out of 8 passengers were younger than 10. They were all very well behaved though and actually kind of cute to see sitting in a gargantuan seat eating fillet and watching Madagascar. It's easy to prejudice against kids if you see them in a premium cabin but very often they are angels compared to some poorly behaved drunk you're often exposed to.

As we were in 2A/K, we had split up a family who asked if we wouldn't mind moving to 1A/K which we were more than glad to do. I've got to disagree with all those who say that row 2 is superior to row 1... we loved 1. It is so intimate, it's like flying in a private jet, and greatly superior to row 2 in my humble opinion.





I found this crew to be less than stellar which is always a flash point of anger for me whenever you take the trouble to fly First. It was the type of crew who volunteered little of their own accord and went through the motions like emotionless robots. It was also the type of crew who offered you "champagne" as you got on board and audibly sighed if you asked for something else instead. People underestimate the importance of a good crew in first class... it's such a massively important aspect of the flight.

We had an exceedingly long taxi and wait before taking off, but got to see some great planes...







The 747 takeoff roll is one of my favourites - it's one of those planes that is still proud of how loud and how powerful it sounds, making no effort to be silent.




Some small island that is mostly a runway!

This flight was slightly shorter than our former flight, so we immediately delved into lunch, once again eating together. Of course, instead of being like the last crew and offering us this option, we asked and were told that is was possible in the same manner as if we'd asked if one could cross the Atlantic in a rowboat.

Now I must confess that I forgot the menus in the side of the seat as I feared I would. The beverage menu was identical to the first flight we took, as well as the French wine promotion. I'm therefore sorry that I cannot show you all the options that were available on this flight.


absolutely delicious chicken soup


fillet that wasn't as dry as on the previous flight and quite tasty


cheese and crackers


selection of fruits


forgot what this was, but it was sensational.


finishing off with a great port



The flight was moderately turbulent, but we didn't notice it much - CX F is such a treat you tend to block out other silly things like turbulence.

SAtraveller

Thank you kindly, goingbananas. After seeing good views of Fuji on other TR's, I always hope for the same.

Yes, well the first thing they do is put out your tray table and then add a supplementary table to yours creating a much larger area to serve for two people. It does unfortunately condemn the person sitting in the buddy seat to that area until the meal service is done, as the tray requires them to disassemble it when you are done.

Thank you MAH4546. I fear you may already be in Tokyo, but yes it was the Viator trip to Fuji with the Shinkansen return.

Thank you Eddy421... yes the lounge is very busy. I'm hoping the new airport will solve that thing, as well as the introduction of F on more flights and an accompanying lounge.

faceboy

Sorry to hear you got sick OP. Happy you returned to finish and are feeling better. Love the pictures

SAtraveller

16. Conrad Centennial Singapore







After a short taxi ride we arrived at the Conrad Centennial Singapore. The hotel is well situated among a cluster of other hotels like the Pan Pacific and the Ritz-Carlton. It claims to have views of the Marina but it's not really true - the view is obstructed by the Pan Pacific.

After a slightly lengthy check-in we went up to our room. This turned out to be our least favourite hotel on our trip. While I'm sure most people would find the hotel fantastic, there were several small aspects that just didn't match up to the other hotels. For instance, it was the only hotel where we had to pay for WiFi, the pool service was slow and the staff just slightly less friendly than you would expect from a 5* hotel. These are all small complaints, but palpable if you have stayed in other good hotels over the past few weeks.

This was also the first hotel where we didn't receive an upgrade for being BA Executive Club blue... LOL This is not a complaint though. The hotel was full to capacity anyway.








The beautiful pool at night... but not heated, and very cold in the day.


Exterior of the hotel

I think the hotel had the biggest variety breakfast I have ever seen at a hotel... ice cream? dim sum? All very impressive. However, the capacity of the hotel was frustrating with lines of up to 20 minutes for seating for breakfast.

It's a good hotel, but I wouldn't make an effort to go back.

SAtraveller

17. Sights of Singapore

The first thing we did was go off to the Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding area. It's a fantastic piece of architecture and we just had to go to the top to survey Singapore from a height. The price is, as usual, bordering on daylight robbery, but its all good fun...


The mall with ice rink


Water way and gondola in the mall... magnificent. The mall is full of the most elegant shops and great places for a cup of tea and a piece of cake.






Marina bay sands from the inside

Some views from the top...






The amazing swimming pool, strictly reserved for guests. You can't even come close.



That night we went off to the Singapore Flyer. We'd seen the city by day from the Sands, and now it was time to see it by night from the Flyer.

The Flyer is absolutely enormous. Like most things, you don't appreciate it from pictures or from afar, but once you get close you realize how massive the structure is. From its maximal height I can assure you, you feel very high and vulnerable (if you're scared of heights).









Unfortunately we had a drunk guy in our pod and that made the whole place smell like alcohol, which was unfortunate. Luckily he just leaned against the window and glared out the window, but it was unpleasant for all involved.


The Marina Bay Sands from the Flyer

Taking pictures from the flyer is difficult because of the circular curvature of all the glass. Reflections abound in almost any picture, so its a challenge.



There are several shops in the vicinity of the Flyer, and we went for "fish treatment" where the fish feed off the dead skin on your feet. You start in a tank with little fish then work up to the big ones. It's a feeling like nothing on earth, and honestly feels like high intensity electric vibrations passing through your legs. You get used to it, but the initial feeling is horrifying.

I also went for a "Flight Experience" after this. I've been before in Paris, but its always nice to fly in a 737-800 cockpit for an hour, doing a few take-offs and landings. This time we did a few circuits in Hong Kong, and a landing in Abu Dhabi.

After this we decided to go to the seafood restaurant under the Flyer for traditional chilli crab. After sitting down and ordering two beers we discovered that all the crabs had been eaten, due to the New Years influx. Trapped in the restaurant we decided to have whatever was recommended to us, but we never got the chance to eat crab after this.


Bamboo clams... one of the most sensational delicacies I have ever eaten. You cannot believe how tasty this was.


Some pork delicacies and cold beers


Lobster

The next day we decided to go to Sentosa Island, mainly to spend the day at Universal Studios, but we decided to leave our camera behind with all the rides etc. Needless to say that the park is very impressive and I'd highly recommend it

SAtraveller

18. SIN-JNB on Singapore Airlines business class 777-200

Surprise!!

Well anyone who has been following this trip report will know that we were obviously meant to fly back to JNB via Doha on Qatar Airways.







After arriving at the QR check-in, we handed in our passports and that dreaded frown appeared on the agent's forehead (the same frown that preceded our 787 flight on JL that led to much inconvenience).

She excused herself and fetched another piece of paper from her manager.

"Sir, unfortunately business class on your flight has been overbooked".

Seriously? I thought. Am I to become one of the QR-bumped-off-the-flight statistics? At the very least we would have to spend 24 hours in a hotel room, and after being away from home for almost three weeks we really missed our house... and pets

"We would like to ask whether it would be possible for you to fly on the Singapore Airlines flight tonight? It is direct and you will arrive home 6 hours earlier?"

"But business class..." I said, just making sure we didn't jump into this too quickly.

"Of course, sir."

Well we leaped at the opportunity. We wouldn't likely visit Singapore again, and we generally stick to One World airlines to travel with. Filled with excitement, we followed a friendly Qatar Airways gentleman to the Singapore Airlines counter.



We asked to be seated next to one another at the window but were told that this is impossible due to the 1-2-1 configuration. What a bonus. We decided to sit behind one another - 11A and 12A. I discovered in the lounge later while browsing on my Ipad that row 11 is actually "row 1". A strange numbering system, but obviously meant to reserve higher row numbers for flights where first class is available.









We decided to head to the Kris lounge, where several beautiful women were waiting to check whether we qualified to enter. To the left is the business class lounge, and to the right, first class. The lounge is spacious and comfortable, with a wide range of foods and beverages. With two hours to spare, I decided to have a shower and freshen up, which was a first for me in a business class lounge.





Closer to the time, we walked towards the boarding gate, and we have such bad luck with this. It's always miles away... like gate 80 or something. After a quick security check we boarded, and a friendly crew awaited with a spectacular business class section. I can't imagine how incredible first class must be.













The seat is wide, and only slightly narrower than the CX F seat. It is comfortable with a great deal of leg room and a very large TV.


The Menu for the evening


A small glass of champagne in a poorly presented manner

After a relatively long taxi once again, we were airborne, and I felt a great sadness fall over me knowing that it would be several months before I could enjoy an international take-off again. Passing over the multitude of ships in the harbour and into the dark clouds was mesmerizing.

Once again, I'm sorry that I did not record the details of the menu, nor of the beverages available, but the apathy of passengers on the flight was palpable. It was a true red eye flight - we took off at 02:00 and at least three quarters of the plane slept immediately and refused to be disturbed for anything.

I was quite hungry and ordered the seafood soup. However, while speeding down the runway, I suddenly became concerned that it would contain yellowtail, which is so common in so many dishes in Asia and my sole allergy, so I changed my order to chicken.




Watching the Butler... I thought it was outstanding.


Selection of fruit for dessert


Baileys to end the meal service

The staff were excellent and very accommodating, but the cabin was easy too. Despite a load factor of 80%, I doubt more than five of us ate.



The amenity kit has got to be one of the worst I've ever seen, containing socks and and an eye mask alone. Apparently some of the other accessories were present in the lavatory, as well as on request e.g. earplugs. However, I found this completely unacceptable for a premium service.

I asked the flight attendant to help me set up my bed, which is done manually on SQ.



The bed is comfortable with a nice pillow and blanket, but probably exactly 6 feet in length, so if you're tall, you're in trouble. I slept in the fetal position all night, though my sleep quality was good. The turbulence was significant at times, with a harrowing drop at a stage that left my stomach behind, but the equator is always temperamental.


The break of dawn






Selection of fruit again and coffee


Fancy breakfast indeed...







I loved my first SQ J flight - The flight attendants are so polite and willing to do almost anything. I don't like the seats too much - they are very wide but a manual seat adjustment is tiresome and the seat is too short anyway. I also found the catering better on QR. What I'm trying to say is that I think QR is better, but I really valued this SQ experience too.

Thank you for reading my trip report and may it inspire you to travel.

SAtraveller

Thank you faceboy. Better to be sick after a holiday than during one I guess!