10 Cabin Checks Every Cruiser MUST Do BEFORE Unpacking. Here’s Why! (Podcast #563)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Most cruisers walk into their cabin, throw their bags on the bed, and start unpacking. Big mistake. After more than 125 cruises, I’ve learnt – sometimes the hard way – that there are a handful of vital checks you should always do before you unpack a single item. In this video I take you inside a real cruise cabin and show you exactly what I personally check the moment I arrive on board. I also explain why it’s absolutely critical to do these checks on embarkation day, when problems are far easier to fix, cabins are still moving around, and engineers are on full standby. Leave it until...
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I’ve Done 5 Oceania Cruises. Here’s What No-one’s Warns You About! (Podcast #562)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’ve sailed five times with Oceania Cruises across three different ship classes, most recently on a 19-night Sydney to Papeete voyage on Riviera. It’s a cruise line I choose to return to and often recommend. But here’s the truth. I regularly hear from viewers who board expecting something extraordinary… and leave wondering what all the hype was about. So in this video I’m being completely frank about five areas that are often misunderstood, where the expectations created by the marketing don’t always match what people actually experience — and importantly where that really...
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Cruising This Year? Then You Need to Watch This! (Podcast #561)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
If you’re planning a cruise in the next 12 months, be warned — cruising is changing, and some of the biggest shifts are happening quietly behind the scenes. Cruising this year is going to feel very different from what many of us are used to. In this, I unpack six major changes every cruiser needs to know, explain why they matter, and show you how they could directly affect your next cruise — whether you’re booking for the first time or you’ve cruised many times before. These are the changes many cruisers won’t realise until it’s too late — and that’s exactly why you need to...
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I've Done 13 Ultra-Luxury Cruises. Here's What No-One's Telling You (podcast #560)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
When you pay more for anything — flights, hotels, cars — you expect more. More features, more choice, more “wow”. So when cruisers upgrade from resort lines like Royal Caribbean, to premium lines like Princess, or even small-ship luxury like Oceania, and then spend much more on an ultra-luxury cruise… they naturally expect everything to be dramatically better. But here’s the surprise: for many first-time ultra-luxury cruisers, it isn’t. In this video I explain why so many people I meet on lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal feel confused or even disappointed —...
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Cruisers Say These 6 Lines Have Got So Much Worse. Here’s Why (Podcast #559)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Are cruise lines really getting worse? Many cruisers say yes. So I analysed hundreds of recent reviews and ratings from Cruise Critic, Trustpilot, and major review sites — and the results were shocking. Over two-thirds of cruise lines have seen satisfaction drop in the last six months, but six once-popular lines have fallen the most… and for reasons you absolutely need to know before booking. In this video, I break down which lines are slipping fastest — and reveal the key issues dragging their ratings down, from ageing ships and overcrowding to service cutbacks, food declines, rising...
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I've Done 15 Caribbean Cruises. Here's What No-One's Telling You! (podcast #558)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
When I took my very first Caribbean cruise back in 2007, I often found myself stepping ashore as the only ship in port. Quiet beaches, local markets, no lines for taxis — it felt like true tropical escape. Fast-forward 18 years and 15 Caribbean cruises later, including my most recent ultra-luxury sailing on Regent Seven Seas Splendor, and the Caribbean is a very different place.In this video I reveal the massive changes that are reshaping Caribbean cruising — changes most cruisers don’t fully understand until they’re already there. I also explain how cruise lines are responding — and...
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Regular Vs. Ultra-Luxury Cruises: 4 Big Differences I DID NOT Expect! (Podcast #557)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Are ultra-luxury cruises really worth the eye-watering price? Or is the reality very different from the dream? Most cruisers are fascinated by ultra-luxury lines like Silversea and Regent Seven Seas, but very few have actually sailed them. So after cruising recently on Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America, Celebrity and Princess, I decided to book myself on two ultra-luxury ships – Silver Nova and Regent Seven Seas Splendor – paying the full fare to find out what really changes when you step up to the very top tier of cruising. And what I discovered surprised me. In this video I...
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Cruisers Say These Cruise Lines Are On The Rise RIGHT NOW (Podcast #556)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
After sailing on many lines myself recently, and analysing hundreds of cruiser reviews and ratings across Cruise Critic, Trustpilot, and other major consumer sites, I discovered a surprising trend while many lines are sliding — a handful are rising fast. In this video, I reveal the cruise lines that cruisers say are on the rise right now, what they’re getting right, and why ratings are climbing. This is the most up-to-date snapshot of which cruise lines passengers think are improving and why. These trends come from analysing 21 cruise lines covering over 90% of all cruise passengers,...
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8 Widely Held Repositioning Cruise Beliefs Are Wrong. Here’s Why! (Podcast #555)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Repositioning cruises promise incredible value — sometimes half the price of a regular cruise — but after doing several of them (including my recent 18-night Silver Nova Alaska–to–Japan repositioning), I’ve realised many cruisers board with expectations that are completely misguided. And those myths guarantee disappointment. In this video, I reveal the most widely believed repositioning cruise myths that are 100% wrong — and what these cruises are really like. If you’ve been thinking of booking a repositioning cruise because they’re cheap, relaxing, sunny, or just like regular...
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I’ve Been Back On Every "Ultra-Luxury" Cruise Line. Here’s What I Found (Podcast #554)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Ultra-luxury cruising promises the very best at sea – but which line is truly delivering right now, and which are slipping? I’ve recently been back on Seabourn, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas and Crystal, and in this podcast I reveal how they really compare today. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: Offers: Get 10% any order of The Cruise Maps who you visit the site using this link: Get up to 30% off collectible tokens of place you’ve visited using the link:
info_outlineGary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Subscribe free to the show on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio
This show covers among other topics:
General Observations
- Capital and largest city of Malaysia - called just KL by locals.
- Petronas Towers is the icon and focal point making it memorable.
- Not a lot of attractions and must see - ones that are are spread over wide area.
- Big events like Formula 1 has been key to driving tourism.
- Modern and fast changing.
- Often Hazy due to pollution locally but also from effects of forest fires in Indonesia known as Sumatra haze lasting 1 to 2 weeks a time.
- 3 main ethic groups : Malays , Chinese and Indians - religiously diverse but most of population is Islamic (official religion ) but not strict Islamic country.
History
Founded in 1857 when Chinese prospectors sent to find tin in the area - only 17 of the 87 survived past a month due to malaria and other tropical diseases - but lure of tin attracted people. British took control and placed strong minded and visionary Chinese governor (Kaptain Yap Ah Loy) who ensured development. Occupied by Japanese in WWII with many Chinese tortured / executed and Indians sent to work on Burma railway building (death railroad). Post the war British ruled until independence in 1957.
Best time to go
Pretty much anytime as always constant between 20 and 30C - no rainy season as such but gets lots of rain and flooding.
Getting there
Good come connections by air and cruise ships dock in Port Kelang at Star Cruise terminal about 1,5 hour drive to KL
Getting around
- Traffic is terrible and very congested - not very predestination friendly either.
- Taxis (called "teksi") - make sure they use the meters.
- Rapid transit system (LRT - light rapid transit) is modern, cheap and pretty easy to work out - information in English.
- Hop-on Hop-off bus tour - takes about 3 hours to get around - more than 22 stops - mixed views on it - go to all main areas.
General tips
- Mandatory death sentence for drug dealing or possession.
- Conservative dress.
- Good English as is required in schools.
- Only drink bottled water with seal - not tap water.
- Haggling in markets and in places like Chinatown is the norm.
Must do things to do and and see
Petronas Twin Tours
When opened was tallest building in world until Taipei 101 took the title away - limited tickets each day to go up (only about 1000) so book online before you go or get there very early - 41st floor sky bridge then up to 86th floor
Suria KLCC Mall below has over 600 designer stores
KLCC park behind it is park is impressive
KL Tower
Next best alternative if cannot get up Petronas though maybe better as not only see the views but also the towers - viewing from about the same height - within the Bukit Nanos forest within the city
Central Market
Been going since 1888
Can get the rapid transit there from Petronas as just a few stops on red line and about 1,80 ringgits each - very easy
Chinatown
Next to Central market - old fashioned houses, markets etc
Nearby is Sir Mahamariamman Temple - built 1873 - very ornate Hindu temple
Per Dans Botanical Garden area
Bird park, butterfly park and botanical gardens for nature lovers
Gardens has over 3000 species orchids, 5000 species of hibiscus flowers created in 1880s
Butterfly park 6000 butterflies and 1000 species with exotic plants to create right environments
Merdeka Square (aka Independence Square)
Used it be cricket ground in British colonial times - where Independence declared now
surrounded by some key buildings -
100 metre flagpole said to be tallest in world
Sultan Abdul Samad building - houses supreme and high courts
St Mary's cathedral
Royal Selanger Club
Nearby is Masjid Jamek - National Mosque built in 1965 and largest in SE Asia - impressive looking building
Little India - restaurants and shops but not as in Singapore
Shopping
Bukt Bitang area - popular shopping area - highest concentration of malls in the city - especially for computers and electronics.
Golden triangle in KLCC around towers.
Further afield
Batu caves - 9 miles north - limestone caves of varying sizes - Hindu shrine inside largest cave - over 270 steps to get to it - smaller cave has museum about Hindu mythology