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Shanghai New Year with SQ New A380 Business and Suites

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  • #16
    What an amazing TR, ycp81. Great pictures of the SQ new Business Class on the new A380. I could tell you enjoyed the flight.

    Shanghai looks like an amazing city. I enjoyed the nighttime pictures of the Skyline a lot. Disneyland looks really amazing, too. Similar to the ones I went to in Florida in 2017 and California numerous times (last time being 2015). I can never forget how amazing the fireworks are and just the castle in general. I definitely would like to visit international Disneyland's in the future.

    Happy New Year!!

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    • #17
      Nanjing cuisine for dinner at Nanjing Impressions, a popular restaurant. Also just found out they have a branch in Singapore too!










      On our final day in Shanghai, we had breakfast at the place with to-die-for dumplings, Jia Jia Soup dumplings. We had given the place a miss on the day before due to very long queues, but on this weekday, the queue was much more reasonable though there was still a wait of about 30min for the piping hot made-on-the-spot xiaolongbaos to be served. Easily one of the best, if the not best, I have ever eaten!












      Scenes of a weekday in Shanghai.






      After checking out of the hotel, we proceeded to Pudong Terminal 2 for our flight back to Singapore. The flight back would be the highlight of the trip!

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      • #18
        At the departure kerb side.




        Prior to the aircraft's departure, I was pretty nervous as SQ had sent the old A380 on the flight rather regularly. Hence, it was a relief that the new A380 took off for Shanghai in the morning, and it would also be the exact same aircraft I flew on into Shanghai. According to the check-in staff, the load in Suites was 3/6 today.

        Checking in at the SQ counters and Golden boarding pass received!








        Immigration and security was fast as there were not many departing travellers. Soon we were in the departure hall, and spotted our A380 which had arrived early and being serviced.






        Up a level to the Air China First Class Lounge. Not sure of the lounge policy of other SQ/Star Alliance lounges, but each Suite passenger was allowed to guest in 1 guest into the First Class lounge.






        The First Class lounge was pretty empty with lots of seating areas.






        Restrooms were individual cubicles, and was cleaned by attendants after every use.



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        • #19
          The dining area consisted of a simple buffet selection.












          Bar area




          An ala-carte menu was also offered.












          Placed our ala-carte orders, which needed some preparation time, and grabbed some bites from the buffet and an Air China signature cocktail from the bar to start.

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          • #20
            Shanghainese Xiaolongbao and Iced Tremella soup




            Salmon fillet, fried rice and Shanghainese wanton soup.








            Left the lounge and headed to the gate, where boarding has just begun.






            02 January 2019
            Singapore Airlines
            SQ 833
            Shanghai Pudong (PVG) - Singapore (SIN)
            A380-800
            9V-SKV
            Suites
            Flight Time: 5H29M



            Boarding the whale.








            And welcomed into the brand new Suites cabin! First impression: Stunning! As someone who has never flown First and only once in the old Suites, the New Suites certainly did not felt like an aircraft seat. It was more of a cabin on its own! Amazing! I would be in 2A this evening.







            Last edited by ycp81; 16 January 2019, 10:54 PM.
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            • #21
              After welcoming us onboard, the crew in Suites introduced themselves. The leading stewardess also gave as a brief on the features of the Suite. At the suite entrance, there is a personal closet large enough to store carry-ons and hang your coats. Slippers, socks and eyeshades were also placed in the closet. No amenity kits and PJs provided on this mid-haul flight.




              Huge TV monitor with great resolution.




              Simple IFE controller and seat/monitor controls. As others have reviewed, you can swirl the armchair round and round for your own amusement.




              B&O headphones already placed at the seat.




              Suites guide in the literature pocket.




              Welcome beverages offered. A Dom for me please.




              As well as a selection of warmed nuts. Mix of everything please.




              More storage compartments, wireless controller, window shades/lighting controls and call buttons.






              A peek into Suite 1F, which remained empty for the flight.




              In the midst of being overwhelmed with the seat and space, the captain informed that due to a tropical depression, the flight would be longer than usual due to a rerouting required to avoid the bad weather. Estimated flight time of 5h30m. Yess!

              Pushed back on schedule.



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              • #22
                Safety video was played, followed by an introduction video to the New Suites.






                The awkward moments of being able to see your fellow Suites passenger across the aisle, with a vase of decorative fake orchids. This was made worse inflight during dining when the armchair needs to be angled towards the suite door.




                Taxied to the runway Rwy34L for departure.









                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbHwdHBGqSs


                More champagne after takeoff? Sure, Krug please.






                A leather-bounded menu was presented, meal choices confirmed and preferred dining time noted. We decided to have dinner 1.5hrs after takeoff.






                Satay was served shortly after departure.

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                • #23
                  Another serving of mixed nuts with a refill of Krug offered.




                  Setting sun




                  The wireless touchscreen IFE controller was easy to use, but required a restart by the crew as the IFE system hanged on me.




                  Popped into the XL-sized lavatory, which was so huge that one can do yoga in it.














                  Suite 1A with the divider down. You don't need to be a crazy rich Asian to fly in one of these luxurious suites haha.




                  We requested to lunch to be served at 6pm local time, which is about 1.5hrs after departure. But first, lets take a look at the menu.



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                  • #24
                    Beverages selection. For unknown reasons, none of the Chinese teas were stocked on this flight again, similar to the previous SIN-PVG sector.
















                    Dinner service commenced, with the dinner table nicely set up with a selection of breads. Oh, the awkwardness of staring straight at your fellow passenger while dining. Luckily, the crew discreetly asked the passenger across if he would preferred the suite door to be closed, and proceeded to close it between serving of courses.




                    For the starter, I chose the oven-baked lobster, which was presented in the most crazy way with a huge standing lobster head. Taste-wise, it was a bit dried out but still acceptable.








                    Next was the soup, which I had the oriental Double-boiled duck with pork soup.

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                    • #25
                      The soup was rather flavourful.






                      Grilled asparagus salad. The asparagus were still crisp and had a nice grilled aftertaste.




                      For the main, I had pre-ordered the Chicken Ballotine stuffed with Foie gras, spinach and mushroom. Not sure if it was a China catering issue, but it was too salty for my liking.








                      The dessert of Passionfruit mousse cake with vanilla ice-cream was very good.




                      We were just off the coast of Philippines at this time. A detour away from the usual flight path to avoid weather.




                      Cheeses and fruits to end.






                      And a Blue mountain to wash it all down.




                      My friend has the Shi Quan Shi Mei cuisine, which he felt was very average. The assortment of starters.

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                      • #26
                        Shi Quan Shi Mei main course.




                        Warm creamy walnut soup for dessert.




                        After the dinner service, the crew offered to set-up the beds.






                        Double bed all made! The bed was certainly very comfortable, though I thought was slightly harder than on the old Suites.










                        Its was lights out for the next couple of hours till we were nearing Singapore. Visited the other lavatory, which was still big but not crazily so as the one on the right.




                        Crew offered more drinks prior to descent and I had a chamomile tea.




                        Nearing the end of the Suite life.



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                        • #27
                          Landing into Changi Rwy02L right on schedule.





                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErEHQKDwZy4


                          Taxied to Terminal 3.








                          Last look (and more pictures) of the amazing Suites before disembarking.














                          A narrower stairway down to steerage on the new A380s, with a lovely crew posing for me haha.




                          I must say that it was a privilege to be able to experience SQ's New Suites on the A380. This is definitely a new level of luxury and space for First Class travel. The hard product was amazing by all means, though the gadgets on the seats took some time to get used to (eg. no full recline of the armchair possible when facing ahead, with only full recline enabled when angled for dining and watching the IFE. We discovered this after tinkering around the armchair, including resetting it, with the crew, thinking that the armchair was faulty). There were minor inconveniences which were also stated by others who flown it, such as staring into neighbouring passengers across the aisle while dining. The service was excellent as always on SQ premium cabins, though it felt a bit too scripted on this flight. Nothing bad, just a personal preference. Catering was the weakest link for this Suites product, though it could be an overseas station catering issue. Overall, an overwhelming experience of the pinnacle of air-travel.

                          Now, all that is missing is a shower haha.

                          Thanks for reading!
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