World School Cruise - Asia Navigator · Part 2
Part 2 of the World School Cruise - Asia Navigator. Five nights on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas, out of Singapore to Penang and Phuket and back, leaving Monday 24 May 2027.
It's one of two back to back sailings on the same ship. Book this part on its own, see the whole 17 night cruise, or add Part 1 from Tokyo and stay onboard for 17 nights without changing cabins.
Where does Part 2 take us?
Singapore, up through the Strait of Malacca and back again. Two very different destinations, an overnight stay in Phuket and a final sea day to enjoy the ship.
Penang first. Step off the ship right on the edge of historic George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage city filled with colourful shophouses, clan houses and jetties, street art, temples and some of Malaysia’s most famous food. It’s a brilliant port for families who want the freedom to explore independently without necessarily booking a full-day excursion.
Then Phuket — and we stay overnight. Arriving Wednesday morning and not leaving until Thursday evening gives families two days to experience this part of Thailand. Explore Phuket’s beaches and colourful Old Town, head out on a boat adventure to discover the surrounding islands and limestone landscapes, visit temples, try incredible Thai food or simply spend some time enjoying the warm Andaman Sea. With the ship staying overnight, there’s no need to try to squeeze everything into a few hours.
One final day at sea. After exploring Phuket, there’s nowhere we need to be. Sleep in, swim, catch up with friends and enjoy one last full day onboard as we sail back towards Singapore.
Then on Saturday 29 May, we arrive back in Singapore — 17 nights after our adventure first began in Yokohama.
Ports, arrival and departure times and activities are set by Royal Caribbean and can change due to weather, operational requirements or other circumstances.
This is the easier way in. Five nights suits you if you've never cruised, if you're travelling with little ones, or if two weeks off isn't happening this year.
Day by day · Singapore, Penang & Phuket
Day 1 · Mon 24 May · Singapore · depart 4:00pm
Our adventure begins in Singapore. Board Navigator of the Seas, unpack and settle into your home for the next five nights before heading up on deck as we sail away.
As we leave Singapore behind, we begin travelling north towards the Strait of Malacca — one of the world's most important shipping routes. Kids will see enormous container ships and cargo vessels along the way, a pretty incredible real-life glimpse into how the things we buy and use every day move around the world.
For families joining us for both cruises, there's no airport or major travel day between Part 1 and Part 2 — Singapore simply becomes the beginning of our next adventure.
Day 2 · Tue 25 May · Penang, Malaysia · 2:30pm–9:00pm
Welcome to Malaysia!
We arrive in Penang in the afternoon, with the ship docking right beside historic George Town. This is a fantastic port for families who enjoy exploring independently — step ashore and you're close to the UNESCO World Heritage area.
Wander past colourful old shophouses, hunt for George Town's famous street art, explore the clan jetties built over the water and discover Chinese temples, mosques, Hindu temples and colonial-era buildings all within the same city.
For kids, it's a really easy place to see how different cultures can shape one community. Malay, Chinese, Indian and British influences can be found in everything from the buildings and languages to the religions and, perhaps most importantly, the food!
And Penang is famous for its food, so this is definitely a day to encourage everyone to try something new.
With the ship staying until 9:00pm, there's also time to experience George Town as the evening begins before heading back onboard.
Day 3 · Wed 26 May · Phuket, Thailand · arrive 8:00am
Wake up in Thailand — and this time, we're staying overnight.
Having two days in Phuket gives families the freedom to slow things down rather than trying to squeeze an entire destination into one port day.
Depending on what your family enjoys, today could mean exploring colourful Phuket Old Town, discovering Thai temples and local markets, spending the day at the beach or heading further afield on an organised boat or island adventure.
It's also another completely new culture for the kids to experience. Listen to the Thai language, see a new currency, try foods they've never tasted before and notice the differences between everyday life here and what they've already experienced in Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.
And because Navigator stays in port overnight, there's no sail-away this evening.
Day 4 · Thu 27 May · Phuket, Thailand · depart 8:00pm
A second full day in Thailand.
This is a great opportunity to do something completely different from the day before. If yesterday was spent exploring Phuket itself, today might be a beach or nature day. Families interested in getting out on the water may choose a boat excursion to experience some of the region's dramatic limestone scenery and islands.
Or keep things simple — find a beautiful beach, swim in the warm Andaman Sea, eat some incredible Thai food and enjoy having nowhere else to rush to.
Two days also gives kids time to actually notice a destination rather than simply ticking off the major sights. The boats, markets, tropical landscapes, food, religion and everyday life all become part of the experience.
Then it's back onboard as we sail away from Thailand and begin our journey south towards Singapore.
Day 5 · Fri 28 May · At Sea
Our final full day together — and after two days exploring Thailand, the timing couldn't be better.
Sleep in, have a long breakfast, hit the pools and waterslides, join an onboard activity or find the other Worldschool families for one last day together.
By now, friendships have formed, the kids know their way around the ship and everyone has usually found their favourite places onboard.
There's nothing to pack into the day and nowhere we need to be. Just one final day to enjoy cruise life while the ship does the travelling for us.
Day 6 · Sat 29 May · Singapore · arrive 7:00am
Wake up back in Singapore.
For some families, this is where the adventure ends and it's time to head home. For others, why not stay a little longer?
Singapore is one of our favourite cities for an easy family stopover, with incredible public transport, hawker centres, gardens, museums, neighbourhoods representing different cultures and plenty for kids to explore.
Stay for a couple of nights or turn it into another little family adventure before flying home.
Dream Big Travels can help organise your post-cruise Singapore accommodation and travel arrangements too.
Royal Caribbean sets the ports and times and they can change for weather or operations.
What is there to do on Navigator of the Seas?
Plenty to fill five nights — including our sea day when there’s nowhere else we need to be.
For the kids — and the big kids
The Blaster aqua coaster
Riptide head-first racing waterslide
The Perfect Storm twin racing waterslides
Splashaway Bay water play area for the little ones
FlowRider surf simulator
Battle for Planet Z glow-in-the-dark laser tag
Rock climbing wall
Mini golf
Ice skating
Sports court
Pools, games and organised activities
Royal Escape Room: The Observatorium*
For the adults
Resort-style pool deck
Adults-only Solarium
The three-level Lime & Coconut, including its rooftop sun deck
Live music and entertainment
Trivia, game shows and organised activities
Fitness centre
Plenty of places to grab a coffee, find a quiet spot or simply do absolutely nothing
For the kids & teens
Adventure Ocean offers supervised kids' programming and activities, giving younger cruisers somewhere to play, make friends and spend time with kids their own age.
Teenagers have their own dedicated spaces and activities too — and with other Worldschool families travelling alongside you, there are plenty of opportunities for friendships to form both inside and outside the organised programs.
Plenty is already included in your cruise fare
Main Dining Room meals and a range of casual dining, snacks and grab-and-go options throughout the day — trust us, you won't go hungry on a cruise!
Live entertainment and shows
Swimming pools
Many onboard activities
Adventure Ocean kids' programming
Use of many of the ship's sporting and recreation facilities
So you're not reaching for your wallet every time the kids want something to eat or something to do — there’s already plenty included to keep the whole family fed, entertained and busy.
Specialty dining, some food and drinks, and selected activities and experiences attract an additional charge. Activities and programming can vary by sailing. Shore excursions aren’t included in your fare.
What makes this a Worldschool Cruise and not just a family cruise?
You’re not the only ones. You’ll be sailing with other homeschooling and worldschooling families, so the kids have the opportunity to make friends and you’ve got other parents around who just get it. We’ll connect everyone well before we sail through our private WhatsApp group, giving parents a chance to chat and kids the opportunity to start making connections before they even step onboard.
The journey becomes part of the learning. We choose our cruise itineraries with the destinations and learning opportunities in mind. Japanese history and culture, the trade routes of the South China Sea and Malacca Strait, different currencies and languages, new foods, customs and ways of life — the learning happens naturally simply by being there. There’s no formal school program or worksheets; it’s about giving our kids the opportunity to experience the world they’re learning about.
We help with the logistics. From choosing your cabin and making your booking to group coordination, pre-cruise information and helping you prepare, we take care of the details we can so you can focus on actually being on the adventure with your family — rather than feeling like you need to organise and facilitate everything yourself.
We do this ourselves. We’re a worldschooling family travelling with our four kids, and after years of travelling together we’ve learnt a lot about navigating the world as a family. We understand the little things — and the bigger things — that can come up when travelling with kids. We’re there to help, answer questions and share what we’ve learnt along the way.
Most importantly, you’re still on holiday. There’s no expectation that every port needs to become a lesson or every day needs to be filled with activities. Explore together, make friends and enjoy having the time to experience it all as a family.
How much does Part 2 cost?
We quote per family rather than publishing a price.
Cruise fares move with three things:
The cabin category
How many of you are in it
How old your kids are
A family of three in an interior cabin and a family of six across two balconies are completely different numbers, so a headline price would be wrong for almost everyone.
Tell us who's coming and we'll come back with real pricing for Part 2 and for both parts, so you can compare.
This is a cruise only booking. Shore excursions aren't included in the price and we haven't booked any. They're optional, and each family can choose and book their own if they want to.
How do we book, and do we have to pay a deposit?
No money down to hold a cabin.
Book a conversation with us. We'll talk through your family and what you want out of it.
I come back with a quote built around your crew.
If it works, I put a 4 day hold on your cabin. No deposit, no card, nothing locked in.
To confirm, there's a deposit. Royal Caribbean sets it by cabin type, from around USD 100 per person and higher for suites and premium cabins. We'll give you the exact figure, in your currency, with your quote.
Royal Caribbean lets us hold because we're booking a long way ahead. The hold drops off on its own after 4 days and it can't be extended.
One thing worth knowing: we book each family individually first, then group everyone together once we have eight staterooms. That way you get the group benefits and still get the cabin that suits your family.
To get started, simply book a conversation here.
Dream big, the world is waiting.