From the start, I should make one thing clear. Since the first time I flew Singapore Airlines, I immediately became a fanboy. I loved everything about it from the service to the seats to the lounges in Singapore. I’ve flown business class on Singapore Airlines a few times but never in first class so I was really excited to have this chance to finally fly first class on their 777 from SFO to SIN.
The first class cabin on their 777 is a small four seat cabin in a 1-2-1 layout. The seats are staggered so that even though the seats aren’t fully enclosed suits, they feel enclosed and fully private. Service is outstanding as always and the food is amazing (regardless of whether you choose the Book the Cook option). But with their business class being so great, first doesn’t seem like much of a step up.
Boarding
Boarding was delayed by an hour but that didn’t seem to matter since our arrival was still scheduled to be on time. I had assigned myself seat 1F but if you’re traveling with someone, you’ll probably prefer the two seats in the aisle.
After getting settled, the main cabin attendant and he cabin manager came by to introduce themselves. Along with another cabin attendant, there seemed to always be at least 2 people available cater to the needs of the 3 of us in first. Everyone was absolutely lovely and were there to help in every way imaginable.
Cabin
The first class cabin is set up in a 1-2-1 setup and each seat is probably the largest seat I’ve ever sat in. It’s huge. To be honest, it’s sometimes a little difficult to get comfortable if you’re used to using armrests at home because the seats are so wide. First world problem I know.
There are two bathrooms in the front so basically there is no such thing as a wait to use the restroom. The bathrooms are stocked with everything you’d need from razors and toothbrushes so it’s basically everything you need in an amenity kit.
Seat
The seat is huge (and that’s saying something) especially when it’s easy to say that the seats in business class are huge as well. Aside from the seats, it’s actually pretty private even though there are no doors that close much like many suites today. In many ways, you could argue that the first class seats on the 777 offer little difference to the business class seats.
The seats also have lights as well as a vanity area if you’d like to freshen up during the flight. Below the vanity was a storage area where the headphones were kept and where you could store smaller items that you might need or want during the flight.
Dinner
Shortly after takeoff, they served dinner. Now unfortunately I had stuffed my face a few hours earlier in the Polaris Lounge (you can read my review HERE) so I wasn’t too hungry but hey, I do what I can for the blog. =)
I started with the tuna starter which was a nice, light starter. The greens on the plate were probably the closest thing to a salad I had eaten all day so I figured it was about time I had something healthy.
For the soup course, I had the cauliflower soup. It was fine but not necessarily something I would normally order so it was more meh than anything. Not saying it was bad by any means but cauliflower anything isn’t going to make my body tingle with anticipation…just saying.
For my main, I had preordered the lobster thermidor via the Book the Cook option and although I was given the choice to order off the regular menu, I decided to stay with what I had ordered. It’s probably their most popular dish when it comes to the Book the Cook option so I imagine Singapore Airlines has had a lot of time tweaking and getting the recipe right. I finished the lobster but I really wasn’t able to make a dent in the rest of the food. At this point, I was just struggling to stay awake so I was ready to call it a day and throw in the towel on the food front.
Bedding
After dinner, I asked that my bed be made and the crew happily obliged. I don’t really sleep on planes but since it was a long work day followed by a travel day, I was pretty beat at this point . The bed was quickly made and it was comfortable enough. Singapore has their beds designed in an odd way where the back of the seat folds down and the foot rest portion slides up. Although that’s nice for most people who enjoy a flat bed, I typically like to be in a lounge type position so I can move around when needed so I didn’t find the bed particularly comfortable. I’d forgotten I wasn’t a big fan of the bed from my previous business class trips but since the flight attendant had already made the bed, I felt stupid asking her to put it back.
All wasn’t lost since I did get a couple hours of sleep which is always a nice plus. After a couple hours rest, I was able to get back up and get some work done for a few hours.
Entertainment
The one thing you’ll absolutely know for sure when flying Singapore is that you won’t be bored. There are a seemingly endless number of options to choose from between movies, tv shows, games, etc. It’s incredible. I finally got to see the Avengers movie (even tough I have to admit it didn’t make much sense to me since I didn’t know all the characters or the storyline) but it seemed interesting.
Amenity Kit
One of the biggest gripes you’ll hear about Singapore Airlines is that business class passengers don’t’ get an amenity kit like every other airline. On one hand, I get it. You’re used to a certain level of expectation in a premium cabin and a lot of passengers like to collect amenity kits from their travels as keepsakes. Singapore’s stance has been that all the amenities needed for their flights are located in the bathroom so there’s no need to pass out a specific amenity kit when they can save that money and invest it in the onboard product.
To some extent, that’s true. You can get razors, toothbrushes, lotions, etc. in the bathrooms so there’s really no need to get a bag full of them. If there is anything else you need, you can always just ask the crew for one.
I can say that the amenities were a little odd. The Lalique PJs were soft and comfortable and I certainly enjoyed wearing them. Also, the Bang and Olufsen headphones are fantastic (although you don’t get to keep those…obviously).
The amenity kit was also Lalique branded and had lotion and lip balm (which is useful). But they also had a small bar of soap and scented candle which were both things I’ve never seen before. I guess it certainly makes it memorable but in an odd sort of way. Maybe it’s a guy thing but I’m not going to go crazy over a scented candle or a bar of soap.
Breakfast
Breakfast was served about 3 hours prior to landing. I could have asked for it later but by the time it was offered, I was pretty hungry so I decided to have breakfast early. I had ordered breakfast before asking for my bed to be made so I had actually forgotten what I’d ordered.
It started off easy enough with some fruit and yogurt but then came the dim sum (that I’d forgotten about). That was probably the best part to be honest. It was really good and although it isn’t something I’d normally order for breakfast, it was certainly a pleasant change of pace.
Second Leg
So the flight from SFO to SIN actually has a stop in Hong Kong. Usually I like to leave myself a buffer of a few hours so I can go into the city and have some breakfast but decided against it. This meant I only had enough time to transit through and go back to the terminal. In actuality I did have about 15 to 20 mins to goof off in the lounge if I wanted but I really only wanted to shower and the bathrooms were closed so I just decided against it and left.
There is a separate first class section to the SilverKris lounge that is behind a sliding door that I would have otherwise thought was a wall. there is food and booze there but I just left and went to my gate. The flight from HKG to SIN is about 3 hours but the nonstop flight from SFO to SIN doesn’t have a first class cabin so if you want to fly in first, you’ll have to make a stop.
Final Thoughts
The flight was fantastic. From the attentive cabin crew to the food and entertainment, it was great. That said, I don’t know how much of an improvement it is from business class since the service and the seats are so great in business class. I understand the difference if you’re flying from Singapore to your destination since you’d have access to the Private Room at Changi airport. Also, if you’re flying in suites class, it would be a huge difference as well. But as far as first class on the 777, I don’t think it’s really worth it. You get all the amenities except the amenity kit (and possibly the PJs) so there really isn’t much of a difference. However, I am glad I was able to fly first class on Singapore Airlines on the 777.