Super Star Virgo

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Nic

I think it may have been 2 pushed together, but the way they made them up you couldn't tell. and besides something about being at sea, and the salt air -you'll sleep like a baby!!

 

Enjoy your cruise, we know you will.

Jane

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Belvidere

Deck 10 007 is right you cant tell with the crowds for boarding. We got there about 12 and seemed to be an endless queue, however in reality only took about 45 minutes - probably just seemed longer at the time because we were so excited/anxious to get on board.

 

The Mediteranean Buffet was open for lunch/afternoon tea when we got on board and the Taverna up on top deck was a great place to sit and have a beer looking out over Singapore while departing.

 

Jane

[Belvidere]

Thank you everyone. This is great. I hope you dont mind a few more questions. I believe that you can check- in in the city. Has anyone tried this? If you have does it make boarding easier and quicker or shouldn't we bother. We are in Singapore for 5 nights prior to the cruise so we will have the time.

 

When the ship is in port say Phuket or Penang, are there still activities going on on the boat while passengers are on shore excursions. Perhaps you can tell me what the approximate cost of the Fantasea in Phuket shore excursion is, just so that I can budget for it ahead of time. Just while I am on that subject, when I looked up the Fantasea website, it shows that it is a night time show and we will only be there until 5 or 6pm. Does anyone know if they have day time shows as well as I have read earlier that this show is highly recommended.

 

Just one more question please. Do they have a Captain's Dinner and if so which night is this usually on on a 5 night cruise. Do you need to book in somewhere, is it better to dine early or late, is there a special show on that night.

 

Many thanks again,

 

Belv

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Belvidere

In answer to your question - yes you can check in in the city - we didnt so cant comment on that, but hopefully someone else has and will respond.

 

Each afternoon a Star Navigator gets delivered to your cabin which lists all the activities, shows, and eating options for the following day. It is a jam packed diary of 'things to do' while on board and others are off on excursions - your only difficulty will be choosing which ones !!! :)

 

Yes, there will be a Captain's Dinner, from memory it was the Tuesday night and you do need to book a restaurant for that evening, but there are special counters set up to book. On that evening some of the 'extra charge' restaurants also put on special menus and are 'free to eat' for Balcony Class passengers and others, upon availability. You receive the Gala Dinner reservation form on board. Cocktails are served prior to Gala Dinner ~ 6pm for early diners and 8.30pm for late diners. They also alter the times of the live shows to fit around dinner times.

 

Didnt do the Fantasea in Phuket - did James Bond Island etc which was fantastic. I remember thinking at the time all the shore excursions were great value for money and extremely organised.

 

Hope that helps and some of the others may fill in the gaps.

Jane

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Princess Nic......first of all, let me apologise for the rude answer you have received from one of the "experts". Don't let one rude person stop you from posting on here.

As Jane said, it might have been 2 single bases pushed together but the mattress on top was a double and very comfortable. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Belvidere.......welcome to the boards. The night time Fantasea excursion was priced at S$100/adult and S$85/child, incl. a buffet dinner. The buffet will be open for lunch after boarding, but be prepared for big crowds. Seems everyone wants to have lunch onboard:eek: . Happy sailing!

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[Jamin]

Hi all,:D

Fantasea is only available when a special night stopover is scheduled ( on some of the 07 itineraries ) - we unfortunately didn't see it.

Beds in Balcony rooms are 2 singles together but not noticeable.

Lunch is available on boarding SSV.

The embarkation on SSV is excellent anytime so don't stress.;)

Hope this helps - will update from our recent cruise asap as busy catching up on work.:(

Regards

Simon

 

PS we have already booked Jr Suite - SSV - SOM - Sept 07. ( x2 ) :)

[oatz]

Hi Princess Nic

 

I think the cabins generally have two single beds but you can put in a request for them to be joined together and made as a double.

 

Hi Belvidere

 

We used the city check-in when we cruised in June and it saves a bit of time as you are issued with your cabin cards at the city check-in and don't have to line up for them at the cruise centre. We had lunch in the Bella Vista after we boarded and it was surprisingly quiet, not many people at all.

 

cheers

Nick

 

Here are the details of the city check-in:

 

For Sunday Cruise

City Check in will be on Friday and Saturday - From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

(There will be no City Check-In on Sunday and Public Holidays)

 

Address for our City Check-In:

No. 9 Penang Road

#11-08 Park Mall

Singapore 238459

City Check-In Hotline (Singapore): (65) 6832 9847

 

For the City Check-In, passengers are required to bring along their booking confirmation slip together with the passports and all relevant travel documents of all persons cruising. Due to security reasons, baggage will not be accepted during City Check-In, and can only be checked-in on the departure day at Level 1 (next to Lobby C entrance) and additional Baggage

Counters On Level 2.

The information above is subject to change without prior notice.

For further queries pertaining to City Check-In, please call the Hotline number provided above.

[Belvidere]

:) Thank you so much everyone for the information.

 

Can I ask one more question please, I hope it is not too trivial? Is there a do it yourself Laundry on board SSV. We will be staying in Singapore for 5 nights pre cruise and in Hong Kong for 5 nights after, hence the need to do the laundry. :eek: I have looked on the Starcruises website but cant seem to find out.

 

With all the information that I have gained over the last few days from everyone, I am looking forward to our trip even more so.

 

Many thanks

Belv

[deck 9 001]

Hi Belv, unfortunately, there is no self service laundry onboard Virgo.

Usually they run a "special" where you can fill one of their laundry bags for a set price.

It's best to pack a lot of rinse and hang up and dry clothing. Makes life easier.

I usually go to the concierge at whatever hotel I am staying at and ask where the nearest self launderette is. It does help pre and post cruise.

 

Best,

Mike

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Mike

Looking at booking Virgo again for next year (did SOM in May), but interested in the Vietnam trip of 3 June - have you done this itinerary? Is there anything you can tell us about it - interested as more time at sea - wanted to enjoy the Virgo and all it offers, plus never been to Vietnam or Redang Island.

 

Noticed it only does one of these per year - does it coincide with anything?

Would appreciate anything you can share with us - thanks Mike

Jane

[deck 9 001]

Jane hi,

 

I did do this itin, but not aboard Virgo. It was another ship.

I do recommend this cruise. Yes, you will have more leisure time aboard Virgo, which is great, and the stop in Vietnam is well worth it. I would say, go for it and book it. Redang is also lovely.

 

There is no specdial public holiday in Vietnam during June. Click this link to see the major public holidays in Vietnam during the year.

http://www.qppstudio.net/bankholidays2005/vietnam.htm

 

Best,

Mike

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Mike

Thanks for getting back to us. Have booked and are just awaiting confirmation - a balcony on 10 this time. Hooked on the Virgo and hoping that knowing a little from last time, we will get more out of this cruise.

 

Just cuious that it only does 1 trip to Vietnam so unfortunately have to wait until next June :(

 

Jane

[deck 9 001]

Hi Jane,

 

Congrats on booking another aboard Virgo.

Indeed, now that you know Virgo, you can visit the venues you did not have time for on your last cruise, and go back to the bars/lounges that you enjoyed before.

 

Sometimes Star Cruises uses a "special itinerary" to test the market and bookings for this type of cruise. If it proves popular, it could very well turn out to be more than just once a year.

 

I love the balcony cabins on Deck 10. Sandwiched between two decks of balcony cabins, it is quiet, the same great view, and no worries about overhead noise.

 

Enjoy!

 

Best,

Mike

[w33lp]

Hi! I've read your review. Sorry if I sounded rude, but I need to correct this. Star Cruises does not belong to Norwegian Cruise Line. In fact, Star Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and a few other brands belong to Star Cruises Limited which is a member of Genting Group (Malaysia).

More information here:

http://www.genting.com/business/cruises.htm :p

 

Suggest you read, if you have not already done so, my review on the Virgo http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=6832

I loved her - but we were spoilt and were in the best suites. She is a fantastic ship, always spotlessly clean, and we would love to go on her again.

[w33lp]

Hi! I'm a new member here, and am nosing around reading the extensive informations provided here. And I'm also booked for SSV on 1st Oct! This will be my 1st cruise and I am very excited!!!

I would suggest you do city check-in on Friday (29 Sep) or Saturday (30 Sep) as it'll speed up your check-in on actual day. I myself will be doing the city check-in on Friday evening. If you are traveling with other people, you can just collect their passports from them and do the city check-in on their behalf.

On the day itself, just go early like, say 12.30pm or 1pm and join the queue. My colleague said that the queue is long, but it's fast. And you'll have plenty of time to unpack and go for your lunch after that. :)

Hi, I am new to these boards but have been reading everyone's postings intently and I hope you can help me with a couple of queries.

 

We are booked to go on the SSV on Sunday October 1st, can anyone tell me the best time to board please. Our documentation says 11.30 is it better to arrive around 11.00am or wait for a bit for the crowds to go through first. Is it better to have lunch before we board or will we be able to have lunch on board. We are booked in for an ordinary outside window cabin, no balcony unfortunately.

 

Should I worry about sea sickness, from what I have read so far, it seems that the boat is in very calm waters, is this right.

 

We are looking forward to the trip very much.

 

Thank you all in advance.

[w33lp]

Thank you everyone. This is great. I hope you dont mind a few more questions. I believe that you can check- in in the city. Has anyone tried this? If you have does it make boarding easier and quicker or shouldn't we bother. We are in Singapore for 5 nights prior to the cruise so we will have the time.

 

When the ship is in port say Phuket or Penang, are there still activities going on on the boat while passengers are on shore excursions. Perhaps you can tell me what the approximate cost of the Fantasea in Phuket shore excursion is, just so that I can budget for it ahead of time. Just while I am on that subject, when I looked up the Fantasea website, it shows that it is a night time show and we will only be there until 5 or 6pm. Does anyone know if they have day time shows as well as I have read earlier that this show is highly recommended.

 

Just one more question please. Do they have a Captain's Dinner and if so which night is this usually on on a 5 night cruise. Do you need to book in somewhere, is it better to dine early or late, is there a special show on that night.

 

Many thanks again,

 

Belv

Hi! I typed a long reply for you just now but my browser went bonkers and it wasn't submitted... ^$*%$%$&^

 

So here it goes again. And in point form below:

1. City check-in for this particular cruise date is Friday (29 Sep) and Saturday (30 Sep). You can do check-in for your travelling partner(s) by bringing their passports along. (I am doing check-in for myself and my partner on Friday evening.)

 

2. City check-in is done at Star Cruise office at Park Mall. It is near Dhoby Ghaut MRT, Orchard Road. http://singapore.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel.php?travel_id=6610&travel_site=22584

 

3. I have the pricelist for Penang and Phuket shore excursions. Send me an e-mail if you want me to send to you.

 

4. For Penang, I would suggest you go Free&Easy, i.e. explore on your own. Places of interest include Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang Hill, Batu Feringghi etc. For shopping, KOMTAR is the best place. http://www.tourismpenang.gov.my/section.cfm?id=39

 

5. As for Phuket, I would suggest you take up one of the shore excursions unless you only planned to take a leisure walk at Phuket Town or something.

 

Some activities that Phuket is famous for includes: snorkeling (S$75 per pax), sea canoe (S$140 per pax), elephant riding adventure (S$70 per pax). It is much more convenient to join the SSV shore excursion than to get your own local travel agency when you go onshore (though cheaper) because you have to consider the disembarkation time, the shore transfer and others.

 

6. Shore excursions are to be booked when you go onboard. They have a special counter for it. Do book early to avoid disappointment.

 

7. Captain's Dinner (they called it 'Gala Dinner') is on Tuesday, 3rd Oct for this cruise date. Dress code is formal. You have to book early, i.e. when you go onboard as it has limited places.

 

Hope the information helps. E-mail me at w33lp@yahoo.com if you need the pricelist. Hope you enjoy your cruise!!!

[w33lp]

I think I'm very rude, to forget to introduce myself. Kinda like barged into the thread...

I'm Elyse and I'm a Malaysian working in Singapore. *waves*

And I'm going on SSV on 1st October, which is the next Sunday! :D

[w33lp]

I think I'm very rude, to forget to introduce myself. Kinda like barged into the thread...

I'm Elyse and I'm a Malaysian working in Singapore. *waves*

And I'm going on SSV on 1st October, which is the next Sunday! :D

[BusNoY]

Hi everyone..I'm a newbie here. Would like to ask if you have any idea regarding the 2 for 1 SSV Anniversary Cruise for this coming November 1... (Malacca/KL 2-night cruise). So far the promo is only for cabins DB (Inside Stateroom) to CA (Ocean View Stateroom).

 

The ads in the news said they have the Mardi Gras theme but they didn't place too much details on the page.

Anywayz, I've been reading all your posts since yesterday and I have learned so much from you guys. WOw! All of you guys are so great!

 

Tomorrow I will be booking for November schedule (my first cruise so far...) just in time for the SSV Anniversary and that makes me want to ask you if there is also gala dinner/captain's night for just the 2-night cruise? If yes, when is the usual schedule if the ship sails on a Wednesday...?Another crazy question I've got is: Is there a time schedule for swimming at the pool? I mean, until what time can we have night swimming? :o

 

Since we're not on a balcony stateroom, what are the 'only' inclusions in our accomodation/fare?

 

Is there a charge for watching at The Picture House? What can we expect to see at The Picture House and is there a schedule also?

Sorry for asking a lot...I'm so excited and all your answers would makes sense to me (and help me a lot!) . LOL. Thanks a bunch... :)

[Belvidere]

Hi all,

 

Thanks again for all of your replies to my questions. I will take all your advice. Re booking in for the Gala Night when we get on board. Are there any of the pre paid restaurants that are better than others for this night ie. do any of the restaurants do anything special. When we were on the Pacific Sun last year, the waiters all paraded out with cakes all lit with special candles and flags etc, it was great to see. Do you think it is better to dine early or late. Trivial things I know but would hate to miss out on anything.:)

 

Counting down the sleeps now.

 

Cheers

Belv

[cheeky_minx]

Dear Belv

All of the restaurants on board are absolutely fantastic - all serving different cuisine. For Gala Dinner night they all have special menus and gives you a chance to try one of the normally 'extra charge' restaurants eg the Noble House or the Japanese Restaurant, which were included on our Gala Dinner night.

 

All the menus for that night are special and at pre dinner cocktails you can meet the Captain and senior officers. It was wonderful to see everyone dressed up, making a little extra effort. They also take photos throughout the night.

 

Early or late sittings are the same, however if you do a shore excursion on that day - the late sitting would give you a bit more time to freshen up.

 

The whole cruise we preferred dining late (we figured there would be less kids, doesnt that sound awful), but from dinner we went straight to Bellini (champagne lounge) for the live music, then a stroll around the deck to finish the night off.

 

Wish I was counting the sleeps - you will have a fabulous time.

Jane

[w33lp]

Hi! I booked my cruise under the 2 for 1 promo as well. It's for the whole of Oct and Nov. But the Mardi Gras thingy I'm not so sure.

And yes, the 2 for 1 promo is only for those few classes of cabin.

The inclusions in your fare are meals at Bella Vista, Pavillion and Mediterranean Buffet. And you don't get a S$100 dining credit like those from Balcony Class. My friends told me that the free meals from those 3 restaurants are more than enough choices for you already.

As for the rest, I am not sure. But I can let you know when I come back from my cruise on 4th Oct. Keke :D

Hi everyone..I'm a newbie here. Would like to ask if you have any idea regarding the 2 for 1 SSV Anniversary Cruise for this coming November 1... (Malacca/KL 2-night cruise). So far the promo is only for cabins DB (Inside Stateroom) to CA (Ocean View Stateroom).

 

The ads in the news said they have the Mardi Gras theme but they didn't place too much details on the page.

Anywayz, I've been reading all your posts since yesterday and I have learned so much from you guys. WOw! All of you guys are so great!

 

Tomorrow I will be booking for November schedule (my first cruise so far...) just in time for the SSV Anniversary and that makes me want to ask you if there is also gala dinner/captain's night for just the 2-night cruise? If yes, when is the usual schedule if the ship sails on a Wednesday...?Another crazy question I've got is: Is there a time schedule for swimming at the pool? I mean, until what time can we have night swimming? :o

 

Since we're not on a balcony stateroom, what are the 'only' inclusions in our accomodation/fare?

 

Is there a charge for watching at The Picture House? What can we expect to see at The Picture House and is there a schedule also?

Sorry for asking a lot...I'm so excited and all your answers would makes sense to me (and help me a lot!) . LOL. Thanks a bunch... :)

[gidget79]

Hi all

 

I stumbled upon this site while surfing the net looking for info on the Virgo. After spending a good couple of hrs reading all the previous posts...I've finally finished reading and decided to sign up and post myself :)

 

We are going on the 5nght "Trio of Islands" cruise for our honeymoon on Apr 22 '07. I was a bit anxious at first as it is my first trip overseas and also my first cruise however reading your posts has helped ease my nerves immensely. It's all very positive!

 

I'm from Western Australia and wondering if anyone else is travelling on the same cruise. Also would love to know if theres anything we arnt allowed to take on board (I know we arnt allowed hair straighteners :eek: which I'm going to sadly miss, haha). We are staying in Singapore for 1 nt prior to cruise and not sure whether or not we would be restricted in regards to buying stuff and taking it on the Virgo. I read something somewhere about DVD's being an issue and duty-free alcohol etc.

 

Anyway...looking forward to chatting more with you all in the leadup to our cruise. Thanks in advance!

 

Deb

[BusNoY]

Thanks Elyse...So are u all set for your cruise this October? I know you're pretty much excited about it... :) Oh do tell us your experiences.

Are you for the 3 day Penang / Phuket Cruise? Take Care!:D

[BusNoY]

Hi DeB! DVDs are actually okay as long as it's not pirated.... :)