Super Star Virgo

[deck 9 001]

Hi Murray,

 

As Veronica suggested, it is wise to take a small amount of the local currency with you although the SIN $ is widely accepted.

 

What I always do is go to Reception and ask their advice on the particular ports the ship calls at. If you then decide to take local currency, you can exchange the currency right there at Reception. Or, there will most likely be an ATM onshore.

 

But, it doesn't hurt to ask at Reception first.

 

Regards, and happy sailing,

 

Mike

[boeckli]

Not sure where your individual itineraries go but I seem to remember that they did not change any money into Malaysian currency onboard on our first 2 cruises. Suggest you maybe change some in Singapore B4 departure. One further tip - avoid using credit cards in any Malaysian ports. I have heard of bad experiences from several people and after one visit to Langkawi we had the bank's fraud department issue us another card as they said our details had been compromised (even though we did not have any false charges on the card). Had only made 3 purchases ...

I'm not sure what the situation is with ATM's . You can also change money once in port if necessary.

[murraylee]

Dear Mike & Boeckli

 

Thanks ever so much for that very useful information

and that important tip about c/cards (Im always wary of that abroad):(

 

I might just change up a few £'s into each currency before we go to even save some time cos those ATM rates are a rip off too! :mad:

 

My friends call me an "anorak" for using this site but I think its so INVALUABLE !! ;)

 

I also met some great people on here before we went on our last cruise (Royal Caribbean - Vancouver to Hawaii -- strongly reccomend it) and we met up on board, had a great time with them and have stayed in touch ever since:)

 

Now Im hoping to find some felow Star cruisers on here fro April 6th but none have appeared yet !

 

Thanks again guys.....

 

Murray:)

[J33JWA]

Hi Veronica,

 

I read your cruise Days 1 to 6 journal posted on the ''To All UK passengers'' thread in cruise critic 'floataway lounge' and it brings back many memories of the one we did last year. So glad the ladies on that thread also enjoyed it.

 

May I request that you please 'cut and paste' the whole cruise journal on to this 'Virgo thread', so that everyone (the rest of the International cruisers) who visit this post, will be able to enjoy it and decide which excursions to take. Did you do the elephant ride in Siam?

 

Surely the Star Cruise guest relations will offer you a complimentary cruise in the Far East after reading your journal.

 

Over to you Mike to 'twist some arms'!;) as you have some contact with the SS top management.:D

 

Hi Mike ~ We will certainly look into taking a cruise from Taiwan in the near future when we plan to visit Taiwan, Japan and Korea. Let's hope the SS group will continue their cruises in that part of the world.

As mentioned earlier, we will be in SE Asia for a couple of weeks from 17/2 and will visit Shanghai and Hong Kong with friends later in May too.

 

Cheers.......Life is to cruise.....so cruise to live!:p

James:)

[Lisa-UK]

Hi all

 

James - I just read Veronica's report as you had mentioned it above - so I nipped over to that forum for a read up. I agree also that Veronica should post it here too as it is very informative.:D

 

After reading through, I thought I would pop back here as I have thought of yet more questions!!! Sorry guys :rolleyes:

 

Veronica - did you book the sea canoeing whilst on board or did you do this via their website?

 

now just a few general ones:

 

Casino on board - this may be a silly one, but is this strictly out of bounds to children (under 21)? I would think it was but just wanted to check.

 

Tipping: I see from the Star website that there is a no tipping policy? Is this really the case on board (not that I am complaining). Just thought it would be nice to leave the cabin steward a token of appreciation?

 

thanks in advance - hope you are all having a good day.

Lisa

[VeronicaS]

Hi there James and Lisa.......glad you enjoyed the trip report and I'm quite happy to post the "cruise" section on here, just have the last day to write then I'll copy and paste them over to here.

 

James enjoy your upcoming trip. Like us you obviously have a soft spot for the Far East. No we didn't do the elephant trek as we've done that before.

 

Lisa, we booked the sea canoe trip when we were on board....you can't book it on line. At S$140 it's one of the most expensive trips but well worth it and your son would love it. Yes, there is a no tipping policy on board but we did give our cabin steward a token of our appreciation....he really deserved it. I'm pretty sure your son wouldn't be allowed in the Casino.... Mike may be able to help with this one.

[deck 9 001]

Hi James, it would be great if you do get the chance to come to Taiwan. There are many beautiful sights to see here. And maybe you could even squeeze in a cruise aboard SuperStar Libra. In the meantime, have an enjoyable Asian holiday.

 

Hi Veronica, by all means please do copy and paste your report here on this thread. I am sure that the readers here will get valuable info and also get to see your impressions of the cruise. I am looking forward to reading it.

 

Lisa hi, although Veronica answered the tipping question, this is Star Cruises official stance:

 

Tipping

Your smile is the most valuable return you can give our friendly crew. We have a ‘No Tipping’ policy onboard.

 

With the exceptional, warm and sincere service given by all the crew, I always say thanks with a gratuity. Although not expected, it is most definitely appreciated by the hard working staff.

 

As far as the casino is concerned, security staff are quite firm in not allowing underage people into the casino. I have seen them turn away teenagers and parents with small children. There are many other venues available for the younger people. Now, having said this, I have also seen some teens get into the casino because they look more mature than their actual age. Also, they were dressed "appropriately, if you catch my drift.";)

 

Happy cruising to everyone.

 

Regards,

Mike

[deck 9 001]

Hi all,

 

Just a "heads up" that Virgo's first sailing after coming out of dry-dock will be on Valentine's Day 14 Feb.

 

Regards,

Mike

 

P.S. I see my last post has appeared inspite of being told "your session has timed out." Still some problems with the boards obviously.

[deck 9 001]

Dear Everyone,

 

Wishing you a very

Happy

,

Healthy

and

Prosperous

Lunar New Year

May the Year of the pig bring peace and joy

 

Mike

[Lisa-UK]

Happy Lunar New Year to you all too :D

 

Love the piccie Mike.

 

Have a nice weekend all.

 

still cold here in blighty - but Spring is on it's way!!!! :D :D

[nicobe]

Hi Rose Suzy here Glad to hear you had a good cruise. My husband and I will be going on 1st April on the Virgo to celebrate out 40th Wedding Anniversary. This will be the first part of a 5 week holiday and I would like your opinion on things to wear. Does my husband have to bring a Dinner jacket for the captains evening or can we decide not to attend that evening as it means carrying it for the rest of our trip. Does he have to wear a jacket for all the other evenings. Any dress code for women.

Hope tto hear from you soon and hope we have as good a time as you had.

Regards Suzy

hi justine, rose here. just thought I would let you know that we are back from our holiday and boy are you going to love your cruise on virgo!! I have never seen anything like it, it was just fantastic, i only wish we had stayed on longer, about 2 weeks would of done me and we only did the 5 night cruise as that was the longest i could get when i booked.Kids club is good and stays open till 1.00 am ( if you need it), but they do charge on an hourly basis, they had a special on when we were there $4.00/hr/per child, so it can add up but its always nice to have a break from the kids( well it was for us!!)

Look out for Harold and Herol (entertainment crew) who were just fantastic with the kids and gorgeous people. If you are interested in seeing some of our pics of the ship let me know and i will email them to you, or if you have any questions re the cruise and ports of call etc. Have a great time, I am already saving up for another trip on virgo thats how fantastic it was, regards from Rose

[revkar]

My family and I are off on the Virgo in late July. We intend doing our own thing when we get there. At the port there are many hire cars available. My husband and I visited langkawi last July and it only cost about $20AUD for a car for the whole day. Fuel is quite cheap too. - you can drive around the island at your own pace, cheaper than return taxi fare to the cable car. We taking the kids this time so we will need an MPV!

[VeronicaS]

Lisa, James and Mike........sorry for the delay in not posting my Virgo journal, have had a lot of trouble getting on here lately. It's quite long so hope it's not too boring....just skip the bits that don't interest you!!! :D

 

Our trip was 1 night pre-cruise in singapore, 5 nights on Virgo followed by 4 nights back in Singapore......I will just post the cruise section here. I was travelling with my 32 yr old daughter Rachael. Our previous cruises have been Caribbean or Panama Canal cruises with RCI out of Florida.

 

 

Day 3……Superstar Virgo

Breakfast was included in our room rate and having read rave reviews for The Oriental breakfast we were looking forward to it. We were not to be disappointed……every type of breakfast fare imaginable was available with both Western and Asian choices in abundance at the various food stations, all beautifully presented from the freshly squeezed juices to the exquisite pastries and delicacies from the patisserie.

 

We checked out of the hotel at 11am and took a taxi to the Harbour Front cruise terminal. Our first glimpse of the ship was as we got out of the taxi and she looked very impressive. I would say a similar size maybe a fraction smaller than Brilliance of the Seas with the capacity for just under 2000 guests. We knew that as we had booked a suite we would have priority check-in and this was clearly signed and we checked our luggage and were then escorted to a desk for the usual formalities which took no more than a few minutes before being escorted to our cabin by Bibi from Guest Relations. My first impressions as we passed through the Grand Piazza lobby area were a mixture of opulence, glitz and a touch of garishness with the rich colours, stained glass and the 3 huge gilded prancing horses dominating the sweeping double staircase of the atrium which spans 7 decks with glass elevators.

 

Our cabin on deck 10 was the Nicobar Suite……..all suites have a name with each being decorated in a different style. Well, to be truthful, I’m not quite sure what style ours was but it was definitely very over-the-top decadence with richly coloured wood, fabrics and mirrors at every turn including a mirrored ceiling above the bed !!! The suite was spacious with a sitting-room with a sofa and 2 armchairs plus a dining table and 4 chairs and a sliding door onto the balcony. The separate bedroom ……with its mirrored ceiling and elaborate glass headboard !!!.....had a king-size bed and large wardrobe with the bathroom leading off it. Rachael had the sofa bed in the sitting room made up for her every night while I had the ornately decorated boudoir !!!!! The real gem of this suite was the bathroom which had a definite wow factor…..spacious with a double vanity unit, separate toilet, large shower cubicle and a corner jacuzzi bath. The bath and shower cubicle had floor to ceiling and wall to wall glass (one way viewing only !!! )…….. bathing and showering at home will never be the same after those magnificent ocean views!! There was a bottle of wine and a bowl of fruit waiting for us and the fruit plus 6 bottles of water and a few different delicacies such as chocolate covered strawberries or a cheese platter were delivered to our cabin each day. Bernard, our cabin steward, dropped by to introduce himself and to assure us he was available 24 hrs should we have any problems.

 

Bibi gave us time to check out the cabin before returning to take us to the Grand Piazza for a welcome aboard glass of champagne and to check out where we would like to have lunch. Dining aboard is freestyle with 9 restaurants……..and we only have 5 days !!!.......some of which are included in the price and some are alternative with a charge. Bella Vista (the main dining room),The Pavilion Room (Chinese) and the Mediterranean Buffet Chinese and Western) are included in the cruise fare while The Samurai (Japanese), the Palazzo (Italian), the Taj (Indian) The Taverna (poolside dining), the Blue lagoon (24 hour Asian ) and Café Gelato ice cream parlour are chargeable. However all balcony and suite cabins have an on board dining and drinks credit of £150 which helps considerably with the alternative restaurants. We had met 2 Australian couples at check-in and after chatting for a while they invited us to join them for lunch at Bella Vista so Bibi made a booking for a table of 6 and we enjoyed a nice lunch before setting off to explore the ship.

 

Even at the end of Day 5 we were still struggling to find our way around the ship and I don’t really know why as we‘ve never had a problem before. After a while we realized that the carpet starboard was red and aft was blue which helped a bit .We did a quick tour round and were surprised at the facilities, number of bars and activities available. I think we were expecting less than on Brilliance but that was not the case…..in fact on looking through one of the daily Navigators there seemed to be a lot more activities than on RCI. Our tour was interrupted by the call for the usual muster drill and then it was back to the cabin to unpack and enjoy sailaway from our balcony. A phone call from Guest Relations to check that everything was OK and if we would like dinner reservations made for us was quickly followed by a call from Bibi asking if we would be available to dine with the Captain on Gala (formal) night !!!!! Well it would be rude to refuse wouldn’t it so we were assured that a formal invitation from the captain would be delivered to the cabin ...Wow, I could get used to this standard of service and life-style, beginning to feel like royalty !! Throughout the 5 days someone always seemed to be eager to be at our beck and call and we had at least a couple of phone calls each day to check whether there was anything required such as reservations, shore excursions, wake up calls, breakfast in the cabin etc. Even when we went to Guest Relations to change some currency before Malaysia we were approached before we even got to the queue at the desk and were invited to sit and wait while she got our currency for us !!! The suite perks on board definitely outweighed the Concierge perk on Brilliance……..no free drinks other than a couple of cocktail parties but the onboard credit, priority and escorted embarkation, disembarkation and tendering plus complimentary pressing, cabin goodies, free use of the spa and a general feeling of being totally pampered with service above and beyond made for a great cruise experience.

 

We decided not to make reservations for any particular restaurant this evening but to just go with the flow……..well, we flowed a bit longer than we intended and spent an enjoyable couple of hours at Bellinis Champagne bar overlooking the Grand Piazza and enjoying the live music and singing by a very talented quartet. By the time we decided to eat, about 9:30, we discovered that all the main restaurants were just closing so we settled for the 24 hr Blue Lagoon….started off with a table out on deck but it was very windy so moved inside. By the time we had eaten I was definitely flagging…..by that time I had been awake for about 36hrs !!!......so headed back to the cabin and, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.

[VeronicaS]

Day 4…….Penang, Malaysia

 

My wish for a good night’s sleep came true and I must have been asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow……what a relief !!! Guest Relations rang to see if there was anything needed…….I’m definitely missing this now I’m home!!!...... arranged for a couple of Rachael’s dresses to be collected for pressing and we asked her to reserve a table for us this evening at the Italian restaurant Palazzo and to book our shore excursion for tomorrow.

 

As we were not due to arrive in Penang until midday we had the whole morning to enjoy the ship. Our first stop was the Mediterranean Buffet for breakfast and this was the one place on board that did not impress ……..a busy, busy cafeteria style buffet serving Asian or Western style food. I’ve never liked queuing and missed the island style set-up that we are used to with RCI. We decided to forego a cooked breakfast and just collected juice , coffee, bread and pastries set up just inside the entrance with no lines. We then headed for the seating area on deck to enjoy our breakfast and found it almost deserted.

 

After breakfast we hung around the pool area for a while………what a delight to find no chair hogs and loungers galore and this was the case for the whole cruise. Very few people were on deck but the 4 hot tubs at each corner of the pool were popular. We enjoyed some relaxing time here people watching and deduced that the vast majority of passengers were either Singaporean, Chinese, Indian or Malay with a sprinkling of Australians and just a handful of Brits….in fact I only heard a couple of English accents and discovered that they lived in Dubai. As we neared Penang we went up to the Taverna overlooking the pool for a drink and a view of our approach into the port

 

We had booked a 5 hr city tour including lunch and as we had priority tendering had arranged to meet Bibi at the Grand Piazza at 11:45 just before we dropped anchor. A few others with priority tendering joined us and Bibi escorted us down to the first tender. On arriving at the dockside we were quickly directed to our tour bus where we met our guide, Joanna. The air conditioning on the bus was a welcome relief as it was now hot, hot, hot…..overcast early but now the sun was out with a vengeance. The bus soon filled and we were all set. Apart from an Australian couple the rest of the group were of various Asian nationalities so we were quite relieved to discover that the tour was actually conducted in English…….puts me to shame that all these nationalities can speak English so fluently. Our tour was basically centred around Georgetown….. the capital named after King George III, a juxtaposition of modern glass and concrete blending harmoniously with the tiles and teak and colonial style buildings of years gone by. Georgetown is very much a Chinese town and thriving port.

 

Joanne’s command of English was excellent as was her knowledge of her city. Our first stop was at the Khoo Kongsi, a clan temple with Khoo being the name of the clan and Kongsi being the guild set up by the immigrant Chinese groups.The lavishly ornate building features a magnificent hall embellished with intricate carvings and richly ornamented beams and the forecourt was used as a location for the film Anna and the King. Following our visit here we stopped for a delicious buffet style lunch at a modern hotel in the city before boarding trishaws for a hair-raising ride through Campbell Street, an old part of Georgetown lined with traditional “shop houses” selling anything from jewels to textiles………can’t say I saw much of the shop houses as I had my eyes shut most of the time as our “80yr old if he was a day” driver laboriously pedalled the two of us through the city traffic that just seemed to be coming at us from all angles !!!! However we survived and alighted at Fort Cornwallis at the colonial style City Hall. This was followed by a drive past the most magnificent colonial style buildings including the very grand Eastern and Oriental Hotel. From here we had a brief stop at a chocolate shop …with lots of free samples to taste !!......before heading to Clan Piers, a Chinese water village built on stilts jutting out into the sea. The waterfront is lined with small fishing communities, each village inhabited by a different clan e.g. Lim’s Pier or Chew’s Pier. After a stroll around here we were back on the bus for our final stop of the day at Wat Chayamangkalaram, a temple housing the world’s 3rd largest reclining Buddha, 33metres long draped in gold leafed saffron. I have to admit that I was more impressed with the one that we saw a few years ago in Bangkok. Back at the dock and quickly on the tender speeding back to the ship we were looking forward to long cold drink after a tiring , very hot but most enjoyable day to a city that was new to both of us.

 

We had plenty of time before sailaway as we weren’t scheduled to leave Penang until 8pm so a refreshing shower for Rachael and a soak in the Jacuzzi for me was on our timetable…..as I lay in the bath gazing out over Penang and many ships in dock I just prayed those full length windows really were one way viewing !!!! Our table at Palazzo was reserved for 8:30 so we had plenty of time for our favourite tipple at our favourite bar Bellinis enjoying the live music and our favourite past-time of people watching. Palazzo was a very elaborately decorated restaurant with seating for 32, the food and attentive service was fantastic. Unlike RCI, this alternative restaurant did not have a cover charge for the entire meal but was an a la carte menu with each item on the menu being individually priced. Towards the end of our meal our Australian friends that we had met up with a few times arrived…..but just for dessert…..they had a booked a roaming dinner whereby you pay a set fee and have each course in a different restaurant, they had just had their main course at the Japanese restaurant and I think their appetizers were at Noble House, the Chinese restaurant….it sounded like a fun way to dine. After dinner we decided to see the theatre show at the Lido, Beyond Broadway…. a tribute to the great musicals put on by the crew….it was amazing and I must say it knocked spots off anything I’ve seen on RCI. Unfortunately it was the only evening we got to the theatre….you know too much to do, too little time !!....but I understand there were some spectacular shows with dancers, acrobats and gymnasts from South America and Asia.

 

My bed was calling and we knew that tomorrow was going to be a long day so it was back to the cabin to be greeted with chocolate covered strawberries and our formal dinner invitation from the Captain, cocktails at 6:15 and dinner at 6:45........it’s hard life but someone has to do it !!! With our alarms set and a call for room service continental breakfast it was off to bed.

[VeronicaS]

Day 5…….Phuket,Thailand

 

 

Up with the lark this morning as we were due to drop anchor just off Patong beach at 8am. Our room service breakfast arrived on the dot of 7am…… I was expecting to just have the tray dropped off but, no, he stopped to lay the dining table beautifully before inviting us to sit down and enjoy our breakfast.. We were up on deck as we approached Patong Beach to drop anchor as we would be boarding the first tender for our shore excursion. We had spent a holiday here as part of a land trip about 9yrs ago and I was anxious to see the effect that the tsunami had as it devastated this beach- side town with many lives tragically lost. Although a fair amount of building work is still in progress it is already very much an up and running resort with a beautiful new paved promenade running alongside the beach.

 

As soon as the ship dropped anchor the first tender was ready to leave and we set off for a very long day. The excursion that we had chosen for today was sea-canoeing. This was a repeat of a tour during our last visit to Phuket and have always agreed that it was the best and most memorable trip that we have ever experienced anywhere in the world. We were thrilled to see that it was one of the excursions on offer as we never dreamt that we would get another opportunity to repeat the experience

 

As Phuket was one hour behind ship’s time it was just 7am when we stepped ashore and were directed to our bus where approximately 20 others joined us for the hour long drive across the island to board the boat that would take us out to sea for the canoeing. Our guide kept up an informative commentary in both English and Chinese as we drove across the island. Arriving at the remote spot to pick up the boat I was mightily relieved to note that the sea was considerably calmer than it had been when we tendered off the ship earlier!!! Here we were introduced to the crew who would be our guides for the day…..one crew member allocated to 2 people for the whole day. We then set off on a floating pontoon to board the boat that would take us on a thirty minute journey out to Pnang Nga Bay for the sea canoeing. The boat was very basic with an upper deck with seating, an awning for shade and a large table down the centre while the lower deck housed the galley and the most basic…and I mean basic!!….toilet facilities. With careful planning and limiting my liquid intake I succeeded in avoiding the necessity to use this facility until we were back on dry land at the end of the day!!! The platform at the back of the boat housed the already inflated canoes and life vests.

 

Once on board we were offered snacks, juices or coffee and just relaxed until we reached our first spot for anchoring. It’s hard to describe the breathtaking beauty of Pnang Nga Bay……one of those “you really need to be there and experience it” sort of places. Huge limestone rocks tower out of the sea ……..some as tall as 900ft…..like huge monoliths creating an almost eerie feeling. These rocks are called Hongs….meaning rooms…..as each one is like a hollowed out island containing a secret world of lagoons, caves and tunnels that are teeming with wildlife including monkeys, lizards, eagles and exotic birds which can only be entered by canoe and only when the tide is just right.. After dropping anchor we boarded our canoes, two to a canoe together with the allocated crew member who does all the paddling, and set off to explore the first Hong. The entrance to some of the Hongs is so restricted that you have to lie flat in the canoe which is a bit scary the first time but you do get used to it. Once you have cleared the rocks ( which are threatening to take the skin off your nose !! ) there is enough room to sit back in the normal position for passing through a short stretch of pitch black tunnel before entering the lagoon. Emerging from the tunnel into the lagoon is the biggest wow factor imaginable…….. like an amazing stage set…. the lagoon is bathed in sunlight and you just feel as though you’re in another world, a silent world , the tranquility broken only by the sounds of the wildlife. A long-tailed macaque monkey was ceremoniously seated just inside the entrance as if to welcome us and we heard many more in the undergrowth of ‘the sheer-to-the sky’ sides of the Hong. Beautiful exotic birds flew overhead and eagles soared high above, just amazing. Exiting the Hong into the open sea we headed back to the boat which would move on to a different area for our 2nd expedition. Back on board we were treated to a delicious lunch prepared by two cooks in the amazingly small galley below deck and more relaxing in the sun until our next stop. 3 stops were scheduled but the tide was changing which would have proved too dangerous so we had to settle for 2. The second trip was similar to the first except before entering the lagoon we skirted round the outside of the Hong (a little choppy !! ) As the sides of the limestone rock come almost down to sea level it was easy to see why canoe or kayak is the only means of getting inside. The second lagoon was similar to the first except not quite so much wildlife this time. Back to the boat for leisure time where we could swim or test our skills at paddling the canoes on our own, fresh coconuts and melon on board before setting off for the 30 min ride to the jetty. En route we passed the famous James Bond Island, another Hong so called as that was the location for scenes from The Man With The Golden Gun.

 

Back on board the bus we made the long journey back to Patong Beach with the obligatory shopping stop en route. Our tour guide had already informed us that we were running late and would not be back for final boarding time of 5pm so not quite sure why the shopping stop was necessary as none of us were really interested. We knew the ship wouldn’t sail without us as we were on a ship excursion but tonight was the Gala night and, as part of the Captain’s invitation were expected for pre-dinner cocktails at 6:15…..help !!! We eventually made it back on board at 5:50, 20 mins to get showered and glammed up but we made it…just.

 

The champagne was flowing in Bellinis, the Captain was greeting guests on the staircase of the Grand Piazza and we met him and the Chief Engineer at 6:45 to go into dinner. Named place cards indicated where we were sitting and Rachael was next to the Captain. There were 6 other guests besides us……all from Perth in Australia including the 2 couples we had spent some time with over the last few days. The wine was flowing and it was all very convivial with the Captain inviting all of us to meet him at 8:30pm tomorrow for a tour of the Bridge. After dinner the 8 of us continued the evening back at Bellinis where the champagne still seemed to be flowing !!! A long and tiring but memorable day.

[VeronicaS]

Day 6….At Sea / Singapore

Following our action packed day in Phuket it was a real pleasure to look forward to a nice relaxing day at sea. We knew when we booked the cruise that we would be pulling into Singapore for just the evening but didn’t realize until we boarded that some passengers would be disembarking and others joining the ship, technically making our cruise experience a ‘”back-to-back”…….not that this mattered as it was nice to be able to chill out and enjoy the ship after 2 port intensive days. As the next part of the cruise was just 2 nights we guessed that a large proportion of the newly embarking guests would be heading to the casino. There are no casinos in Singapore so the 1 or 2 night cruises are very attractive and affordable for the gamblers. This is probably one of the reasons why the pool deck is so quiet.

We decided to brave the busy Mediterranean Buffet for breakfast but painlessly put together a continental breakfast and enjoyed it out on deck. After breakfast we decided to check out any parts of the ship that we hadn’t already discovered. The amenities on offer easily compete with the large American cruise ships. First stop was the Gym…..only to look you understand!! …..followed by the spa and hydrotherapy pools which were available free of charge to suite guests. The beauty salon and hairdressers were impressive, I noted that I could have had my hair cut, blow-dried and even coloured for a lot less than I pay for just a wet cut at home !! Although there were just a few children on board the activities and facilities for them was 1st class with a really fun pool area, Neptune’s Wet & Wild, plus the video arcade No rock-climbing wall on this ship but there was a small mini-golf course. The African themed “Out of Africa” bar offered karaoke to all those interested from 10:00am - 04:00am !!!! Shopping was just a token gesture and if you blinked you would have missed it!! So many activities were on offer it would have been impossible to attend many of them on such a short cruise…….various dance classes, demonstrations, behind the scenes tours of the theatre, arts and crafts, bingo, kick boxing (!!), cinema, quizzes…..even the Weakest Link….to name just a few. The usual deck activities included ice carving, deck games and poolside live music….. plenty for everyone to do or, like us, just chill out by the pool.

As sure as night follows day when on board one meal is quickly followed by another so we had the exhausting decision to make as to where to eat lunch….. so many choices, so little time !!! The Taverna, the open air Greek restaurant overlooking the pool, won our vote and we enjoyed a delicious Caesar salad and a couple of glasses of wine. By the time we had finished our lunch our Australian friends dropped by the table and we all agreed to reserve a table at Palazzo (where we had a spectacular meal the other evening) for this evening before meeting the captain for our tour of the Bridge. The afternoon just drifted by until it was time to get ready for dinner.

The ship was due to pull in to Singapore at 7pm and a cocktail party and live music had been arranged in the Galaxy of the Stars….very similar to the Viking Crown Lounge on Brilliance….. for all guests staying on board. The impressive 360 degree windows from the top of the ship gave us wonderful views of the Singapore skyline and lights as we docked. Another great meal was enjoyed at Palazzos before we met the Captain for our tour of the Bridge. He spent about an hour of his time explaining all the intricate equipment although, of course, as we were docked there was no activity. Following our Bridge tour we all (not the Captain!! ) adjourned to Bellinis where the evening was just getting into full swing to cater for the new arrivals. We pulled out of Singapore Harbour at midnight..

[VeronicaS]

Day 7……At Sea / Malacca / Kuala Lumpur

Decisions, decisions, whether to take a shore excursion or not. It’s not something we normally need to think about as we always get off when the ship is in dock for either a shore excursion or just to mooch around the port area. Our dilemma was the fact that the ship dropped anchor for Malacca at 7:00am with a tender ride of 30 mins to the pier and the only tour available was 11hours …….a tour of Malacca followed by a bus ride to Kuala Lumpur and then back to the ship which would by then be docked at Port Klang for KL. Much as we would have liked to have seen Malacca we felt that this was too long a day with much of the day being spent on the road. The alternative was to stay on board until the ship arrived in KL at 2pm but the problem here was that the port (Port Klang) is a 90 min journey each way from KL and all excursions on offer, apart from a shopping trip which just didn’t interest us, allowed little time in KL with just token photo stops or brief visits to the main sights of the city. 7yrs ago we had a 4 day stopover in KL on our way home from Borneo and had covered most of the main sightseeing areas……. We loved the city and much as we would have liked to have visited again we felt that 3 hrs on a bus just didn’t press the right buttons for us. But, I’m sure if KL had been new territory for us, we would have made the effort if only to get an overview of the city.

Decision made, we enjoyed a lie-in this morning before going to the Mediterranean Buffet for breakfast. By now we had this down to a fine art and grabbed our juices, coffee and pastries and escaped the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria and settled at a table out on deck……. I think we were the only ones out there. Given few opportunities for dining al fresco at home we jump at every available opportunity. The pool area was quite popular this morning but, even accounting for that, there were row upon row of vacant loungers. Our lunch stop was once again at our favourite spot The Taverna and whilst there a huge contingency of young Chinese assembled round the pool for a group photo……I thought they looked young enough to be students but our waiter informed us that it was a company from China, 300 in total and all in the same red T.shirts, who were on board for a meeting in KL this afternoon……quite a sight.

We stayed up on this deck to watch our approach into Port Klang at 2pm and watched those who were disembarking. We had thought we would just have a walk round the terminal area but there appeared to be nothing there so settled on spending the afternoon by the pool. which by now was deserted so had the choice of the 4 hot tubs and pool all to ourselves !!! Later we spent some time on our balcony which overlooked the dockside…..a hive of activity as various crates were being lifted by crane onto the top deck. It all looked so precarious but I’m sure they knew what they were doing. One load was causing problems as the crate was disintegrating exposing huge sheets of glass !! They hastily returned it to ground level and this was followed by much head-scratching then a cigarette break and a sit down which was to be repeated over and over for the next hour or so……..interesting to see that a workman’s approach to his job is conducted in the same way world-wide !!!!!!!! Finally it was decided to break open the crate and just hoist the glass panels up as they were………that’s where I beat a hasty retreat from the balcony, it was all getting a little close for comfort !!!!

This evening our little group from the Captain’s table had arranged to meet up for our last dinner at Bella Vista, Pre dinner we decided on a drink up on deck and were greeted with an amazing sight…….during the afternoon the pool area had been transformed for a barbecue party/ awards ceremony for the Chinese company on board with balloons and flowers in abundance. Looking down from the Taverna deck was quite a spectacle with all the young lads looking dapper in their suits and the girls a kaleidoscope of colour in their stunning formal gowns. They were all having a ball (literally!!) and being entertained by 3 amazing Brazilian dancers , a real carnival atmosphere. Bella Vista did not disappoint , another evening of gourmet food and convivial company. I do regret not sampling more of the restaurants and bars but time was against us and it’s so easy to find a favourite and stick with it. We didn’t have to worry about packing this evening as we wouldn’t be docking in Singapore until 2pm tomorrow so there would be plenty of time in the morning.

[VeronicaS]

Day 8……Disembarkation / Singapore

Following a relatively early room service continental breakfast we settled down to the unenviable task of packing. We had to put a little more care into this than normal as with 4 more nights in Singapore to look forward to just slinging it all in the suitcases was not an option !!! We’ve always flown home the day we’ve disembarked so it was a real treat to know that our trip was not yet over. We were able to leave our tagged luggage in the cabin for priority collection at 12 noon.

Just a few hours left to enjoy the pool deck and one last drink and an early lunch at the Taverna plus time to reflect on the past few days. We were both in agreement that it’s been a fantastic experience if somewhat shorter than we would have liked….another couple of days would have fitted the bill nicely. A totally different cruise experience to our past cruises, not better or worse just delightfully “different” and I can think of no better way to get a taste of the Orient than to see Asia with the Asians. However we all like to compare so I would say the positives far outweighed the negatives…….the positives being primarily the outstanding service (always with a smile), the fabulous array of restaurants offering memorable dining experiences, the Vegas style shows, the No Tipping policy ( although we did leave a gratuity for our room steward and Bibi from Guest Relations) and the sheer “east meets west” opulence of the ship itself. The negatives are few but we didn’t enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Mediterranean Buffet though with so many dining options that was easily overcome. The onboard charges for extras was quite extensive but affordable…..just not what we’ve been used to on past cruises. Much as we both enjoyed the free-style dining for 5 evenings we were both in agreement that for a longer cruise we prefer the ambience of traditional dining which tends to set the mood for the evening.

At 1:30pm we assembled along with other suite guests in the Noble Chinese restaurant for our last taste of pampering and VIP treatment…….priority disembarkation. We didn’t even have to queue to collect our passports and when I realized that I hadn’t collected my travel iron that was taken by security when we boarded someone was immediately dispatched to collect it for me. I can tell you, now that I’m home, I’m definitely missing being treated like royalty !!!! On the dot of 2pm Virgo drew up alongside the dock and within minutes Bibi was escorting us off the ship, speeding us through a deserted Immigration, to baggage collection and then outside to the taxi rank……I timed it ….7 minutes!!! Following sad farewells to Bibi and our Australian friends we were in a taxi heading back to the Oriental Hotel for the last few days of our trip.

[ssv]

Wow. It sounded like a fantastic vacation. I'm guessing you met Colin, the Cruise Director? He is one of the most talked personality of NCL board, the nicest and funniest man I've ever met.

 

Oh, I was wondering when did you sail?

 

Regards :)

[murraylee]

Hi Veronica

 

WOW !

 

What a huge lot of info

Ive only read the 1st day and Im exhausted too:p

 

Now I cant wait

We go in about 40 days (I know that thanks to the "clock")

 

I will print yours off and read them in bed tonite !!

Sad huh

Rgds

M:cool:

[Rok4u2]

How does one go about booking on this ship? I looked for a USA phone number and can not find one. My travel agent called NCL in Miami -- They gave her a verbal "deer in the headlights" answer. No help there. I will be in Singapore in early August and would like to book the 5 August 7 night cruise, "South China Sea" cruise. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[boeckli]

How does one go about booking on this ship? I looked for a USA phone number and can not find one. My travel agent called NCL in Miami -- They gave her a verbal "deer in the headlights" answer. No help there. I will be in Singapore in early August and would like to book the 5 August 7 night cruise, "South China Sea" cruise. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

I think you may need to contact Star Cruises directly in Singapore or Malaysia, as they do not seem to have a representative as such in the US. Contact details as per their website are as follows (maybe try and send a fax). Have you tried any online agencies? Or try and ring NCL yourself again (sometimes different persons in the call centers have different info) - Good luck

 

Contact info for Star Cruises in Singapore : No.9, Penang Road,

#11-08, Park Mall,

Singapore 238459

 

Tel : +(65) 6223 0002 (Hotline)

 

+(65) 6226 1168 Fax : +(65) 6220 6993

r

Or Malaysia :

Star Cruises Terminal,

P.O.Box No. 288,

Pulau Indah, Pelabuhan Barat,

42009 Pelabuhan Klang,

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

Tel : +(60) 3 3101 1313 Fax : +(60) 3 3101 1406

[deck 9 001]

Hi Veronica, thanks for your wonderful "journal" of your cruise. It was like being right there with you. A wonderful read and loaded with much useful information for future cruisers. So glad that your cruise was able to provide such wonderful experiences and memories.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[boeckli]

How does one go about booking on this ship? I looked for a USA phone number and can not find one. My travel agent called NCL in Miami -- They gave her a verbal "deer in the headlights" answer. No help there. I will be in Singapore in early August and would like to book the 5 August 7 night cruise, "South China Sea" cruise. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

I have asked someone and apparently there is a contact in the US. Hope to have details tomorrow - stay tuned ... :)

[B+K CRUISING]

Hi all

 

I am new to both these baords and to cruising. we are planning a trip to Asia in March 2006 and are booking the Super Star Virgo 5 night cruise.

 

Has anyone been on this ship?

 

We are taking our 20 month old son with us- any tips?

 

Thanks in advance :)

 

:)

HI, WENT ON THE ORIANA WITH A 18 MONTH OLD , THEY HAVE ALL THE FACILITIES FOR KIDS, BUT CAN ONLY LEAVE THEM AT THE DAYCARE FROM 3 YEARS OF AGE. WE WERE WELCOME TO USE THE DAYCARE AS LONG AS ONE OF US WAS PRESENT AT ALL TIMES.THEY HAVE A NIGHT CARE ASWELL , BUT BABY HAS TO BE MADE TO SLEEP BEFORE YOU CAN LEAVE.WE STILL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AS THE STAFF WAS FANTASTIC, BUT NOT AS RELAXING AS CRUISING ALONE.

B