Super Star Virgo

[boeckli]

Hi everyone,

My husband and i are doing the 5 day cruise from singapore in March. We have an executive suite. Have heard a couple of rumours about people being rude in lines for food and that the tours at each stop aren't worth doing. Can someone advise me on these? Also i get sea sick in the bath....how bad is the movement on this massive craft? :o

 

Welcome to Cruise critic and the Virgo thread in particular.

 

Up and down the Straits of Malacca you will hardly feel the ship moving. If you are really concerned about feeling sick, try some ginger tablets (at least they won't make you drowsy like most of the full blown travel medications. Have you been on any other cruises (i.e. how do you know that you might feel sea sick?)

 

Not sure where you heard rumours about "people being rude in lines for food" - we have cruise on the beautiful Virgo 7 times and have not experienced anything other than what you can observe anywhere else (also, what some people regard as "rude" may be quite acceptable to others).

 

With regard to tours, again it comes down to personal preferences and destinations visited. Have you visited Asia before? Are you comfortable venturing off on your own? Shore excursions booked through the ship will almost always be a bit more expensive than going off on your own, however, you have the benefit of knowing that you will not miss the ship if you are delayed somewhere; transportation without an organised tour may be difficult in the absence of public transport (case in point : getting to Kuala Lumpur from the terminal in Port Klang).

 

Hope the above gives you some idea - if you have any further questyions, do not hesitate to ask .

Most importantly: Enjoy your cruise ! Try not to harbour on small points (based on rumours). Virgo is a beautiful ship with a fantastic crew. :)

[firstcruiseWA]

Thanks for that. I am relieved. Also was is the age range of passengers on this cruise and what dress code is there for dinner...especially if we will be dining with the captain?

[Sim168]

Hi to all

We were originally going to go on Pacific Dawn again for NYE this year, but are thinking a change is needed. I want to go on the Virgo, but others are saying 5 nights is too short.

Any thoughts on this??? Oh and is most of the ship non smoking?

Cheers

Simone

[boeckli]

Thanks for that. I am relieved. Also was is the age range of passengers on this cruise and what dress code is there for dinner...especially if we will be dining with the captain?

 

Age range of passengers is quite wide - I believe you won't feel "out of place" at any age ;)

Dinner invitation for the Captain's Table reads "Dress Code : Formal or Elegant Casual"

Captain's Dinner is a great experience (we have been fortunate to get invited 3 times) Usually the Chief Engineer is at the same table.

From the "Star Navigator" : Dinner Dress Code : No shorts, bemudas, swimwear, slippers, rubber sandals and flip-flop in Bella Vista for all guests. All garments for gentlemen must have a collar, no sleeveless shirts and no open-toed footwear please.

 

Being in an executive suite, you will have priority check-in at Singapore Cruise Centre (look for "Admiral Class" signs). I have never been inside one of those suites (we always had a balcony cabin on deck 11) but I am sure you will not want for anything. Roy, the Customer Services Manager will no doubt be looking after you fabulously.

[boeckli]

Hi to all

We were originally going to go on Pacific Dawn again for NYE this year, but are thinking a change is needed. I want to go on the Virgo, but others are saying 5 nights is too short.

Any thoughts on this??? Oh and is most of the ship non smoking?

Cheers

Simone

 

Whether 5 nights is too short or not may be personal preferene as well ... Unfortunately that's all Virgo does (over the years we had two 7-nighters but they are a rarity). 5 nights on a ship for me is better than none ;)

 

Smoking - from the "Star Navigator" (19 Oct 2008) : Please note that smoking is not permitted in any of our restaurants or indoor public areas including lifts. Smoking is only permitted in our bars and on the open decks. Please do not smoke where there is a No Smoking sign.

 

Simone, I see you have just recently been on the Dawn Princess - that's our next one, coming up in just over 5 weeks :D - Any special tips ???

[resordanis]

Hi everyone,

My husband and i are doing the 5 day cruise from singapore in March. We have an executive suite. Have heard a couple of rumours about people being rude in lines for food and that the tours at each stop aren't worth doing. Can someone advise me on these? Also i get sea sick in the bath....how bad is the movement on this massive craft? :o

 

Hi, we are also doing a Virgo cruise in March (15/3). This will be our third, in three years, but alas only in a Balcony on deck 10. We love the ship and all about her!. We have just returned from a Rhapsody of the Seas cruise and loved that experience as well, and cannot ait to go on Rhapsody again, but we are looking forward to Virgo. I also get very seasick ( I even get seasick, just getting on any ship without it leaving the dock) but have been fine on Virgo. I take Stemitil (doctors perscription) for a few days and I am okay. With regard to shore excursions, the Virgo ones are good value (in comparision to Rhapsody in US dollars). We have only done one excursion on Virgo and this was the Malacca one and we thought it was great (and very, very long!). We will not be doing any trips on our next Virgo cruise, preferring to organise this ourselves. If your cruise goes to Penang, they have many people at the dock, wanting to sell tours and this is what we will do in March. Hope this helps.:)

Finally, we have never experienced any rude people on Virgo, we rarely eat in the Mediterrean and I think this is the only place you would experience this behaviour.

[Sim168]

Goodness Boeckli, I cant imagine I could give you any hints with the amount of cruising you have done as compared to me :o I would love to do the Cherry Blossom cruise, but work interferes with cruising!!!!

I think the only thing I would do if I did it again was remember to take wine on with us at each port it was available. Ohh and take your own snorkel gear if you plan on snorkelling as they dont hire it.

I shall have to tell my sister that 5 days cruising is better than no days cruising and hopefully convince her to come on the Virgo.

[boeckli]

Goodness Boeckli, I cant imagine I could give you any hints with the amount of cruising you have done as compared to me :o I would love to do the Cherry Blossom cruise, but work interferes with cruising!!!!

I think the only thing I would do if I did it again was remember to take wine on with us at each port it was available. Ohh and take your own snorkel gear if you plan on snorkelling as they dont hire it.

I shall have to tell my sister that 5 days cruising is better than no days cruising and hopefully convince her to come on the Virgo.

 

Thanks, Simone - we are planning on taking some wine where possible :)

If you decide to go on Virgo - ENJOY !!

[jancy]

Hi all

 

This time next Sunday we will be aboard Virgo! Cannot wait to get away form the heat here in Canberra to the tropics and lovely humidity...

 

A quick question.. We are thinkning of doing 2 shore excursions, the sea canoe in Phuket and the fruit farm in Penang. Has anyone done these tours or read any comments?

 

Your thoughts appreciated.

 

Jancy

[vozzie]

We did the Sea Canoe excursion last month. I recommend it. It starts with a pleasant bus trip across the island ... chance to see some countryside and villages. Once you board the "mother ship", its an hours journey out to the islands ... very pleasant and scenic on the way and the crew are very attentive. Once at the island ... which could be one of many depending on the tides, its an inflatable canoe trip into the caves and lagoons. Your assigned crew member does all the paddling ... you just sit and enjoy. After the canoeing, you'll have a chance to swim in the ocean or do some canoeing yourself. On the trip back, they serve a scrummy lunch ... plenty to go around. On the bus trip back to dock, they will stop at a very expensive jewellery store ... huge, with brown suited staff that get assigned, one to each tourist and follow you round the store. I think all the excursions pull in here. You might like it, but I just left the store and waited outside. One of the staff followed me and asked why I didn't stay to shop.

 

Didn't do the Penang excursion.

[boeckli]

We have been tp the fruit farm in Penang on a private tour previously and it was most enjoyable. They have lots of different fruits growing there and the guy from the farm explained all of them in a very interesting way.

[jancy]

Thanks Boeckli and Vozzie .

 

We will definitely do both of these shore excursions!

 

Jancy:)

[seasick_in_a_bathtub]

Hi everyone,

 

Just curious:p......Star Cruises had plans to install a slide on the Virgo during drydock in January.....was it done?

 

Any pics? :D

 

Thanks

 

Justine

[boeckli]

I've been meaning to ask the same question ...

[vozzie]

Well, it was going straight into dry dock after our cruise (9th Jan) and the crew were all abuzz with briefings and such. Supposedly $10m worth of additions.

 

Would be surprised, with their efficiency, if it hadn't been done.

[fairywren]

After looking at the slide on Star website, I'm not sure I want to experience it. The end looks a long way from the water. :eek:

 

http://www.starcruises.com/news/2008/20081218_GladeWater_SSV_EN_.pdf

 

Somehow it doesn't look right, with the classical pillars at the pool!

[boeckli]

After looking at the slide on Star website, I'm not sure I want to experience it. The end looks a long way from the water. :eek:

 

http://www.starcruises.com/news/2008/20081218_GladeWater_SSV_EN_.pdf

 

Somehow it doesn't look right, with the classical pillars at the pool!

 

Greetings to the fellow wren!

 

On their website that's only an artists mock-up - we are all waiting to see actual photos of the finished result !!

[johnauf]

I found this photo of the slide online. Get to experience it myself on the 22nd Feb cruise for our honeymoon.

 

I hope I posted the picture correctly.

 

John

[boeckli]

I found this photo of the slide online. Get to experience it myself on the 22nd Feb cruise for our honeymoon.

 

I hope I posted the picture correctly.

 

John

 

:) Congratulations! Have a great cruise.

 

Hope you can take some photos and post here when you come back

[perth_cruiser]

Returned from the 6 day cruise on the 30th Jan. The slide is fantastic, especially the metre or so that extends out over the side of the ship which is a clear tuve so you can see all teh way down.

 

The slide doesnt finish in the pool, it just has water in teh slide at the end which stops you. would highly recommend trying it. Never gets very busy and good exercise walking up the steps to the start.

 

Ryan.

[boeckli]

Returned from the 6 day cruise on the 30th Jan. The slide is fantastic, especially the metre or so that extends out over the side of the ship which is a clear tuve so you can see all teh way down.

 

The slide doesnt finish in the pool, it just has water in teh slide at the end which stops you. would highly recommend trying it. Never gets very busy and good exercise walking up the steps to the start.

 

Ryan.

 

Thanks for your update. Hope you enjoyed your cruise overall.

Did you take some pictures of the slide that maybe you can post here?

[mummsie]

hello experts on the Virgo - I have a friend interesting in doing a 5 day which includes Redang. She has a disabled hubby so needs to know if this is a tender port or a dock? Can any of you wonderful people please advise me?

thanks - mummsie

[boeckli]

hello experts on the Virgo - I have a friend interesting in doing a 5 day which includes Redang. She has a disabled hubby so needs to know if this is a tender port or a dock? Can any of you wonderful people please advise me?

thanks - mummsie

 

Redang is definitely a tender port - have been there a couple of years ago.

[mummsie]

Redang is definitely a tender port - have been there a couple of years ago.

 

thank you :-) - mummsie

[seasick_in_a_bathtub]

Thank you everyone!

 

The slide looks (and "sounds") great.....I'm sure my kids will have the time of their lives.....I'll be watching them from the pool deck, unfortunately I have a fear of heights:rolleyes:.

 

Johnauf.......congratulations, enjoy your cruise and honeymoon:)

 

 

Cheers

 

Justine