Super Star Virgo

[perth_cruiser]

Here is a pic i took of the new slide a couple of weeks ago. Awesome.

[boeckli]

Here is a pic i took of the new slide a couple of weeks ago. Awesome.

 

Thanks for the photo - not sure I like the look ... maybe better in reality.

[fairywren]

Nope, still don't like it!

 

Wonder how popular it will be. On our last Virgo cruise we had the pool pretty much to ourselves apart from a few other Aussies. The buffet was another matter tho :eek::p

[perth_cruiser]

The slide was awesome. Not very popular on our cruise though even though the ship was full due to Chinese new year. The pool was also pretty empty most of the time.

 

would recommend try eating at other restaurants from the buffet as it is a nightmare during normal meal times. Bella Vista is a great alternative for breakfast as your hot food is cooked individually and brought to your table.

 

i would highly recommend Palazzo also for a nice meal out. Very expensive however some of the best food you will eat. Cost $460 for 5 people with a couple of drinks entre mains and desert.

 

If any one has any questions please ask.

 

Ryan

[kuldalai]

Star charge full tote odds for dining in the optional choice restaurants, and ignore the fact that you have already paid for a quality meal within your cruise fare. Whereas Princess acknowledge the fact that you have already paid for and are entitled to a quality meal . The Princess policy of adding a nominal surcharge like $ 20 Aus to dine in the Stirling Steakhouse and be served an humungus size steak of best quality is far more reasonable.

 

Agree however both Palazzo and Noble House on SS VIRGO are world class.

Be sure to check out the original works of art by Picasso and Van Gogh behind the thick glass in Palazzo.

 

Yes, smart travellers avoid the buffet (which is a glorified Coles Cafeteria) on Virgo . For breakfast go to Bella Vista where it is a combination of self serve buffet and waited hot menu to order . For lunch likewise Bella Vista or

the Pavilion Room which is quality Asian food .

[fairywren]

Yes I second Bella Vista for breakfast, just superb. Window table for two every morning, no crowds no hassle.

 

We ate in Pavillion last time for Gala night and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere.

[boeckli]

Whereas Princess acknowledge the fact that you have already paid for and are entitled to a quality meal . The Princess policy of adding a nominal surcharge like $ 20 Aus to dine in the Stirling Steakhouse and be served an humungus size steak of best quality is far more reasonable.

 

And how was your recent cruise on the Sun Princess, kuldalai?

[kuldalai]

Was a great cruise overall on SUN PRINCESS will post a report under Princess Cruises when I get a moment . Cruises Aus - NZ are booming ; we passed four other cruise boats, all fully booked. Next Summer 09/10 season Princess have doubled the number of NZ itineraries using Dawn, Sun and Diamond. Princess really raking in $ in this market, whilst Star are asleep still at the tiller .

[busseltoncruisers]

We are considering a 5 night night cruise from Singapore on the Virgo in May this year. We have previously sailed on the Virgo by default when the Gemini was removed from the circuit some years ago. Can anyone advise what the make-up of the passenger nationality is ?? Is the boat just a glorified casino for the Asian market or are Westerners catered for with food and entertainment ?? Also when we sailed previously the buffet was only Indian food with plasitc trays with compartments (no plates). We will be travelling with elderly parents (one in a wheelchair). Can any advise if this cruise would be appropriate. Singapore, Penang, Phuket, Redang. How many ports are tender ports ? Previously we have all sailed together to NZ on theh Millenium and they loved it and we are now searching for a reasonably priced cruise that we can all enjoy without having to fly too far.

[boeckli]

We are considering a 5 night night cruise from Singapore on the Virgo in May this year. We have previously sailed on the Virgo by default when the Gemini was removed from the circuit some years ago. Can anyone advise what the make-up of the passenger nationality is ?? Is the boat just a glorified casino for the Asian market or are Westerners catered for with food and entertainment ?? Also when we sailed previously the buffet was only Indian food with plasitc trays with compartments (no plates). We will be travelling with elderly parents (one in a wheelchair). Can any advise if this cruise would be appropriate. Singapore, Penang, Phuket, Redang. How many ports are tender ports ? Previously we have all sailed together to NZ on theh Millenium and they loved it and we are now searching for a reasonably priced cruise that we can all enjoy without having to fly too far.

 

Just a quick response on your tender port part of the questions.

Penang so far is a tender port, although they are building a terminal so that cruise ships may dock (from memory recent reports suggested March completion but you may need to check on this).

Phuket at certain times of the year is a tender port, when the ship anchors off Patong Beach, other times of the year it docks on the other side of the island (not sure what happens in May - some others maybe able to help there).

Redang is definitely a tender port.

 

We have sailed on the Virgo 7 times now and have never considered it a "glorified casino for the Asian market" as you put it (but then we enjoy sharing different cultures and mixing with other nationalities - your prference may be less broadly defined). You will certainly find the majority to be Asian passengers but I do not think you would have any difficulty finding sufficient food choices of Western preferences (provided you do not restrict that to Hamburgers, steaks and fish & chips :rolleyes: )

[seasick_in_a_bathtub]

Hi busseltoncruisers,

 

We have sailed on the Virgo twice so far and are seriously considering cruising on her again in July.

The main restaurant, Bella Vista, offers both western and asian dishes. The buffet has a variety of dishes including pasta, chicken, fish, vegies, salads, made-to-order fresh rolls and other asian/indian food. Plates were available on our previous cruises.

Yes, there are some passengers who spend most of their time in the casino but I certainly wouldn't describe the 5 day cruises as "gambling" cruises. It was mostly families and couples from various Asian countries, Australia and Europe.

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[busseltoncruisers]

Thanks for your reply Boeckli. We had a bit of a bad experience in 2002 on the Virgo. We had families advising everyone that the spas were reserved for their family, the pool in the gym was standing room only, the buffet was a nightmare and the entertainment was woeful.

Up until this cruise we had travelled with Star cruises on the Gemini twice and had fantastic experiences and couldn't speak highly enough about the service etc. As I mentioned earlier we were booked to go on the Gemini but the cruise before ours was the last cruise before they unexpectedly relocated her elsewhere. This may have been the problem as they had to transfer all the passengers from our cruise onto the Virgo and they did a 7 night cruise of the Mallacca Straits similar to the gemini. We also enjoy meeting different nationalities and experiencing different cultures. The food issue is more for the elderly parents (90yo, 80yo and 77yo). After reading other cruisers positive reveiws etc on this link we have decided it is time to let go of the past and give Star cruises another go but want to make sure that everyone will have a good experience and that this choice is appropriate.

[kuldalai]

SS VIRGO is a fine ship overall and food , cabins, staff service are of a high standard . Plenty of food choices to suit Aussies. Bella Vista (Western) and Pavilion Room (Chinese) are inclusive restaurants. Also Mediterranean Terrace buffet is a bit Coles Cafeteria-ish, but offers wide range of cuisines.

 

Pax are from Asia plus good sprinkling of Aussies and a few from the Old Country. Entertainment is generally outstanding and features usually World Class Chinese Acrobats . Don't miss the Crew Shows .

 

For a treat be sure to visit the pay restaurants Palazzo (Italian) and Noble House (where the specialty is Peking Duck meal. )

 

Only trouble with VIRGO currently is that the longest itinerary is 5 days and then calling at some ports twice; is not really attractive to Aussies as the cost of getting to Singapore is not cheap in the first place . Star need to have a few 7 and 10 day trips ex Singapore to replace those done previously by Gemini and Libra.

 

Swettenham Pier at Penang is undergoing upgrade to allow the larger vessels like VIRGO to berth at pier whereas they are tender port now .

[perth_cruiser]

Travelled on the Virgo for the 5n6d cruise from the 25th January. Buffet did supply plates and had a wide variety of food however is jam packed with people at eating times. The freshly made rolls to order were the go and never very busy. We had a very full ship due to Chinese New year and the were only 65 Aussies on the boat. Would be thinking maybe approx 150 Westerners all up.

 

The shows are incredible. I watched the Sports Unlimited show and the Acrobats they had are all World Champions and Olympic Champions. Penang and Phuket were both Tender ports however i believe Phuket is only tender until March when the weather gets a bit rougher and they then go to Port.

 

Even with a packed boat the main pool and spas were frequently empty and the aqua jet pools were empty majority of the time.

 

Loved the ship as was my first time and would not hesitate in going again. As someone just mentioned a longer cruise would be better and not going back to Singapore half way through would be even better.

 

Ps. here is night pic of the pool. Sensational view at night with all the lights on.

 

Ryan

[vozzie]

I guess every cruise is different ... on ours, in January, Aussies were the predominant group ... 450

[boeckli]

Ryan, thanks for sharing your experiences and glad that you had a great cruise. Now you can start planning for the next one ;)

[skittles11]

Hey to all. Went on SSV last February with my husband and loved it. Decided to do it all again next year but taking our 2 children aged 16 and 12. When would we be able to find out what cruises are available in April 2010. How do I go about getting early bird prices and can I do this through our TA. I am so excited already and I have so long to wait. Its great reading through all these blogs again.

Steph

[kuldalai]

Unfortunately Star do not follow Industry practice and publish their itineraries very far in advance, despite repeated criticism for not doing so . So at the moment Star only have VIRGO itineraries published up to the end of March 2010, whereas other lines have them out as far ahead as early 2011 .

 

Star are pretty predictable lately, albeit all they continue to offer is "more of the same." So do not expect any thing longer than 3 - 4 nights in the SOM and the annoyance of calling at Port Klang or Singapore twice within the same cruise. Indicatively I would plan on VIRGO doing similar to current out of Singapore from April 2010 onwards .

 

If you want a longer cruise ( 7, 10 14 nights) in Asia either out of Singapore, Hong Kong, or Shanghai then look at Costa (Costa Allegra and Costa Classica), or Princess Cruises (also several vessels.)

 

Daily flights from Aus to Singapore with either SIA or QF, to Hong Kong with either QF or CX, and to Shanghai daily with QF . Air fares are much the

same as to Singapore and gives one a much wider choice of cruising options if you expand your horizons to include Hong Kong and now Shanghai .

 

From Shanghai you can now do round trip cruises to Japan.

 

If you live in Aus both Cruise Co & Creative Cruising offer some excellent air/cruise/accommodation deals. Ask your local TA to check out what is available, or you can check out these Wholesaler websites direct on line. They both have excellent cruise search engines .

[1st_Time_Cruising]

Hi,

 

I'm just about to book a 5 nights cruise on Superstar Virgo with port of calls including Penang, Phuket and KL. I have the following questions and I hope that any of experienced cruisers can help answering.

 

1. Is it very rough travelling in these areas on the last week of May?

 

2. I read some of the threads and learnt that even though Deck 11 is more expensive, it's better to book Deck 10? Is the room space the same on both decks?

 

3. How expansive are the shore excursions? what are the best excursions that first timers should do? Can I pay the shore excursions with the $400 on board credit?

 

Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.

[vozzie]

1. In January (monsoon season) it was like a mill pond
   
2. We had a balcony cabin on deck 10 .... as 11 has public areas above
   
3. Yes, shore excursions are always expensive ... but that's part of cruising. NO, you can't pay out of your cabin credit. As to which ones .. that depends on your likes. Because it's Asia ... and anything can happen, we did all ours through the Ship. Some more experienced cruisers may book locally. However, we can recommed ... Trishaw tour in Penang and Sea Canoeing in Phuket. Just be prepared to be depositied at a number of excpensive shops ... during each tour. But, you don't have to buy anything.
   

ENJOY!

[boeckli]

Hi,

 

I'm just about to book a 5 nights cruise on Superstar Virgo with port of calls including Penang, Phuket and KL. I have the following questions and I hope that any of experienced cruisers can help answering.

 

1. Is it very rough travelling in these areas on the last week of May?

 

2. I read some of the threads and learnt that even though Deck 11 is more expensive, it's better to book Deck 10? Is the room space the same on both decks?

 

3. How expansive are the shore excursions? what are the best excursions that first timers should do? Can I pay the shore excursions with the $400 on board credit?

 

Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Virgo thread in particular :)

 

To your questions -

 

1. I don't think it ever gets really rough in the Straits of Malacca

2. We have always had a balcony on deck 11 forward and have never had any noise problems

3. As vozzie pointed out, it's up to you to decide if to book shore excursions through the ship or do your own thing - depends if you have been to Asia before etc. With KL keep in mind that the ship will dock at Port Klang which is quite a distance from KL city and to get there on your own may be more difficult.

[1st_Time_Cruising]

Many thanks to vozzie and boeckli for your answers.

 

I'd like to book shore excursions with the cruiseline just to be on the same side (ie. getting back on time) and do welcome any more suggestions you may have. We have never been to Phuket, Penang & KL.

Is there any interesting excursion in Port Klang instead of travelling all the way to KL?

 

Cheers

[seasick_in_a_bathtub]

We always choose a balcony cabin on deck 10, as there are only cabins above and below. It is also handy to the Kids Club if you are travelling with children.

Unfortunately the cabin credit can only be used for food and drinks.....excursions, spa treatments and any other purchases onboard are not included.

 

Have a look at the Star Cruises website....they have description and prices of excursions.

 

http://www.starcruises.com/newweb/our_fleets/superstar_virgo_shore.aspx

 

cheers

 

Justine

[furballPerth]

Hi,

 

I'm just about to book a 5 nights cruise on Superstar Virgo with port of calls including Penang, Phuket and KL. I have the following questions and I hope that any of experienced cruisers can help answering.

 

1. Is it very rough travelling in these areas on the last week of May?

 

2. I read some of the threads and learnt that even though Deck 11 is more expensive, it's better to book Deck 10? Is the room space the same on both decks?

 

3. How expansive are the shore excursions? what are the best excursions that first timers should do? Can I pay the shore excursions with the $400 on board credit?

 

Many thanks in advance for your kind advice.

 

If you go on the Star Cruises website and go to"Virgo" there is a drop down box called "Itineraries" They detail shore excursions and prices. That should give you some idea of cost.

 

I have just booked a balcony cabin on Virgo departing 9 August and was told only available cabins left were on Deck 11. I have been on Virgo twice before on Deck 10 as I had been warned about noise from the floor above if travelling on Deck 11. Has anyone had bad experiences on Deck 11? I have cabin 11578 which is mid ships and under the seating around the Parthenon Pool. Would it be worth my while to ask to be 'waitlisted' for Deck 10 if there is a cancellation. Not sure if you can do that. Can't wait for August anyway!!!

[kuldalai]

There are two (2) downsides of having a cabin under what is the top deck.

 

- If you are trying to rest during the day the hordes by the pool are dragging their lounges around continually .

 

- At night they often hold pool parties and they go late . so you have what sounds like a herd of bull elephants thumping around dancing to the wee small hours.

 

Seasoned cruisers avoid cabins under the top deck, and also near bars and casinos .