Superstar Gemini

[mave53]

Hi chris1950,

Nice to hear from you. This will be my first trip to Asia as well? I am a widow traveling with my 85 year old Mum and dear friends, a married couple. My friends know Asia quiet well so I am looking forward to seeing it. We fly to Hong Kong on the 18th May.

 

I have seen on Sky news the mess B.A. are having with luggage at Heathrow at the moment!!!! Traveling is stressful enough with out that extra worry. I arrived in Dublin in '96, minus my luggage, and now pack enough into my hand luggage to survive for a couple of days.The case did turn up after a little holiday at Heathrow for 4 days!!!!:D

 

Do you have your cabin no's yet?

 

Regards.

 

Mary.

[mummsie]

hi mary me and the wife will be on the gemini sailing from hong kong on may 21st to.we only doing the first part of the trip will leave the ship at singapore.this will be our first trip to asia after sailing the med for many years.we cant wait althou we might have only the cloths we standing in after the mess b.a.are making with luggage at heathrow .so if you see two people looking a bit raggered it might be us lol

 

I always take a spare set in my cabin luggage just in case the bag goes somewhere else. Doesn't take up that much room especially for Singapore. Not like you need to worry about winter woolies :D Mummise

[mave53]

I always take a spare set in my cabin luggage just in case the bag goes somewhere else. Doesn't take up that much room especially for Singapore. Not like you need to worry about winter woolies :D Mummise

 

Yes......I certainly had to find out the hard way. :D

 

*A little hint for packing your case*

 

I always fold each item and then place it in a Zip Lock Bag. Once the air is out & the bag sealed, it is condensed down to half the size, which gives you more room in your case. This stops creasing & also you can rummage around in your case without the need to refold everything. I know it sounds like a lot of trouble, but it is well worth the time when you are packing your case.

 

Mary.:)

[mummsie]

We have been using special clothes bags for all our packing these days. I have 2 large, 2 medium and 2 small. I halve everything and distribute over both our cases and then there is the set in the cabin bag. These bags I use have mesh over the front so that customs can see inside if they need too without disturbing everything too much. They have a strip inside so everything stays in place. I have found them very useful and the extra weight is usually not too bad. I tried the zip lock bags in our suitcases on one cruise but they were really hard to pack - they keps slipping off each other and the clothese ended up a big mess. I usually only put shoes in them now. - Mummsie :D

[helga38]

Cruising is much nicer than coach tours - you don't have to keep packing suitcases every day. You get the beauty of visiting different places without the hasstles. - Mummsie :D

 

Heck, I so agree with you.

 

Now, Can anyone tell me the price for the buses/small boats that take people to the pick up point on shore ?

Are there various times during the day for pick up ?

 

Thanks folks

 

helga

[kuldalai]

TENDER PORTS - there is no charge for use of the tender service to go ashore . Tender boats usually operate at regular intervals to meet pax demands. They will give you details on slip of last tender boat departure time and emergency contact phone numbers . When you get on the wharf in some places you can walk or get taxis at the wharf gate . In others a bus transfer service is operated at reasonable rates and they give you details of the departure and return times, frequency last trip back times; pick-up / drop-off locations etc . Details of this service and ticket sales at Shore Excursion desk on deck 5 .

WHARF PORTS : As above for taxis, walking, bus transfers .

 

ON THE Singapore - Hong Kong leg with SS GEMINI :

 

Koh Samui - tender port . Walk from wharf head is town centre or taxis.

Laem Chebang - basically a container port miles from anything . Bus transfer to Pattaya Beach/Town available . Long trip by taxi . Walking forget it . (We found Pattaya boring ; better take full day tour to Bangkok.)

Ho Chi Minh City : SS Gemini berths at foot of CBD . Taxis cheap to get up town . Bit far to walk . Ho Chi Minh City tours offered by Star excellent .

Da Nang : Basically a container port miles from town . Taxis hard to get . Bus transfer or tour is the go. Walking is out of question . Take the full day Hue Highlights tour - outstanding .

Hong Kong : Ocean Terminal is in heart of Kowloon . Walk or taxi no problem.

Singapore : Cruise Terminal . Taxis cheap into CBD . Also access by MRT underground train to CBD .

[chris1950]

hi mary

we havent been allocated a cabin yet.we booked a outside cabin,our travel agent will send the details 2 weeks befor we leave.i know it in the cheap seats thou deck 3 .we fly out on the 19th may.so we got a night and half a day in hong kong befor we sail.Kuldalia was kind enough to send me a e mail of what to see and do in that time.i hope you enjoyed your time in Dublin,that one of my favorite cities althou i am biased as my grandfather hailed from that city

[helga38]

TENDER PORTS - there is no charge for use of the tender service to go ashore . Tender boats usually operate at regular intervals to meet pax demands. They will give you details on slip of last tender boat departure time and emergency contact phone numbers . When you get on the wharf in some places you can walk or get taxis at the wharf gate . In others a bus transfer service is operated at reasonable rates and they give you details of the departure and return times, frequency last trip back times; pick-up / drop-off locations etc . Details of this service and ticket sales at Shore Excursion desk on deck 5 .

WHARF PORTS : As above for taxis, walking, bus transfers .

 

ON THE Singapore - Hong Kong leg with SS GEMINI :

 

Koh Samui - tender port . Walk from wharf head is town centre or taxis.

Laem Chebang - basically a container port miles from anything . Bus transfer to Pattaya Beach/Town available . Long trip by taxi . Walking forget it . (We found Pattaya boring ; better take full day tour to Bangkok.)

Ho Chi Minh City : SS Gemini berths at foot of CBD . Taxis cheap to get up town . Bit far to walk . Ho Chi Minh City tours offered by Star excellent .

Da Nang : Basically a container port miles from town . Taxis hard to get . Bus transfer or tour is the go. Walking is out of question . Take the full day Hue Highlights tour - outstanding .

Hong Kong : Ocean Terminal is in heart of Kowloon . Walk or taxi no problem.

Singapore : Cruise Terminal . Taxis cheap into CBD . Also access by MRT underground train to CBD .

Kuldalai,

Thank you once again-very interesting. There are a couple of cities mu husband wants to visit again-otherwose, we shall hang around the swimming pool and enjoy life !

:p :) Cheers helga

[Cocktail Queenie]

I've just stumbled onto this forum and it is fabulous!! I am relatively new to cruising.... did my first in 2005 (my daughter was granted a starlight wish) and we cruised up the Queensland coast on the ill fated Pacific Sky. I've since done identical cruises on Pacific Star to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Now I am booked for 4th May on the Gemini and I can't wait!! That's all people talked about while on my last cruise on Pacific Star and that is how I came to hear about Superstar Gemini. I swear there must have been at least 5 people who recommended it to me.

 

This has been such a help trawling through all the threads and one by one having my questions answered re: shore excursions etc.

 

I'm travelling with my husband, brother, sister and another couple. Our friends have the "U Beaut" suite right up the top with a balcony but the rest of us are travelling "cattle class" in the bowels of the ship with not even a porthole so fingers crossed we will be okay!!! Does anyone ever get upgraded once you get on?

 

Anyway, I just wanted to say hi and thanks in advance to any questions of mine you might answer : ).

[kuldalai]

Even though you may an Inside cabin on SS GEMINI you will find it quite adequate - afterall you should'nt spend too much time in your cabin other than to sleep . With the Straits of Malacca 7 day cruise you have a lot of ports, lots of day time off ship activity. At night you have dining, and Galaxy of the Stars (floorshows) , and the homely little Gemini Bar.

Don't worry about the class of your cabin on that cruise itinerary - relax soak up the special Gemini magic and the most sensational service from a crew that just love their jobs and give genuine guest service .

[Ocean Adventurers]

Hi Cocktail Queenie,

 

Looks like we'll be travelling together!

 

We (husband-wife-infant team) are travelling with brother sister and another infant also in cattle class on the Gemini on the 4th of May. I'm really not concerned about going cattle class because I'll only be there for sleeping.

Not sure about the upgrading question - though I did hear of someone who won some kind of raffle and got upgraded, not sure how you get tickets thought?

 

I haven't heard what cabin we'll be in yet, but we may well meet up onboard the Gemini. Looking forward to it - less then 2 weeks to go!

[Cocktail Queenie]

Hi Ocean Adventures, Wow, fancy that being on the same cruise, being a smaller cruise we may well bump into each other! I'm actually not that worried about our cabin as we travelled on an inside cabin with P&O with four of us in the cabin and as you said, you only sleep and shower there. I wonder why you don't know your cabin # yet because we were told ours as soon as we booked. I was a bit sceptical because I had been looking on the site and ringing travel agents to see when they were releasing their new dates for this May, we virtually booked the day they came out and I asked for a middle ship cabin and they said they were already all booked out. I questioned this but the TA said they go fast. I know when we went with P&O we were given our cabin #s but when we embarked they had put us one deck up which was nice.

 

Have you decided to do any shore excursions? I was very keen to do the elephant ride but have read on here it is only so, so. Will have to rethink that one. I just want to know where the good shopping is! Everyone has mentioned KL but then I don't fancy a long bus ride into the city. Oh well, I am sure we will find out more between now and then. Counting down til the 4th!!!:D

[Cocktail Queenie]

I forgot to ask.... does it ever get rough going up the Malacca Straits? I only ask because we are right up the front of the ship and someone told me that would be the worst for "bounciness". I don't really get seasick but just a little nervous when things are flying around and tipping up!

[kuldalai]

The Straights of Malacca are generally like a millpond .

 

If the goodship GEMINI is heavily booked the prospect of getting an upgrade will be low. They do cost (no freebies) and you can enquire at Reception on boarding .

 

If they have an Executive Suite free what they do on the longer cruises is raffle an Executive Suite as an upgrade option . Remember Star are owned by a primarily casino Co so there are lots of raffles, bingos anything to get the gambling revenue up .

 

Cattle class infers cramped . The inside cabins are similar sized to outside except they do not have porthole or window . Forget about the cabin you will only be in it to sleep on a Straights of Malacca Cruise . Save your money for a longer duration cruise with Star next time .

[hbellman]

we are doing the singapore to hongkong then staying four nights, never been to hong kong before can anyone recommend a hotel there

thanks Hazel

[kuldalai]

Hong Kong is made up of the Kowloon Peninsula (mainland China side) and Hong Kong island. They are linked by Star Ferry (nothing to do with Star Cruises) , 3 under harbour MRT rail tunnels and 3 under harbour road tunnels

 

On the Kowloon side good choices are :

* Eaton Hotel, Salisbury YMCA Hotel, Park Hotel , Kowloon Hotel, Holiday Inn Golden Mile.

 

On Hong Kong island the following are good choices :

* Excelsior Hotel, Express by Holiday Inn.

[hbellman]

have you stayed at the Kowloon and is this a good choice

[kuldalai]

Yes. The Kowloon Hotel is an excellent choice . Close to Ocean Terminal (where Star Cruises boats berth) and right in the heart of the key shopping/commercial precinct of Tsim Sha Tsui. Close by the legendary Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel . Within easy walking distance of Star Ferry terminal to Hong Kong Island. Also close to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station on Nathan Rd.

[Cocktail Queenie]

Hi Hazel,

 

Try looking at the Tripadvisor site, check out all the hotels, read people's comments and even ask on their forum. I have found this site wonderful in the past and always look there before I book anywhere. Have a great holiday!

[mave53]

We have been using special clothes bags for all our packing these days. I have 2 large, 2 medium and 2 small. I halve everything and distribute over both our cases and then there is the set in the cabin bag. These bags I use have mesh over the front so that customs can see inside if they need too without disturbing everything too much. They have a strip inside so everything stays in place. I have found them very useful and the extra weight is usually not too bad. I tried the zip lock bags in our suitcases on one cruise but they were really hard to pack - they keps slipping off each other and the clothese ended up a big mess. I usually only put shoes in them now. - Mummsie :D

 

These bags sound like great idea.......What are they called and where do you buy them?:)

[mave53]

hi mary

we havent been allocated a cabin yet.we booked a outside cabin,our travel agent will send the details 2 weeks befor we leave.i know it in the cheap seats thou deck 3 .we fly out on the 19th may.so we got a night and half a day in hong kong befor we sail.Kuldalia was kind enough to send me a e mail of what to see and do in that time.i hope you enjoyed your time in Dublin,that one of my favorite cities althou i am biased as my grandfather hailed from that city

 

Hi Chris,

 

At least you have a window, we have inside cabins on deck 6 and will be lucky to know day from night! :D We were lucky to get those, as it booked out very quickly. I just love Dublin, and enjoy it every time I go there. I was there in Nov last, and had a ball. Hope we meet up on the Gemini to say G'Day in person.

[hbellman]

Thanks for the help,the one thing that concerned me about the Kowloon hotel is that everone keeps saying the rooms are sooooo tiny, is this true,

surely they must have larger rooms to request

[kuldalai]

Hong Kong is the most expensive CBD real estate in the world. So with the newer hotels room sizes are smaller, but with older hotels like the Park Hotel in Kowloon (another good choice) you will find the rooms larger . My choice on HK Island is the Excelsior an older hotel with larger rooms and excellent location at Causeway Bay and access to Star Ferry (to Kowloon) and MTR underground railway . On Kowloon side we like Eaton Hotel on Nathan Rd close to Jordan MTR station . Park Hotel on Kowloon larger rooms, older hotel but quite adequate and comfortable. Hope this helps.

[mave53]

I read a question somewhere about web cameras in cabins on the Gemini and was wondering what they were, and how they work? :confused: I hope this is not a dumb question but I am curious, and can't find the original page that I read it on.

 

Mary.:D

[kuldalai]

There are no Web cameras on Star ships that I am aware of . Certainly no Cruise Line would have a web cam in a cabin as that would would be a gross infringement of privacy . Some NCL ships have a bow Web cam that is accessible 24/7 via the Internet .

 

In the case of Superstar Gemini there is a fixed closed circuit TV Camera facing forward over the bow. This image can be viewed in any Stateroom on board by dialling up the requisite Channel on the TV Remote Cpntrol. This bow image is not to my knowledge available externally to Gemini via the Internet .

 

Separately all Star ships as part of their first class Safety & Security systems have closed circuit TV Cameras throughout all public areas of the ship and externally which are monitored for any misbehaviour / incidents etc .