Super Star Virgo

[Jamin]

Hi all:)

 

Just a quick note to say thanks Mike for the SSV photos.

 

What a great ship!

 

Regards

 

Simon

[deck 9 001]

Simon, you are most welcome. I am happy when people enjoy some photos. Indeed, Virgo is an exceptional ships.

 

Mike

[boeckli]

Indeed, Virgo is an exceptional ships.

 

Mike

 

Quite right - one of the reasons we have just booked the HGK-SIN relocation cruise on Oct 19 :D

[deck 9 001]

And what a great cruise you will have boeckli........

October can be a wonderful month to sail from HKG. Vietnam should also be perfect weatherwise.

 

You will have 5 days of pure bliss aboard Virgo. Enjoy every minute.

 

Mike

[boeckli]

And what a great cruise you will have boeckli........

October can be a wonderful month to sail from HKG. Vietnam should also be perfect weatherwise.

 

You will have 5 days of pure bliss aboard Virgo. Enjoy every minute.

 

Mike

 

Thanks Mike - looking forward to cruise no. 7 on Virgo (although it won't be quite the same without Capt. Hakan ;) ... )

[Jamin]

Thanks Mike for the response.:D

 

I agree entirely that it is 5 days of bliss - boeckli you are very lucky -:cool: particularly with it being your 7th cruise on SSV.

 

Also hoping that Captain Magnus Gottberg is our captain again as he was very nice on our cruise last year when we were lucky enough to be on his table for the Captains dinner. He had just become a father again from my recollection.

 

It is great to hear that the month of October is generally optimum weather for HK and Vietnam cruising.

 

Danny - our guide on the HK island tour last year kept telling us that Oct / Nov is the best time of year to visit.

 

We also looked at the relocation cruise for our 4th voyage upcoming but decided on the 12th Oct departure as we had sailed from Singapore 3 times previously. We also find the prospect of cruising in and out of Victoria Harbour really appealing considering the beautiful experience it should be.

 

BTW - any Halong Bay / Sanya / Xianen info would be excellent and appreciated. - TIA

 

Regards

Simon:)

[boeckli]

Hi Simon - I see you will sail just before us - and in a JS - lucky you. For the relocation cruise they were all sold by now but we got a really good price on a BA balcony (in fact same cabin that we had on our very first Virgo cruise in 2001 ...)

 

Mike, as the resident HK expert, hope you won't mind fielding a few questions (we have never been to HK). I copied some of your "what-to-do" suggestions from the Gemini board at the time.

 

For best harbour views (maybe with a view of Virgo arriving and departing - where does she dock?), should I look for a hotel on Kowloon or Hong Kong Island? (We want to spend a few days in HK pre-cruise)

 

TIA

 

Ursula

[kuldalai]

SS VIRGO, SS GEMINI, & Star PISCES all berth at Ocean Terminal, Kowloon which is on the Kowloon side of the harbour .

 

The Ocean Terminal is immediately adjacent to the STAR FERRY terminal on the Kowloon side. (STAR FERRIES are not related in any way to Star Cruises. A highlight of any HK visit is to cross the harbour with the locals on the Star Ferry for a pittance as they have done for over a century . At night especially this is one of the world's great travel experiences.)

 

Probably best views arriving and departing vessels from HK Island side, especially from up Victoria Peak at night when we saw GEMINI depart from up there . Last year in June we shed a tear as Gemini departed having spent 11 nights on board coming up from Singapore . There and then we committed to return to HK on June 11 this year and do the second leg 10 nights on the magical Gemini with her wonderful crew back to Singapore . HK is the worlds most exciting city to me still after 15 visits, and the harbour is just stunning especially at night .

 

Sounds as if SS VIRGO placement cruise back to Singapore in mid October is booking well. We were lucky to get a Junior Suite and an Executive suite for 5 magical nights again on Virgo with friends who will be making their first cruise .

[deck 9 001]

Hi boeckli, you got some good info from Kuldalai. May I add however, that for watching the ship enter the harbour on a more casual note, I usually walk around the "Walk of Fame" which is the harbour promenade and begins just past the Star Ferry Terminal.

 

You can see the ship(s) coming in, and when the ship is getting close, I usually walk back to Ocean Terminal and stand outside by the berths to watch the ship(s) dock.

 

An alternative would be to go to the roof (car park) of Ocean Terminal where you will have a great view. I have done this quite a few times and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Whichever you decide to do, you will love it.

 

Mike

[Jamin]

Hi all:D

 

Ursula - yes we are indeed lucky to be in a JS again - we have 2 on deck 10 as my parents are also cruising with us again ( 3RD time for them, 4th for us )

My father has very bad knees and uses a walking stick so the lift accessibility is excellent from the deck 10 suites. It certainly can be a reasonable walk if you need to transgress the corridors on a regular basis.

We have found the SSV staff to be incredible with respect to catering to my father and his slight disability with everything from boarding tender boats to assisting when taking a shorex.

 

We grab the same JS each year as we know it is superb - especially the spa and view from the shower.:o

 

I agree entirely with Mike and kuldalai on the info given and would like to put forward my recommendation for the Renaissance Harbourview Hotel in Wan Chai ( HK island side)as a superb venue for its views ( not only from the rooms but from their amazing swimming pool ) The hotel is very accessible to all amenities and virtually links to the Star Ferry terminal. BTW pensioners and over 60's travel free on the Star Ferry. We never tire of the ferry ride and use it always.

 

Can I also recommend Jade Garden as a venue to dine ;)with the most amazing Peking Duck we have savoured - it is located on Kowloon directly ahead when coming off Star Ferry on Kowloon - located on the 3rd floor ( maybe 4th ) of the multi story building which contains the Mc Donalds / Camera store and is across from the bus terminals.

 

Hong Kong is my favorite part of Asia with its amazing diversity of culture and never ending activities.

 

Happy cruising to all

 

Regards

Simon:)

[boeckli]

Mike - on the CC destinations board several posters have recommended the Salisbury YMCA hotel (next to Peninsula - apparently not like any other YMCA but a regular hotel). Certainly looks very interesting - do you know anything about it??

 

TIA

 

Ursula

[deck 9 001]

Ursula (boeckli) hi,

 

 

I have stayed here quite a few times, and indeed it is not like a YMCA. It is a very nice hotel with nice rooms of a decent size. The coffee shop on the ground floor is good and very convenient. Don't be fooled by the YMCA affiliation. It is a very nice hotel. I surely recommend it

 

Mike

[boeckli]

Ursula (boeckli) hi,

 

 

I have stayed here quite a few times, and indeed it is not like a YMCA. It is a very nice hotel with nice rooms of a decent size. The coffee shop on the ground floor is good and very convenient. Don't be fooled by the YMCA affiliation. It is a very nice hotel. I surely recommend it

 

Mike

 

Thanks a lot Mike - one more thing finalised - the harbour views from the hotel look great :)

[cruisingpete]

The YMCA is in a perfect location. You can walk over to the Peninsula for afternoon tea (no shorts allowed) in their excellent lobby. You can walk over to the Intercontinental for a snack and coffee in their excellent lobby, with a great view of the harbor. Nathan road is nearby. Kowloon Park is nearby. What fun!

[deck 9 001]

Many evenings I spent in the Lobby Bar at Intercontinental and had a great view of incoming and departing ships. With the backdrop of Hong Kong Island, it was magical.

 

You can almost count on a nighly departure for Star Pisces.

 

Check out this link for the Hong Kong Ocean Terminal arrivals and departures, and you may be lucky when you are visiting Hong Kong to have some ships in port.

 

http://www.oceanterminal.com.hk/ot/aboutus/schedules.html

 

Mike

[boeckli]

Thanks for the link Mike - the Seven Seas Mariner will arrive on the Friday (and sail after Virgo's departure on Sunday night). Interestingly SSV does not appear at any time on the Ocean Terminal schedule - is that because she is home-ported there ?(SSG is listed on her visits)

 

Have now booked YMCA hotel (one more thing to cross of the list).

[deck 9 001]

Hi Ursula, sometimes the schedule is not up to date. Best to use it just as a reference.

 

This link will bring you to current info regarding arrivals/departures.

 

http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/pub_services/vladhist.html

 

Glad you were able to get a room at The Salisbury. Many times they are sold out. Enjoy it!

 

Mike

[seasick_in_a_bathtub]

Mike,

 

Many thanks for posting the Virgo photos. We are sailing on her in July, same balcony cabins we had on our first cruise in 2006.

Have 2 nights pre-cruise in HK, staying at the Disneyland hotel....and 4 night post cruise at the Hong Kong Harbour Plaza. Might do a private Halong Bay excursion on a junk.......not sure yet about Sanya and Xaimen...so hard to find information on these 2 ports:eek:

 

Thanks everyone for posting:) .......I love reading this board , it brings our cruise so much closer.

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[deck 9 001]

Hi Justine, nice to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the Virgo pics.

A private junk tour of Halong Bay sound great. Do you already have names of tour operators for this? Your pre cruise and post cruise plans ae also very nice.

 

Have a great time in HKG and enjoy Virgo to the fullest.

 

Mike

[kuldalai]

See footnote at bottom after 2010 . Star Pisces and SS Virgo are regarded as being home ported in HK so are noted as using Ocean Terminal on a regular basis but the precise departs and arrives are not shown .

[Deck10 007]

See footnote at bottom after 2010 . Star Pisces and SS Virgo are regarded as being home ported in HK so are noted as using Ocean Terminal on a regular basis but the precise departs and arrives are not shown .

 

Hello Pal,

Search through link and cannot find the info you mentioned.

It would surprised me that Star Cruises would have planned that far ahead. The Pride od Aloha will be in Asia in a month's time. Anybody has any idea where it will be homeport.

 

Regards, John

[boeckli]

Hello Pal,

Search through link and cannot find the info you mentioned.

It would surprised me that Star Cruises would have planned that far ahead. The Pride od Aloha will be in Asia in a month's time. Anybody has any idea where it will be homeport.

 

Regards, John

 

Right at the very bottom of the page is the following paragraph:

 

"B. Home-based Cruise

Star Cruises has two vessels based in Hong Kong running "one-night getaway cruise" and "conventional cruise of 3-4 days" and is using Ocean Terminal berth daily for changing over of passengers. For more details, please contact us through correspondence or electronic mail."

[Deck10 007]

See footnote at bottom after 2010 . Star Pisces and SS Virgo are regarded as being home ported in HK so are noted as using Ocean Terminal on a regular basis but the precise departs and arrives are not shown .

 

Yes I have seen it.

 

But it did not name the Pisces and the Virgo and where did you get the imformation that it will be in HK after 2010.

[electricron]

Right at the very bottom of the page is the following paragraph:

 

"B. Home-based Cruise

Star Cruises has two vessels based in Hong Kong running "one-night getaway cruise" and "conventional cruise of 3-4 days" and is using Ocean Terminal berth daily for changing over of passengers. For more details, please contact us through correspondence or electronic mail."

 

Well, the nightly gaming cruise will be aboard the Pisces, the 3--4 days conventional cruise will be aboard the Virgo.

We know the Aquarius will be in Singapore, the Libra will be in Keelung, and the Gemini will be sailing longer cruises from Singapore and Port Klang.

 

The handover of the Aloha is about a month away, and there's still no clue as to where she might sail from. Does Star believe they will be able to sell all her cabins for cruises less than two months away?

[Deck10 007]

Well, the nightly gaming cruise will be aboard the Pisces, the 3--4 days conventional cruise will be aboard the Virgo.

We know the Aquarius will be in Singapore, the Libra will be in Keelung, and the Gemini will be sailing longer cruises from Singapore and Port Klang.

 

The handover of the Aloha is about a month away, and there's still no clue as to where she might sail from. Does Star believe they will be able to sell all her cabins for cruises less than two months away?

 

Ron, I am as amazed about The Aloha and Star Cruises as you are. Something is just not right about Star Cruises.