Super Star Virgo

[J33JWA]

Hey Guys ~ see what is coming to London town!

 

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/chilli-crab-festival-london_index.html

 

Cheers..........................James:D

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

On my way........:p

[niss200sx]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have been reading through your comments and have learnt a lot, however, I was hoping that somebody may be able to answer my question.

 

We are travelling on the Virgo in March 07 on our Honeymoon, the travel agent has booked us in an inside cabin on deck 6.

 

Would anyone know if it is possible to arrange an upgrade on the day of the cruise, to a balcony or suite, obviously we would be prepared to pay for the priviledge. Also, do you think it would work out cheaper this way, or, would we be better off booking a balcony cabin or suite now ??

 

Thanks for all your help in advance !!

 

Cheers!!

[deck 9 001]

Hi niss200sx,

 

First, congrats on your wedding and upcoming honeymoon cruise. You will love it.

 

Now to answer your question:

 

Yes, you are able to upgrade once you are aboard Virgo. If you wish to do so, go to the Reception Desk and tell them as soon as you board. They will not however, be able to tell you immediately what is available. Usually they must wait until all boarding has stopped and the ship sails. This way they know exactly what cabins are available.

 

But please note, that if you upgrade on the ship, you will be charged the published rate or brochure rate of Star Cruises.

 

If you are working with a local TA and are getting a lower rate than the published rate, I would advise you to check with your TA and discuss the options of an upgrade. You may come out with a lower price than you would aboard ship.

 

Hope this info has helped you.

 

Regards,

Mike

[Jamin]

Congrats niss200sx,:) :)

Fantastic idea for a honeymoon.

Definitely get the upgrade prior to cruising as you will achieve a better rate. The credit system on SSV makes it more than worthwhile !;)

If there is a Jr suite available ( Admiral Class ) this will really make it

a Honeymoon to remember.

Not my money - not my decision - but as a one off occassion on the

fantastic SSV, you will kick yourself if you don't.:o

Balcony is a must !

 

Kindest regards

Simon :D

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Hi niss200sx,

 

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon. You will love the SS Virgo.

I agree with Mike and Simon to ask the TA for a quote for a suite or, at least, a balcony cabin. It's worth remembering they usually come with a S$400 on board credit to be spend on food and beverages and a few extra perks (especially the suites):D .

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[Jamin]

Hi niss200sx,

Mike listed the options for me re the priveleges on SSV with respect to Balcony class & Admiral ( suites ) - appreciated Mike :) - then take into account the credit back per cabin and it works out favourably !

You will really enjoy SSV I'm sure;)

PS make sure you get on the Roll Call -:eek: it is quite fun counting the days.

 

Hi Everyone,

 

Being that questions were asked about the perks that come with Balcony and Admiral class, I thought I would post the official perks according to Star Cruises.

 

Hope this info will be of help to all future SSV cruisers.

 

Best,

Mike

 

 

Balcony Class

* Priority red carpet check-in, passport collection, delivery and

disembarkation at all ports, baggage handling and use of panoramic

glass

elevators during check-in period.

* Champagne welcome with cold towel service upon arrival at the lobby

and complimentary tea/coffee service prior to disembarkation.

* Priority reservations for Captain's dinner (first come first serve)

and splendid ocean view at the International Dining Restaurant, limited

gallery seating at the Showroom and for Gala Night Dinner.

* Special invitations to the Captain's Cocktail on Tuesdays at the

main lobby upon check-in for Sunday cruises.

* One time free access to the Spa and use of steam, sauna and aquaswim

facilities at the Fitness Centre.

 

Admiral Class

* Priority yellow carpet check-in, passport collection, delivery and

disembarkation at all ports, assisted and escorted by the Guest

Services.

* Baggage transported by the Concierge directly to the cabin.

* Flowers, deluxe fruit basket (replenished daily), assorted

chocolates, a bottle of red wine with full set-up and welcome letter

from

the Hotel Manager.

* Priority reservations for meal periods, land tours, shows and other

activities.

* Private invitation to the Captain's table during the Gala Night

Dinner.

* One time free access to the Spa and use of steam, sauna and aquaswim

facilities at the Fitness Centre.

[deck 9 001]

niss200sx Hello,

 

Although Star Cruises does not have a "cruise" Honeymoon Package, they do however have an onboard honeymoon package available for purchase. It includes:

 

 

· 1x 750ml House Sparkling Wine

· 1x Heart Shape cake with wording "Congratulations"

· Golden Balloons and Streamers

 

 

· Wedding Certificate from the Captain

An advance notice of at least 3 days is required for booking the above package.

 

This package can be arranged through your TA, or you may contact Star Cruises at their Customer Service Center at this email: starcare@starcruises.com.my

 

Hope this info helps you a little more.

 

Regards,

Mike

 

[Caz99]

Hoping someone can help me with a couple of Questions.....

We are travelling on the SSV on the 10th Sept after spending 5 nights in Singapore.....

What are the must see's in Singapore?

If we don't book a shorex from the ship at each port, is it easy enough to get transport?

In Phuket where does the ship dock?? Phuket or Patong Beach??

We also want to go on a elephant ride does anyone know where the best place for that would be??

On board where is the best place to eat??

 

Ta

Carole :cool:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[J33JWA]

Hi Carole,

 

As soon as you arrive in Changi, do pick up the free airport leaflets and attraction brochures, that will help you with the sightseeing.

Not to be missed are ~ cable car to Sentosa, Fort Silo and Sentosa island itself, Singapore night Safari, Raffles long bar for SPR sling and peanuts throwing! followed by trishaw back to your hotel, but at night only, as less traffic ; visit to 'Brew Master' on Quay side to sample their 12 types of minature beers:p.

 

SSV excursions ~ better to use ship's tours - Phuket elephant ride through jungle and streams is recommended, Langkawi for a snorkling trip.

Best place to eat on board is Pallazo (for a fee).

 

Have a nice trip and smooth sailing.

 

James:)

[mummsie]

Hi, You will love Singapore. Don't miss the night safari and also Jurong Bird Park. Also take a trip to Bugis Street, China Town and Little India including "Mustafas" (a really good shop to buy pretty much anything you want). Very interesting. You can catch the MRT to all these places (the train) very easily. Singpore is a breeze to get around in. Taxis are quite cheap too - $2.70 flag fall (I think from memory) and 10 cents a kilometer. We didn't go to Sentosa as we thought the price was way too expensive to get over there. We also haven't been on a rickshaw ride or had a drink at the Long Bar but we walked past and had a look.

In Pkuket the ship ties up at the wharf. The stalls at the wharf actually had really good prices if you can find the things you need there. We wouldn't go to Patong next time if we ever go there again. Its just way too crazy there. We caught the shorex bus from Phuket to Patong - it takes about 30 minutes. In Phuket go to the Night Fantasy - you won't be disappointed. The ship runs tours - you have to book all your tours pretty much as soon as the tour office opens or you will miss what what want as there are limited numbers.

I would not recommend the shopping trip into Langkawi. They claim its a duty free place but things in Australia were cheaper and the day we went (Friday) most shops were shut because it was their religious day. Most of the shops there seem to mainly sell alcohol, chocolate and luggage. Their week goes from Saturday to Thursday for some reason. Also the eating places didn't look very clean so nobody was game to eat there - consequently we didn't eat and were starving by the time we got back to the ship. Mummsie

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Hi Carole,

 

Not long to go now. Hopefully I can answer some of your questions.

 

1/ As James and Mummsie have mentioned, you will love Singapore. I addition to all places mentioned in previous posts, I would suggest , dinner at Newton Circus and Lau Pau Sat. Both are open air food markets.

You could also look in the Tripadvisor Singapore forums for more ideas. Which hotel are you staying at?

 

2/ We did our own excursions in Phuket and Lankgawi.

The Virgo docks in the Deep Sea Port in Phuket, about 20 minute drive from Phuket Town and 40 minutes from Patong. As we disembarked, we were approached by quite a few drivers offering their services. Make sure you negotiate the price (don't be afraid to barter). It costs us AU$ 50 for about 5 hours. The driver took us to places that were included on the ship tours but at our own pace (with 2 kids it's a lot easier). We stopped at the Cashew Factory, Wat Chalong Temple, Elephant ride (an experience in itself!) and continued to Patong for some shopping. He then picked us up after a couple of hours at a pre-arranged spot and took us back to the ship. We were going to include Fantasea Show but the kids were exhausted and it gives us an excuse for another cruise to Phuket:D . The drivers know all the places included on the official tours and you can always bring the itinerary with you. Just allow yourself plenty of time to get back onboard as the ship will NOT wait if you are doing your own excursion! Oh, and we didn't pay the driver until after he took us back to the port.

Some advice - if you are doing your own excursions , don't rush to disembark. They let the organised groups go first and it might take 40min to 1 hour for the "free and easy" passengers to be allowed off the ship.

 

In Lankgawi, we also hired a van with a driver and he took us around the island and then to Kuah Town for some shopping. I have to agree with Mummsie.....unless you want to buy alcohol or chocolate, there isn't much else (in my opinion).

Price for the van was around AU$50 for about 4 hours....once again , agree on a price first.

 

We mainly ate breakfast at the Bella Vista. We had lunch there a couple of times and twice we went to the Buffet. Be warned though!....if you want to try the Buffet, go early before the crowds....as Caz has mentioned in one of her posts, it can get scary! (behaviour wise).

Dinner....Bella Vista twice incl. the Gala Dinner, Blue Lagoon once (after the Phuket excursion, at 10pm everything else was shut but it was one of the more enjoyable dinners:D ). The Taverna......great spot:cool: ......has a BBQ Steamboat on Wed (?) nights and it's also great for snacks. We didn't eat in any specialty restaurants, hopefully next time.

Btw....you can check the daily menus for all the restaurants on Deck 7 (Lobby Boulevard), just near the entrance to the Lido.

 

Sorry for rambling on, hopefully this will be helpful to you

 

Cheers

 

Justine

 

PS. I have the Gala Night menu for the Bella Vista and a couple of other restaurants. I can scan it and post for you, if you like.

[HKfornow]

I am glad that posters here loved their experience at the SSV, however, I must say that the experience my family and I had was quite different.

 

The room was more spacious than I thought, however, our bathroom certainly had a sewer stench to it, and no amount of repeated cleaning (tried to disinfect since I have a toddler) would take away. Our TV would not turn on, and asked the attendant to turn it on, once on it would not turn off, so again had to call for help. . . This went on for 3 days until they called a technician for me. They admitted that they have had problems with TV's in lots of the rooms, but . . . basically nothing will be done. . . they did change the remote control battery w/c seem to help as long as I stood right in front of the TV and aimed at the sensor.

 

The behavior of the servers in the Pavillion restaurants were horrible. They would scowl at us & generally rude, and when we asked for warm water (for medication), they said you have tea here, and we had to ask them to just please bring the water. The food is substandard.

 

The service & food in Bella Vista & Mediterrenean Buffet was much better, and we mainly took most of our meals there.

 

We thought that the main problem with the ship was staff morale, and we were told repeatedly that the servers/attendants only made 400 Singapore $ per month working 7 days a week, and work for 10 months and 2 months unpaid leave. On top of this, since Star Cruises "discouraged" tipping, there is no incentive for the staff to provide good service. Could it also be that since we were Asians, the staff did not expect us to tip, therefore, acted accordingly? If so, then it became a self fulfilling phrophesy because we only tipped those who gave us outstanding service, and definitely not those who choose to give us BAD service.

[Jamin]

Hi Carole,

You will realy enjoy SSV as testified to by our fellow board users.

When in Singapore the MRT is a fantastic way to get around and is reasonably priced. ( :( be warned though - don't take food or drink on though as the authorities are particularly strict regarding this law )

In Phuket we have been recommended the Fantasea show which is

" must see ".:eek:

The crew members on SSV are very knowledgeable re all the shorex

itineraries and will assist whenever possible.

Always remember that a smile:) and kindness :D to the crew goes a very long way ( they all speak amongst themselves ) and will hold you in great stead for any additional requirements.

Bella Vista is definitely the "brekky" venue, Pallazo is also outstanding for

dinner ( the artwork is amazing ) but comes at a price and will need to be booked to ensure a table.

Noble House is also recommended for top level Chinese cuisine.

We are on board 27th Aug - 6 day SOM cruise then off to Hong Kong

for 5 days.

Hope this also helps.

Counting the days !!!:D

Kind regards

Simon

[stuartavo]

hope someone can answer a few questions.

travelling in 10 days time to hong kong and then doing the super star virgo trip.5 days also in penang.what are the really cool things not to miss.travelling for 15 hours on a plane i really want to enjoy the experience.i am travelling with a 9year and have read that the kids clubs are expensive.any tips ?.

[Deck10 007]

I am glad that posters here loved their experience at the SSV, however, I must say that the experience my family and I had was quite different.

 

The room was more spacious than I thought, however, our bathroom certainly had a sewer stench to it, and no amount of repeated cleaning (tried to disinfect since I have a toddler) would take away. Our TV would not turn on, and asked the attendant to turn it on, once on it would not turn off, so again had to call for help. . . This went on for 3 days until they called a technician for me. They admitted that they have had problems with TV's in lots of the rooms, but . . . basically nothing will be done. . . they did change the remote control battery w/c seem to help as long as I stood right in front of the TV and aimed at the sensor.

 

The behavior of the servers in the Pavillion restaurants were horrible. They would scowl at us & generally rude, and when we asked for warm water (for medication), they said you have tea here, and we had to ask them to just please bring the water. The food is substandard.

 

The service & food in Bella Vista & Mediterrenean Buffet was much better, and we mainly took most of our meals there.

 

We thought that the main problem with the ship was staff morale, and we were told repeatedly that the servers/attendants only made 400 Singapore $ per month working 7 days a week, and work for 10 months and 2 months unpaid leave. On top of this, since Star Cruises "discouraged" tipping, there is no incentive for the staff to provide good service. Could it also be that since we were Asians, the staff did not expect us to tip, therefore, acted accordingly? If so, then it became a self fulfilling phrophesy because we only tipped those who gave us outstanding service, and definitely not those who choose to give us BAD service.

The Virgo although it looks still brand new is several years old now. Star Cruises is closing some rooms and rejuvenating them. Having said that your unfortunate experience is an amazement to me. I am on the Virgo a about 50 times in the last 2 years and have never encountered the same experience as you.

The plumbling is normally the most common problem in the cruise ship and I have seen slow suction toilet action and standing slow flowing shower water. But what is this you are saying about toilet smell?

The TV on the cruise ship is very different from the land TV as it is receiving signal to a moving object (cruise ship). It is not as easy to use as the land TV that is for sure. I had to call for service on a few occasions and the service is general good to very good. Once the technician had to replace the whole TV decoder in the room.

What is this about service in the Pavilion. Food is substanded. Not on the Virgo. Never had a problem with service. Food, you can ask for extra dishes of the best dishes if you want.

Staff morale is a problem. Not anything that I have heard. S$400 pm is a tidy fortune in their third world home country with all living expanses paid for.

Tipping, you think it is a good idea and the absense of this is the problem. It will add up your cost quite abit. Asians are known to be bad tippers and you will probably get poor service before you get a chance to tip.

 

John from Singapore

[Jamin]

Hi all,

SSV is a very good standard in all areas from my limited experience.

As I have previously mentioned -:) a smile seems to be the remedy :) -

when acknowledging good service or special requests.

The hygiene seemed very high standard when we were last on board

particularly with respect to staff grooming and manners.

The staff conveyed to us that they even have to endure a "white glove "

dust test in their quarters to maintain total cleanliness.:o

By the end of our cruise we even had the staff providing their details to ensure we mentioned them by name in our feedback forms.

From feedback I have gained by friends who have cruised with other

lines - crewed by American and UK staff - there is no comparison !

Hope this assists whenever cruising SSV.

Cheers:D

Simon.

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Hi HKfornow,

 

So sorry to hear about your unhappy experience on board the Virgo.

 

We too had a problem with a TV in one of our cabins.....but we spent so little time there that it didn't really bother us. Indeed, the only channel we watched was the ship's itinerary!

 

All the crew members we met couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. All our "hellos" were met with a smile and a greeting back. From the Maitre'd at the Bella Vista to our Room Steward, and the Staff at The Taverna (our favourite spot!) or ladies constantly polishing the balustrades, it was just amazing. It was our first cruise and a great experience.

 

 

 

Hi Stuart.....the rates at the Kids Club are S$6/hr. There are a few free of charge activities like the "Greet and meet party", ship's tour and the Gala night.

We travelled with 2 kids (8 and 12) and I certainly budgeted quite a lot for their time in the Kids Club. Amazingly enough, we did spend a lot of time doing activities together without them getting bored. On port days you will be out and about on excursions, so that kinda takes care of itself.

Kids under 12 are not allowed to use the pool on Deck 12 , so we did tend to spend time around the kids pool area. It was great! Not crowded at all, plenty of sunlounges available, you can relax and read while your daughter is in the pool. We also discovered bingo in the Galaxy of the Stars (usually around 10.30am), it was good fun for the whole family. I did line dancing (well, I tried anyway:p ) with my daughter, while the "boys" (hubby and son) hired golf clubs and enjoyed mini golf on the top deck. Go and see all the shows, they are free. There is a game arcade (30 tokens for S$15, many games are only 1 token each). We bought 1 lot and it lasted them the whole cruise. The only time our kids went to the kids club (beside the free activities) was after dinner (we tried to eat early, at around 6-6.30). We had at least 1 hour (sometimes 2) to ourselves. We went to the casino a couple of times or just enjoyed a quiet drink.

You and your family will enjoy the cruise, there is so much to do to keep everyone busy. After a day or 2 you will find a favourite spot on the ship.....ours were the Taverna and the Observatory.

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[deck 9 001]

Justine, what a lovely and most informative reply.:)

 

Best,

 

Mike

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Mike,

 

Good to hear from you:) ....and thank you. It's a great feeling being able to answer someone's queries and, as you once said, make their holidays a bit more enjoyable.

 

Actually....I was planning to post a question for you....you might know or be able to suggest who to contact. We will certainly sail the Virgo again, hopefully in 2008. We like the 7 and 10-day itineraries of the Gemini (visiting Bangkok, Cambodia, Vietnam etc.). Do you thing that the Virgo might do longer cruises or will they just continue with the 5 nights? If that's the case, we will look at the back-to-back cruises:D

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[deck 9 001]

Hi Justine,

 

To my knowlege, Virgo will stay with shorter cruises. Yes, they may alter itineraries and add new ports, but the length will most likely stay the same, as this is most preferable to the Singaporean locals.

 

From what I have heard, Gemini will still be in Singapore during 2007 and will be doing week long cruises as well as longer cruises. The final itineraries are not as yet released, but should be available soon.

If I hear anything, I will post.

 

Good to hear from you also Justine.

 

Best,

 

Mike

[Sophie Lin]

Dear all,

 

I read a lot of good reviews about the Virgo, and tried to make a reservation to surprise my hubby (for our first anniversary:) ). I always love crusing and have been to a few of the main lines. Since my hubby's birthday is around end of Sep and he will have a week off after that, I am trying to look for a trip departing Oct 1.

 

I called Star Cruises' office in Hong Kong (where I am) but they said they don't have the package prices (cruise+ plane tickets to Singapore) for October yet, and not sure which route Virgo will take on Oct 1st. Consider it's less than 2 months left, I really can't see how the pricing and itinerary are still not planned out :confused: Usually I booked an international cruise 3-6 months ahead.

 

I then called the Singapore sales office - I really want to go and try to book the rooms before they sold out, then I will buy my own plane tickets! I was told there are only few rooms left, but since I'm not Singaporean, I have to paid 250% of the price shown at the local office (which I would not pay as this "price discrimination by race" thing is outrageous!) The guy advised me to make reservation at local Hong Kong office because that gives me the "local" price. I am getting VERY frustrated.... why is this so confusing & difficult?!!!

 

So my questions are 1) does anyone know which itinerary Virgo will take on Oct 1, 2006 and 2) what shall I do - just wait for the October pricing get published, most likely by then everything will be sold out though :mad: Umm... really don't know what to do??? will appreciate any advice!

 

THANKS!!!

[deck 9 001]

Hi Sophie,

 

Virgo does have the itinerary for the October 01 sailing listed on Star Cruises website. This is it:

 

Pearls of the Orient (3-Night)DayDestinationArrivalDepartureSunSingapore - 1600MonPenang 1200 2000TuePhuket Island 0800 (0700) 1800 (1700) WedSingapore * 1900 2359ThuMalacca ** 0700 0900 Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) 1400 2300FriSingapore 1400 - SAILING DATESDeparting on SundayOct1, 8, 15, 22, 29 , 2006Nov5, 12, 19, 26 , 2006Dec10, 17, 24, 31 , 2006Jan7, 14, 21, 28 , 2007Feb18, 25 , 2007Mar4, 11, 18, 25 , 2007

 

This sailing date is a 3 night cruise, but you could combine cruises to make a longer one.

This is the itinerary website page:

http://www2.starcruises.com/Itineraries/Singapore/index.html

 

It is unfortunate that there are local rates and International rates, but this is done as an incentive for the local people of each respective country to cruise more often.

 

I do suggest you keep in constant communication with Star's HK office regarding fly/cruise package rates and cabin availability. Try emailing them at this address:sales@starcruises.com.hk

They should have the prices available very soon. Also, keep calling and ask to speak with the fly/cruise department.

This is the local phone number. (852) 2317-7711

 

Hope this info has been a little helpful for you.

 

Regards,

 

Mike

[Doubletrouble_in_oz]

Hi Sophie,

 

Maybe you could try and contact a travel agent in HK.....it's possible they have some package prices for October.

 

Cheers

 

Justine

[Sophie Lin]

Thanks Justin!

 

I did contact American Express Travel and a couple local travel agencies. They are also waiting for the updated package info from Star Cruises. They only have September pricing on hand.

 

:(

 

Sophie