Compact Travels - Exploring Places Like Never Before...

I have had a globe trotting experience for almost 17 years now and I have travelled to most places making my own travel plans. I always wanted to share my travel experiences and what better way than to start your own travel company and this year I finally took the plunge by starting COMPACT TRAVELS which would specialize in exploring places like never before. In October, I decided to make a trip to Singapore though I have visited Singapore on earlier occasions as well, Singapore has always been a hot destination for Indian tourists.

However, besides visiting Singapore and looking at it from a touristy angle, I wanted to experience travelling on the Star Cruise so that I can use my first hand experience whilst guiding others for a cruise holiday.

I started my research on a Cruise Holiday at least a couple of months before my scheduled trip and was glad to know that I could save quite a bit if I booked the cruise at least 45 days in advance by availing of the SUPER SAVER FARE. There were quite a few people who dissuaded me from travelling with kids. But I decided to travel with kids for if I want to sell a cruise holiday in the future I would target not just the honeymooners and couples but families too. Besides small kids, the other reason given to me by those who have never been on a cruise was the sea sickness factor. And let me tell you that, neither me, nor my wife, nor my 5 year old daughter nor my 18 month old son ever felt sea sick at the end of one of my most exhilarating travel experiences. On the contrary, we all wished for the cruise to be a little longer but every good thing comes to an end and so did the cruise.

This article is aimed at those who plan going to Far East and would like travelling on the Star Cruise and COMPACT TRAVELS will be glad to assist them with comprehensive details and plans on preparing for a CRUISE HOLIDAY.

Firstly, to get the right flavour of the cruise you should book yourself for at least a 3Night/4 Day trip and on SUPERSTAR VIRGO. This magnificent ship made up of 13 decks can accommodate almost 2000 passengers and the bigger the group the greater the fun you would have aboard the ship.

Secondly, book well in advance and that too at least a Balcony Class tho4ugh it may be more expensive than the Ocean Stateroom but you should remember that you would be spending almost 100 hours aboard the ship and at least 40% of the time in your cabin. So, have a cabin where you can not only get a beautiful view of the sea but also can sit on the balcony and also have the most magnificent view from your room.

Thirdly, ensure that all your documents are in order A Passport valid for at least 6 months, a two-way or multiple visa for Singapore if you are taking the Superstar Virgo ex-Singapore and a single entry visa for Thailand as the route would be Singapore - Langkawi (Malaysia)- Phuket (Thailand) and back to Singapore.

Although for Thailand you get visas on arrival but that is if you travel by air; by sea it is mandatory to have the visa stamped on your passport before you board the ship.

Fourth, travel light and include carrying your swimwear, a pair of sandals or floaters, a few tee-shirts preferably collared as some restaurants prohibit shirts without collar, shorts and one formal outfit for the GALA DINNER( your FAREWELL DINNER) arranged aboard the ship and yes your camera as well as camcorder.

Now coming back to our first hand experience of a cruise - We arrived at the World Trade Centre, Singapore around 1400hrs to board the ship which would be ready to sail at 1600 hrs. Being in Balcony class, we were asked to be in a “special” queue for check-in formalities where a red carpet was laid signifying balcony class and lo! within 20 odd minutes we were checked in conveniently.

One important piece of information if you are travelling with a child less than 24 months, it is imperative that you take along a collapsible stroller which can be extremely handy on board as well as for the off-shore excursions.

As you go through the walkway into the ship your passports are taken by the crew and in exchange each passenger is handed over a key. This key which is of a size of a credit card can be used to enter your room, make purchases aboard the ship as well as it becomes your identity as you need your key to be swiped on entering or exiting the ship for any of the off-shore excursions.

Your checked baggage is sent to your room approximately one hour after you're on board the ship.

Before you enter your room, you should first head for the reception which is located on the 7th deck and there are these 3 brightly-lit escalators which take you from one level to another. From the reception you can collect the ship planner which is a handy-map giving you details of what is located where on the ship. You can also ask for your STAR NAVIGATOR that tells you about various activities that are scheduled during the day in different areas within the ship. This is provided to you every day when you are on the ship.

As soon as you board the ship and at least 30 minutes before the ship sets sell you have to go for the safety drill where a demonstration is given by crew members of how to use your life jackets during any unforeseen emergency. It is a must as security should always be a top priority.

All meals are included in the price, but being in balcony class, we were given a credit of 300 Singapore Dollars for any additional food or drink expenses incurred in one of the several restaurants on the ship. The credit is not valid if you are ordering room service.

As you enter the ship you should look refreshed as photographers near the check-in are ready to click you as soon as you enter the ship and capture your expression on being aboard this magnificent vessel. The pictures taken are later displayed in the Photo Gallery and can be purchased at the time as announced near the display area. Let me tell you that it is not always an easy task to locate your picture amongst over a thousand pictures on display and that itself can be a lot of fun. Before purchasing find out in what format you could have the picture, a key-chain memorabilia or a 5 x 7 photograph. I recommend you to make that extra expense of taking one of these souvenirs and if you don't like the picture you can wait for several other opportunities where you may be clicked again especially whilst alighting from the ship for an off-shore excursion or also during the Gala Dinner.

The ship started sailing at around 1600 hours on Sunday, 19th October 2003 as per the scheduled time. The best place to be is on any of the open decks when the ship sails so that you have one of the most majestic views of Singapore city and the Singapore harbour.

On the ship, you are spoilt for choice as far as the cuisine is concerned. There are as many as 10 different restaurants where you can enjoy a wide variety of cuisine ranging from Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean, Asian, Western and for the sweet tooth there is the exclusive Gelato Ice Cream and Juice Café which you can visit throughout the day to enjoy some of the most exotic desserts and ice creams. For the pub-and-bar goer there is the “Out of Africa Pub”, the Champagne Bar as well as the roof top open air Taverna where you can enjoy one of the cocktails on a bright sunny day in the middle of the sea.

Remember, that although you hear before going on a cruise that you can enjoy 6 meals a day which to a certain extent is true, you should also note that not all the restaurants are free. Therefore travelling in Balcony Class is an advantage as you get that extra food credit . You can utilize that credit to try out cuisine in some of the restaurants where you are charged extra. Let me tell you that 300 SGD credit is quite a lot for a 4 Day cruise. For example if you want to try out the Indian cuisine at the TAJ you pay a mere 10 Sing Dollars (SGD) per adult and 5 SGD per child to have your fill of Indian food.

Interpretation of the STAR NAVIGATOR: The STAR NAVIGATOR is the daily schedule of various activities aboard the ship. It gives you information on what vessel you are on, the date for which the schedule as mentioned in the Star Navigator has been organized, the port where you have set sail from the time of departure (applicable on day one) and the sunrise and sunset timings.

Talking of the sunset and sunrise timings, if it is a clear day, I recommend you to go to the uppermost deck to see the sunset and you would have one of the most magnificent views.

Once you are aboard the ship, you are overwhelmed and stunned with surprise at the rich décor especially around the reception area and instead of trying to click as many pictures as possible right away, you should try to familiarize yourself on the ship. You will have ample time later to click the pictures anywhere on the ship that you might want to.

Around the reception area you can click loads of picture but as mentioned earlier I recommend you to settle in as soon as possible and after keeping your luggage in your room, do a quick tour of the ship to know where what is. So with your planner in your hand you should go through each of the decks, right from the 6th to the 13th deck.

Last month I shared some of my experiences on being aboard the Star Cruise. The Superstar Virgo is one of the finest vessels comprising of as many as 13 decks and has activities for literally everyone. The ship can accommodate almost 2000 passengers and if you are cruising ex-Singapore, all billings aboard the ship is done in Singapore Dollars.

Each of us were given an Access card which is like a multi purpose card and helps us not only to get an access to our room aboard the ship but also a host of privileges. The first thing I did was to get the credit barring done for the children's card which is a good idea because if your kids are exploring certain segments of the ship on their own, they could sign for any facilities and you could be liable for the charges. It is also always advisable to have your access card with you all the time whilst you are experiencing the various services and facilities on the ship. Now let me take you through the various levels of the Superstar Virgo….

Although there are 13 levels as mentioned earlier, the main activities are located between the 7th and the 13th Deck and yes there also are a couple of restaurants on the 6th Deck a Chinese Restaurant called Pavilion Room and the Bella Vista which has a capacity of 560 and where one can experience international dining. On Deck 4 is the Medical Centre and if you want to take a picture like the movie Titanic, you can go to the viewpoint which is located on Deck 7 and you can do so only before the ship sails as otherwise the door is locked for safety reasons. It is a better idea to try going to this deck during one of the ports of call during your cruise either before alighting or after boarding at either Langkawi or Phuket.

To go through the various levels of the ship you could use the lifts or the stairs and if you are a gourmand it wouldn't be a bad idea to use the stairs especially after your meal. When you book with your travel agent for the cruise you should receive a cruise guide which has other important details and I recommend that you read it before boarding as it has all the details right from the checking-in formalities, to drinking water and safety on board, etc.

As STAR CRUISE was celebrating 10 years of their service each of the passengers on balcony class received a booklet comprising of discounts and offers which could be enjoyed aboard the ship. The booklet called STAR TREATS had discounts on purchases made in any of the boutiques as well as host of other events including off shore excursions, dining, etc.

On Deck 7 there are a host of things one could do. The reception area also known as Grand Piazza is brightly lit and is a great venue for taking pictures. On one end of the Grand Piazza is the reception and on the other end are the 3 brightly lit glass lifts and the ride up and down these “see through” lifts would ensure that you get different dimensions of the magnificent interiors of the vessel.

Then there is the Blue Lagoon - a restaurant which specializes in Southeast Asian Favourites. You also have the Oasis for those who wish to try their luck in the evenings at this Casino, try a hand at playing Black Jack or one of the slot machines. The Noble House is a restaurant where you can enjoy fine Chinese dining and we did utilize our food credit at this restaurant as unlike the Pavilion Room, the Noble House offers more like the Chinese food that we are used to eating in India. We were also lucky enough to get a steal - a bottle of one of the finest 10 year old Australian wine for just 16 Sing Dollars which too was adjusted against the food credit we got being travelers on Balcony Class.

There is the Italian Speciality Restaurant called Palazzo as well as the "Out of Africa" or the Karaoke Pub Café on the 7th Deck. Out of Africa is a great place to be after an exhaustive tour around the ship - an ideal place to enjoy one of the exotic cocktails or mocktails as well as try your singing skills. On one of the days, there was a Karaoke competition and the worst singer would win a drink. It's a great place to be to hone your singing skills.

The Lido is a good place to be in for late evening events especially after dinner and each day there is a different programme. We were lucky enough to witness Carnivale de Brazil which had dancers from Brazil performing and this was followed by a fine performance by acrobats from China. If the sun is shining or you want to gaze at the stars there is no better place to be on board than the Promenade which is a fine place to stroll along as well as look at the sea and beyond.

Deck 8 is extremely popular with the Indians one of the reasons is because there is the Taj- the Indian Specialty restaurant and yes you have the picture gallery where the pictures taken are on display as well as there are some shops and boutiques where you could pick up souvenirs, chocolates as well as some exciting designer stuff. There is the Champagne Bar- Bellini as well as a Wine Shop and those who want to be a regular on the Star Cruise can check for membership at the membership counter. Besides a few duty free shops, there is also the Samurai for those who like Japanese cuisine.

Deck 9 is where we were staying and so also several other passengers traveling on Balcony Class. Next we move on to Deck 10 - the Kiddies' Nook or rather the most happening deck for the kids. The kids can experience entertainment galore as there is the Starlight Video Arcade where you can play video games. Then there is the Neptune's Wet & Wild - a swimming pool with couple of slides for the kids and on a beautiful day it really becomes difficult to get your kids out of this pool. Alongside you have a Jacuzzi for the kids too. For the infants and under 6 kids, the best place would probably be the Charlie's Child Care Centre which has not only games and activities for kids but also baby sitting facility. The kids can mingle with other kids of different nationalities and enjoy a host of games, activity, fun learning events as well as parties organized exclusively for the kids. For those who think the Cruise ship is not for the kids, think again, there are as many as 60 different activities lined up for the kids from early morning till the wee hours of the night and this ranges from Costume Party to Kids Karaoke, to Drawing contests and theme parties. For instance during our cruise the theme was Egypt and every day there was some event connected with Egypt such as the Egyptian Story Time, the Ancient Egyptian Colouring competition, etc. To avail of the range of activities for the Child Care centre you have to pay 8.00 Sing dollars per hour for kids between 1 and 4 years of age and 6.00 Sing Dollars per hour for kids between 5 and 12 and if you want a Baby sitter to look after your kid at any time of the day or night it is 12.00 Sing Dollars per hour per child. The fees include all facilities, activities, healthy snack, fresh fruits and juices as well. Oh to be a kid especially on the Star Cruise!!!

We did not explore the 11th deck as much, though it comprises of the Captain's Bridge Viewing Gallery, an Amphitheatre, a Jumbo Chess board as well as Table Tennis playing facility.

That takes us to Deck 12 where you have the Parthenon Pool which is in the centre of four Jacuzzis and is a pool where the adults can swim and enjoy a drink along with a dip in the pool. On Deck 12 are the fitness centers - a must atleast once a day especially if you love to be at Café Gelato on Deck 12 where there are the most exotic desserts that you could possibly have. For the person who loves to be indoors there is a Library, a Writing room, the Internet, a Hair and Beauty Salon, an Activity centre and if you want to have a midnight buffet or an early morning breakfast there is the Mediterranean Terrace where you can eat a Buffet to your heart's content. Also, there is the "Galaxy of Star" for live music, dance and cocktails. If the weather isin't good you could have a dip in Aquaswim - the Indoor pool.

Lastly, there is Deck 13 the topmost level of the ship where you could get a magnificent view of the sea and beyond and see the lovely islands on the way to Thailand and Malaysia. The Observatory deck on Deck 13 is the place to be in. For the Golf lovers, there is the Mini Golf/ Gold Driving Range and for the fitness freak there is the Star Track which is a jogging circuit - an ideal place to shed your calories that you have gained on the ship. There is a Celebrity disco for the night birds and the Taverna - the open air pub restaurant or the poolside snack bar to enjoy pizzas, pastas and more along with your drink.

You could also play Basketball on Deck 13 or sun bathe on the Sun deck. There is so much to do on the ship that even if you have ports of call to go off shore it isn't surprising to see many staying on the ship to enjoy the various activities. Hence, if you are on a Superstar Virgo, you should atleast cruise for 4 days as less than that you would really not be doing any justice to your cruise holiday.

There are so many activities lined up for kids as well as adults that I could simply go on and on but the best way is to experience it yourself and our team at Compact Travels would be glad to help you out whenever you plan for a Cruise Holiday on Superstar Virgo.

From my personal experience of having traveled to so many places, I would rank the Superstar Virgo cruise holiday amongst the top 3 holidays that I have ever taken. It is indeed an experience of a life time and the extent to which I have enjoyed my first cruise holiday it wouldn't be surprising if you see a similar article on some other cruise holiday being featured in Opportunities Today in the near future. I strongly recommend all of you to experience this wonderful Cruise Holiday especially on Superstar Virgo.

(Concluded)
Subhash Motwani