An Exciting Asian Voyage at Star Cruises SuperStar Virgo
After its successful first Manila homeport in 2017, Star Cruises SuperStar Virgo made Manila its home once again last summer, offering 6-day 5-night cruise packages from Manila to Japan and Taiwan. Before, Filipinos would have to fly to Singapore or Hong Kong to ride on a Star Cruises ship, which would entail additional travel costs, but now that Star Cruises directly docks at the Manila port, it was the best time for me to take advantage of their all-inclusive cruise packages so I could finally experience the #CruiseLife.
SuperStar Virgo made Manila its homeport from March to May 2018 so I did not have to take an airplane to finally get onboard this gigantic cruise ship. Guests can simply walk up the stairs and come aboard for a spectacular experience which comes with full-board meals, exciting activities, plus nightly shows and performances. Of course, passengers will still have to do some pre-boarding immigration procedures at the Pier 15 South Harbor, also known as the Eva Macapagal Terminal, which is just beside the Manila Hotel.
There’s no space for parking at the pier itself, so it’s best to have someone drop you off at the terminal or just ride a taxi. Check-in starts as early as 11:00am so it is also advisable to come in early so you can maximize your time inside the ship before it leaves the port at 5:00pm. My sister Angel was my companion for the 6-day cruise as we continued our annual sisterly bonding trips. I chose this particular itinerary because of its destinations, Okinawa in Japan and Keelung in Taiwan, which are countries I had not visited yet. I also love everything Japanese, so even though we will not be going to Tokyo or Osaka, Okinawa is still a good introduction to Japan culture and cuisine.
Once you board Star Cruises, it is like you are inside a big luxurious hotel floating on the sea. The ship can accommodate around 2,800 passengers inside its more than ten floors of relaxing venues, rooms, entertainment and dining facilities. The reception and lobby is located on Deck 7 where you can also find the majestic Grand Piazza and staircase, one of the most photographed areas in the ship.
Since this is just our first cruise, we opted to book their standard Inside Stateroom Cabin. The total cruise package for this room costs around $600-$700 per person on a twin sharing basis, but rates also vary depending on the itinerary of your cruise. The small room is comfortable enough for two persons, but it can also accommodate up to four persons with its combination of beds and Pullman bunks.
There is a small television in the room but its almost all Chinese and foreign language shows. Anyway, you don’t ride on a cruise just to stay inside your room. This is why we decided to get the basic room only since we will be spending most of our time enjoying the ship and its facilities.
However, on my next cruise, I will probably book one of their Balcony Class cabins so I can feel the sea breeze and watch the ocean waves right from my bed. This cabin comes with a separate living area and plenty of luxurious touches, such as ensuite bathrooms, mini-fridges and flat-screen televisions.
For those on a honeymoon, the best option would be any of their Junior Suites like the Tahiti Suite. It comes with a separate living area that opens up to the ocean, while the elegant masters bedroom even comes with its own Jacuzzi. Now this is how you cruise in style! Balcony Class and Suite guests also get priority boarding, dining credits, and other perks depending on the specific cruise package.
Since we didn’t want to stay too lang inside our room, it was time to explore the rest of the ship. The Parthenon swimming pool on Deck 12 is one of the best spots to relax and enjoy the sea breeze. This enchanting spot comes with four Jacuzzis and a 100-meter mega water-slide which unfortunately, I did not dare to ride.
SuperStar Virgo sailed away and left Manila at around 5:00pm, so now it’s time to start the party! Even before the ship left the pier, guests were already enjoying the facilities inside the boat. Aside from the pool, the Apollo Spa & Fitness Centre is also located nearby where guests can be pampered or do some light workouts.
I was excited to find out that the ship has its own Duty Free outlets which offer big sales and discounts. The Casino is another entertainment option for adult passengers but it only opens once the ship is sailing in international waters.
For those looking for some privacy and quite moments, the Library would be choice of venue as they can just grab the newspaper or a book and watch the ship sail away. The ship also has a salon, retail outlets, ice cream shop, basketball court, mini-golf course, karaoke room, and many other areas to discover.
There are also many activities to join everyday when you are inside the ship. Just look at your Star Navigator, which is handed to passengers every day, for the daily schedule of activities and dining options. Make sure you register early for the Captain’s Bridge Tour where you can go down to the Captain’s Bridge and see how they make sure the cruise runs smoothly and safely.
We got to meet Captain Robert Bodin himself who makes sure that all the passengers are taken care of and that we get to our destination safely. I was expecting to see a big captain’s wheel, like the ones we see in the movies, but those are actually just symbolic now and everything is done with computers and digital controls. You can read about our stops in Okinawa and Taipei on my next blog article (Read: Exploring Taipei and Okinawa on Star Cruises SuperStar Virgo), but in the meantime, let’s not disturb the captain any further so we don’t hit any rocks or icebergs.
For those traveling with kids and children, they will have plenty of activities to do as well because SuperStar Virgo has its own Arcade Room where they can play the PS4 and Wii the entire day if they like.
SuperStar Virgo is so big that it even houses a theatre where guests can catch incredible live performances nightly. The Zodiac Theater features ultra-talented performers as they wow audiences through their showcase in music, dance, and even magic!
My sister and I were mesmerized watching the magic shows and the acrobatic performances in the middle of the sea. There are usually two batches for the shows so you can watch it either before or after dinner. You will have to do some lining up to watch the shows but it is all worth it.
For nightcaps, the Galaxy of The Stars was our preferred place to finish the evening. Live bands and musical performances are shown here until past midnight, which is made even better with a few glasses of Tequila Sunrise. This was Angel’s favorite hangout spot.
One of the biggest allures of riding in a cruise ship are the non-stop dining options and activities throughout the day. At SuperStar Virgo, guests can avail of up to 6 meals a day, which is all included in the package price. My sister and I had so much fun eating everyday from breakfast, merienda, dinner, and even up to supper.
The Lido is the international buffet restaurant of SuperStar Virgo where most of the guests can enjoy their unlimited buffet meals. This is also the first dining option we tried during our first day on the cruise because we were really hungry. Guests can only choose one specific inclusive restaurant per meal period, so those who want to eat as much as they want will be spending a lot of time here at The Lido.
Another option is the Star Dining Room which serves Western dishes in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. This is where we usually had our breakfast but it also serves lunch and dinner sets.
The third restaurant that is part of the inclusive dining options is the Pavilion restaurant which is the ideal place to enjoy elegant Chinese cuisine. We tried all three dining options during the cruise so your choice really depends on what you feel like eating for that period. Beverages, unfortunately, are not part of the free dining options so these will be charged separately.
Aside from the inclusive restaurant, there are several other dining establishments inside SuperStar Virgo serving a variety of world-class cuisines from Western, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and even Italian. If you want to dine at these more private venues like Samurai, the ship’s premium Japanese restaurant, your orders will be charged separately to your total bill.
We also had dinner one time at the Taverna Bar located on the upper Deck 13. This superb location serves lunch and dinner against the backdrop of a shimmering night sky. We were really craving for some lobster that evening so we gave in and ordered their premium seafood set.
Make sure not to miss the special Barbecue Night where the international buffet will feature a barbecue cookout right by the swimming pool. This is one of the best dining periods during the cruise as you can get freshly cooked meats and seafood right off the grill.
But the grandest dinner during the entire trip was definitely the Captain’s Gala Night. This special farewell dinner is usually held during the last night of the cruise where everyone can come dressed in their best gowns and evening attire. Guests are advised to come to the dinner in elegant or smart casual wear, but this program is entirely optional, so others who do not feel like dressing up can just have their dinners at the Lido buffet.
The program begins with a cocktail party at the Grand Piazza staircase where the Captain and his entire crew are presented to the guests. There are also several music and dance performances to liven up the party. Photo opportunities with the captain and the crew are also available during this time.
But something more special was actually waiting for us as my sister and I were invited to sit and have dinner at the Captain’s Table. The previous day, we found a letter on our cabin door asking us if we would like to be part of their table. Only a few lucky guests are invited for this privilege so we were honored to be seated with them.
We came in our best attire and enjoyed an exquisite dinner which included seafood and lobsters. The Gala Night dinner is held at the Pavilion and the Star Dining rooms so guests are treated to a fabulous set dinner, but I think the dishes served on our table were much better that the regular menu. Just look at the baked lobster I devoured.
We cherished every moment we had at the farewell dinner and the only sad moment was realizing that our cruise was almost over. We spent our last evening enjoying more of the drinks and music at the Galaxy of the Stars, and then we packed our bags for our eventual departure the next morning.
We had one last breakfast inside the ship before Manila slowly started coming into view. We already settled our bills and finished with checkout procedures the night before, so all that was left was to go outside and welcome ourselves back to busy streets of Manila.
SuperStar Virgo is set to join the Dream Cruises’ fleet in 2019 to become Explorer Dream, so this holiday season may be the last time that SuperStar Virgo docks in Manila. But regardless of which ship makes Manila her homeport in the future, Star Cruises will aways be a romantic and exciting way to travel and explore Asia. I hope to back on board soon!
Star Cruises Superstar Virgo
836-6080
www.starcruises.com
www.facebook.com/starcruisesphilippines