Holiday Cruise Ship 2 Oct – 4 Oct 2009 Day 3

An antique phone in Bella Vista on board the Star Cruise Virgo

Day 3 on this holiday cruise ship, Star Cruise Virgo, also popularly known as a casino cruise ship.

In the morning, we managed to get some beautiful sunrise images as we watched the sunrise from our balcony.

Sunrise images

More sunrise images


This morning, because mother likes toasted bread for breakfast, we once again headed for Bella Vista. You can get to taste breakfast food of Asian, Western or Chinese styles. Today for the Asian menu, there was nasi lemak (coconut rice) and grilled beef for the Western menu. The fruit selection was good today and there were longans at the buffet counter. The waiter also managed to get some lovely bananas for us.

Breakfast in Bella Vista on board the holiday cruise ship, Star Cruise Virgo

Whilst waiting for the holiday cruise ship to arrive at port, we had a chat and started discussing our next holiday cruise on star cruise lines, this time intending to go for the 4 days and 3 nights’ trip with stopover in Phuket, Thailand and Penang, Malaysia. At the same time, here are some harbour pictures as we got closer to port.


Harbour pictures

We had made arrangements with the Reception for assistance with mother in her wheelchair during disembarkation. They came to assist mother at approximately 1105 hrs and all wheelchair passengers on the cruise were allowed to disembark before the other passengers. It seems there were a total of 15 – 20 passengers on wheelchair on this cruise with 1400 other passengers.

Staff of Star Cruise Virgo pushing the guests on wheelchairs out for disembarkation


Wheelchair passengers on the Star Cruise Virgo waiting in line for the elevator to proceed to the Singapore Immigration and Customs



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Seychelles Suite On Holiday Cruise Ship Star Cruise Virgo 4th Sept – 6th Sept 2009 Day 3

Day 3

As per our usual routine, we went to Bella Vista Restaurant to have a leisurely Western breakfast. You could also have Chinese selection here if you opt to in a separate section of the restaurant. At the western section where we were seated, you could have a breakfast food choice of Continental or Asian food. For the Continental selection, you could help yourself to the cereals, croissants, Danish pastries, muffins, bread, cheese and cold cuts as well. For the Western special of the day, you could have Eggs Benedict - 2 poached eggs set on muffin & pork ham gratinated with sauce Hollandaise. The Asian special of the day was fried vegetarian bee hoon noodles.

Western breakfast special

Asian Special

Omelette & Hash brown

This weekend being the start of the week long school holidays, MindChamps which deals with development of children were also on board. Over the whole of next week, they would be conducting various workshops based on the theme ‘be A Champion At Sea’ when children can embark on a voyage of discovery.

Some harbour pictures as we were sailing into Singapore


Whilst waiting to disembark, we were all seated in the cruise suite cabin enjoying each others' company and reminiscing about how time just flew by whilst we were on board the Star Cruise Virgo.

In the Seychelles Suite on board the holiday cruise ship


The holiday cruise ship docked around 1100 hrs and we waited till about 1130 hrs before getting the cruise staff to help push mother in her wheelchair. We were hoping to avoid the crowds. On the way to the immigration and customs, we saw more than ten wheelchair passengers. Now we know why the four handicapped cabins on board the Star Cruise Virgo were not available for us to book. A lesson to note for the future:- If we are going on board again in the future with mother in a wheelchair, we would need to book in advance in order to get the handicapped cabin.

This has been a wonderful holiday cum birthday celebration on board the holiday cruise ship Star Cruise Virgo. It was of course made more enjoyable by us having a cruise suite room as well as being able to record down the dragon beard candy demonstration. At the same time, we managed to experience the how the handicapped cruise.




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Seychelles Suite On Holiday Cruise Ship Star Cruise Virgo 4th Sept – 6th Sept 2009 Day 2

Day 2

Here are sunrise images as well as ocean images that we managed to snap first thing in the morning. You can also see some Malaysia islands in the background.


Sunrise images

More sunrise images

Ocean image

Malaysia Islands

2 cute little islands side by side


We started off the day with breakfast at Mediterranean Buffet Restaurant. A wide spread of breakfast food of international variety to choose from you could have your pick and eat your fill. Somehow either we were not hungry or the food was not up to our standard we did not completely enjoy our breakfast that day.

Breakfast food of great variety available


Mediterranean Buffet Restaurant



Having breakfast in Mediterranean Buffet Restaurant

After breakfast was over, we settled mother in the casino and went to watch the sushi making and dragon beard making demonstration. You get to taste the creations as well at the end of the demonstration. The dragon beard making demonstration was very interesting indeed. Imagine starting work on hard crystallized sugar and ending up with something that so resembles the beard of the dragon.


Sushi making

Dragon beard candy is a form of spun sugar traditional in China. It signifies good luck and is normally given during Chinese New Year.

Dragon beard candy making demonstration

Next was lunch at Blue Lagoon, an Asian Bistro outlet a’la carte restaurant where moderate charges apply. We had satay, mee soto and fish head noodle soup. Mother’s favourite is the fish head noodle soup which she always almost picks when she comes on board. We also ordered the mixed satay and the mee soto Indonesian style. The satay gravy was thick and savoury and the satay meat adequately spiced. The mee soto though was not what we were used to and did not find it authentic. There is a special Blue Lagoon weekend menu where you can order Bird's Nest Soup With Ginseng or Red Dates for SGD49 (USD34.7) or Frog Leg Porridge for SGD15 (USD 10.60) and other interesting dishes.

At Blue Lagoon a la carte restaurant



Mee Soto



When we were done with lunch, we again settled Mother at the casino before proceeding to Out Of Africa Karaoke private rooms for some sing-along session. A cozy little room, we enjoyed singing and the camaraderie amongst the group.

Karaoke on board holiday cruise ship

Time always flies when you are enjoying yourself and before we knew it, it was already 1800 hrs, time for dinner at Samurai restaurant, a Japanese restaurant, where the birthday girl was giving us all a treat. A variety of dishes were ordered and everyone enjoyed the authentic Japanese food there. The food was good and the ambience great.

Samurai Restaurant

Cuttlefish appetizer

Katsudon - rice with deep fried pork cutlet, eggs & condiments

Tempura Deep fried vegetable & seafood

Gyoza - Japanese dumplings

Sukiyaki Dish of thin beef strips

Grilled salmon

Shabu shabu Japanese hot pot dish

Grilled cod fish set

Our whole group of 14 family members

Testing the red wine that is provided complimentary in the cruise suite cabins

Before we knew it, it was time to retire for the night.

Turndown gift for those in the cruise suite cabins
How fast the day passes when you have things to do to past the time...





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