At my age,
it never crossed my mind that I would be embarking on a trip that was once
considered as a retiree’s ultimate dream. On board a fancy cruise ship loaded with
families and honeymooners, I was overjoyed as I stood facing the glass windows of
my cabin, looking at passing islands as we journey along the Malacca Strait. I was on SuperStar Gemini cruise ship. I said to myself, a once far-fetched dream that was now being fulfilled as we navigate on a four-day cruise holiday.
Sunday
morning, the group flew from Manila to Singapore for our cruise trip. Our
good friends from Star Cruises invited me and some friends (there were fourteen
of us in total) to experience one of their famous tours, the
Singapore-Penang-Langkawi-Singapore four-day cruise. Everyone was excited as we
were chauffeured to our home for four days, the SuperStar Gemini.
At the Singapore
Cruise Centre, we were asked to check-in our luggage and wait for the
embarkation time. After our quick coffee time on one of the cafés along the area, we were cleared from immigration and were led towards the security check for boarding.
Access cards
were given beforehand to be used as key cards to our room. That same card will
also be used as charge card to transact inside the ship as cash is not accepted
on any of the outlets (make sure that your card is with you at all times).
The view from the Captain's Bridge
SuperStar
Gemini is one of the cruise ships owned and operated by Star Cruises, the third
largest cruise line in the world. The ship has 765 cabins, 11 dining options,
onboard entertainment selections (gaming, karaoke, etc.), sports and fitness
facilities (basketball court, two outdoor swimming pools, gym, jogging track, and
spa), and other facilities (salon, duty-free shops, clinic, child care center,
etc.). With so many options to do, your freedom to choose on what to do (or
what not to do) solely depends on you. Our holiday started as we headed to our individual cabins, our nest for the next few days.
Our gorge home for four days
Assigned on
a Superior Oceanview Stateroom, I was surprised on how spacious it was given
that every space in a ship counts. It has all the basic amenities of a hotel
room including twin beds, flat screen TV, two wardrobe closets, vanity dresser,
a seating area overlooking the sea and an en suite toilet and bath with hot and
cold shower, bathroom amenities and hair dryer. My cabin was clean, comfy and
surprisingly, spacious.
Superior Oceanview Stateroom
There's a hot & cold shower and hair dryer
My room was surprisingly spacious
The glass
windows provided a magnificent view of the sea and an opportunity to catch the
sunrise and sunset (whichever I had for that day). The carpeted flooring plus
the mustard and maroon shades from the furnishings made it homey. I rearranged
the sofa and the lounge chair to face the window and got a better view as we started the voyage.
We cruised at exactly three in the afternoon and the ship's movement caused me no dizziness at
all. Sea sickness can be really hard, so the reception offers medicine for
such cases. Speaking of which, I was surprised on how diverse the crew population is. With a great majority of Filipinos (around 40%), I noticed a
good mix from India, Nepal, Indonesia, Japan, China and more. It
felt like home as we spoke in Filipino to some of the staff (although the
multi-lingual crew are all fluent in English).
SuperStar Gemini
An emergency
drill was conducted after an hour or so since the commencement of the cruise. We went
to our specific Muster Stations or assembly points in which we were briefed on
what to expect if such emergencies may occur. The group also had a tour around
SuperStar Gemini starting from the main entertainment hub, the Stardust Lounge.
We checked out the top deck and were stunned by its grandness. It had a number
of Jacuzzi pools, a splash pool, sunbeds, bars and so much space for strolling.
It was the cruise ship I imagined, with all its grandeur and lavishness. I saw
a number of honeymooners, families and surprisingly, groups of young travelers who were enjoying the cruise. I suppose, these are the new generation
of flashpackers who wants to experience a seemingly different kind of adventure (as
opposed to the notion that cruise ships are for retirees).
It was
around seven in the evening when the sun started to bid its farewell and the sky
showed off a majestic display of colors. At the same time, buffet dinners were started to be served at four different restaurants in the ship. As with the food, we got to
have different dining options, as was included on the cruise package. Each guest can actually enjoy six different meals on any of the restaurants per day.
Mariners Restaurant is the place where
you can enjoy a combination of Asian and Western cuisines. What I love most
about this restaurant is that there’s a wide variety of choices including hash
browns, roti, and freshly-made yogurts for breakfast. I also like Oceana Barbecue with its al fresco
dining. Located at the top deck, the outdoor feel of this restaurant made it a
go-to place for those who are craving for barbecue and grilled fares, especially
during dinnertime. Bella Vista, on the
other hand, is more of a Western restaurant with its international buffet
spread which includes your good old bacons and other dishes. Dynasty Restaurant features a great
selection of Chinese dishes on their spread; expect to load up on fried
dumplings and more.
Mariners Restaurant
My lunch plate at Dynasty Restaurant
My breakie plate at Mariners Rdestaurant
My dinner plate at Oceana Barbecue
Wasabi Prawn Mayonnaise - my favorite during the Gala dinner at Bella Vista
There were
other dining options at the SuperStar Gemini which are not included on the
package. You may want to have an a la carte
dish aside from the food choices at the buffet restaurants at moderate prices.
My super favorite restaurant on the ship was, not surprisingly, on a pay restaurant.
Located at
the top deck, Blue Lagoon has a diner feel and a great view of the sea. Asian and Western dishes are
highlighted and they have huge servings. I particularly enjoyed their Crispy Chicken in Garlic Teriyaki (SGD8)
which was overly delicious that it didn't even make it to my photo gallery (yeah, I missed taking snaps of it). It was so good that the moment we were told our last meal on the ship would be at Blue Lagoon, I knew exactly what I was gonna order again (and falied again in taking a decent photo of the glorious dish).
Blue Lagoon
Singapore Curry Laksa (SGD13)
I was once
told that cruise life can be a bore. But with the great entertainment offerings
of SuperStar Gemini by Star Cruises, there was never a lull time.
Stardust Lounge
We’ve seen a
magic and acrobat show, the crew’s show featuring some talented staff, an
outstanding performance from Kyla (Asia’s R&B Princess from the Philippines)
and more. Everything was free of charge! The shows that weren’t free were the
neon party (SGD15) and the Marionettes show (adult show at SGD110 for premium seats).
Kyla gave an outstanding performance during our first night
Queen of Hearts show
Connecting to the outside world (read:Instagram posting) was never a problem as we availed of a 3-day voucher for SGD50. The
connection was not outstanding, given that we were on high seas most of the time, but it was comparable to the internet connection I have in the Philippines.
Haha.
At high
seas, me and my buddies were always on the lookout for something new to do. There was this
one time when we went to the topsiders pool and had a fun time swimming into a
wavy pool (blame it on the moving ship). At around eleven, we were surprised
that a pool party was about to happen and all of the drinks at the bar are on
promo. We chugged cans and cans of Tiger Beer (two beers at SGD9) and partied as
the DJ rocked the house, oh I mean the boat. We were sprinkled with water and
it was really fun as we danced along with the gang and some of the guests at
high noon. We also had a nice time watching the sunset at the outdoor swimming pool
and at one of the Jacuzzi pools on the top deck the next day.
Pool party at noon!
Jacuzzi time
They say
that the excursions are the most sought after part of the tour as you get to explore
the places during shore visits. Pre-arranged shore excursions can be booked at
SuperStar Gemini itself or if you’re a frequent traveler and know your way to
the featured destinations then you can go on your own for a free and easy trip
(just keep in mind that they have a strict call time so you have to be back at
the ship on the given time). We had a nice time around Penang and Langkawi, albeit on a short stay, it was a nice way to get a feel of a place
so that you’d know whether it can be a future trip destination or not (I will
dedicate a separate post on our shore excursions). I’ve been to Penang and
Langkawi during our Beach Hop Asia 2016 summer backpacking trip and going back
to familiar spots and experiencing new adventures with a new set of friends made
it more delightful.
And we are so ready for the shore excursion!
The Gala Night
was also something I enjoyed. It started with the Captain’s Cocktail Party, then was followed by the Gala Dinner, the Gala Show, and the Grand Farewell Party to cap our last night off. I would like to commend the wonderful staff
from the entertainment department for a job well done in producing great shows
for the guests.
All dressed up for the Gala dinner with renowned travel blogger in the Philippines.
I felt so honored to be on the cruise with them.
Waking up on
our last day was the hardest. After four days of cruise life, which I must say
can be habit-forming, we’re finally down to our last full day at the ship. I
hugged my warm duvet tighter as I stared at the glass windows thinking about
nothing at all. Mornings are the perfect time to contemplate but at that
moment, I was just relishing the serenity
of watching the vastness of the calm sea. No deep thoughts or anything, just pure silence and bliss.
It was the
last show of the trip, standing in the middle of the stage, I was blinded by
the spotlight that was aimed at me. I was deafened by the tremendous uproar
from unknown faces which boosted my performance. I was Beyonce, in spirit and
character on a lip sync battle featuring six out of a thousand guests.
I was singing in front of a big audience on board a cruise ship, it was a dream
come true, both the trip and the singing part.
And they made me perform on a stage in front of an audience, wish fulfilled :)
I didn’t
win, sadly. But the mere fact that I stood there, belting out the song with all my heart, when I was supposed to just
lip sync it, was the perfect icing on the cake. It was fun,
experiencing the cruise life for the first time, especially with a crazy bunch of people who made each moment more authentic.
Why should you wait for retirement to do the things that you dream of? :)
The crew bid
their last farewell as we disembarked SuperStar Gemini. The sent us off with songs and
dance as we walked out of the ship. It felt like I was leaving my hometown. Hugs and cheers were given, which made it even harder to
leave. I snapped a last photo of the SuperStar Gemini as the sun dipped lower on the
horizon. I still couldn’t believe that I just had a cruise. And yes baby,
dreams really do come true! SuperStar Gemini - Star Cruises 5/F Star Cruises Centre, 100 Andrews Avenue, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines Contact Number: Philippines - (+63) 836.6830 to 32 Email Address: salesmanila@starcruises.com Website: http://www.starcruises.com/en/home.aspx Cruise Promo Rates Facebook Page
Inggit ako sa cruise trip pero mas lalo akong na-jelly dun sa lipsync for your life experience! Sana ako din makaperform ng ganyan hihi :D Hope someone sa trip was able to record everyone's performance.
I am a cruiser and let me tell you. Gone are the days when cruising is for retirees. I started cruising in 2006 and my first cruise turned out to be booze cruise - coz it coincided with spring break and the ship is full of college kids having fun. So that's how I know cruising. I never got to experience the retiree cruising that everyone says it is. I just got back from a Caribbean cruise and it looks like that the under 50 population is more represented.
Inggit ako sa cruise trip pero mas lalo akong na-jelly dun sa lipsync for your life experience! Sana ako din makaperform ng ganyan hihi :D Hope someone sa trip was able to record everyone's performance.
ReplyDeleteDi ba?! Ang saya maging Beyonce sa cruise ship? Hihi. They gave us DVD copies of the performances. Haha.
Deletegusto ko yung performance!
ReplyDeleteAng saya nga nun! :)
Deleteaylavet!!! ♥
ReplyDeleteYiiiii! :)
DeleteI love it, how does one qualify for a free trip. Im also a blogger, small time and loves to travel esp if free, hihihi ty
ReplyDeleteThey usually contact us Neng :)
DeleteI am a cruiser and let me tell you. Gone are the days when cruising is for retirees. I started cruising in 2006 and my first cruise turned out to be booze cruise - coz it coincided with spring break and the ship is full of college kids having fun. So that's how I know cruising. I never got to experience the retiree cruising that everyone says it is. I just got back from a Caribbean cruise and it looks like that the under 50 population is more represented.
ReplyDeleteWow! I wanna do some cruisin' on the Caribbean and your booze cruise! :)
Delete