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Published on September 29, 2007

A crew of 1,000 attends to the every need of up to 3,000 passengers as they enjoy their journey in a charming, multicultural atmosphere. If you're looking for a soul mate, you just might meet your "Jack" or "Rose" while gliding across the waves.

The ship is waiting for passengers from Thailand in Singapore. Star Cruises recommends getting there with Swiss Air, known for its punctuality and good service.

After boarding the ship guests are greeted by three huge golden stallions rearing up on their hind legs in the Grand Piazza, an amazing lobby setting complete with towering glass dome, fountain, Romanesque statues and glass-enclosed lifts.

A welcoming drink is one of perks for Balcony-class passengers, who pay a bit more not just for better accommodation but faster service. Considering the capacity of a ship this size, it's probably worthwhile. 

The Mediterranean, Bella Vista and Pavilion Room are free-of-charge restaurants where you can eat five times a day, as much as you wish. The Pavilion serves sets of Chinese food with fruit for dessert.

Up on Deck 12 is the Galaxy of the Stars, a lounge where East jubilantly meets West. Chinese, Malaysians and Caucasians dance the night away in a musical game that has everyone laughing. Here a bottle of wine starts at Bt264, a glass of liquor and beer Bt60.

The lounge offers a 360-degree view of the sea during the day, when it's the scene of cooking demonstrations, painting and other activities, all for free, even the lectures.

From there it's up a spiral staircase to the Captain's Bridge Viewing Gallery, where you can watch the crew at work and view Star Cruises memorabilia.

Hitting the sack on the first night was very pleasant, though a little research determined that the walls weren't soundproof - luckily the neighbours were quiet. The bed was small yet comfy, and the sailing smooth. Only once or twice did we feel a gentle rocking to and fro.

There are six categories of cabins, with the price ranging from Bt10,000 to Bt50,000. You can gauge the cost from the size and shape of the porthole - or the fact that there isn't one.

The cabins make great use of limited space, the compact bathrooms especially. Not even the cabins with balconies are particularly roomy, and they're only modestly decorated, but those with small verandas allow a full view of the ocean through a glass wall beyond the curtain.

The bathrooms have glass sliding doors separating the shower from the toilet area. It's intimately cute.

The cabins also have hairdryers, coffee and tea makers and television sets with cable and, on one channel, round-the-clock instructions in case there's any emergency.

The first morning we munched on a dim sum breakfast as we approached Port Klang, Malaysia's biggest and busiest seaport. Once docked we disembarked and were greeted by our Malaysian tour guide, who drove us past rubber and palm-oil plantations to Shah Alam, site of the State Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque thanks to its blue-tiled dome.

Also on the tour are the Thean Hou Buddhist Temple - one of the biggest Chinese temples in Southeast Asia - and KL Tower, with its bird's-eye views of the Selangor capital. The last stop is the Suria KLCC shopping centre, comparable to Bangkok's Mah Boon Khrong but with state-of-the-art toilets that clean and dry your bottom!

Back aboard the Virgo we had dinner in the bay-windowed Bella Vista restaurant, which serves Western cuisine. The dress code is more restricted: no flip-flops or shirts without collars.

The Mediterranean, meanwhile, offers a buffet of oriental, Western and fusion dishes, but the long queue can be discouraging.

And, if the free feasts start to get tiring, Balcony-class passengers receive dining credits for the ship's speciality eateries, such as the Samurai Japanese and Taj Indian restaurants and Palazzo for Italian food. The prices rise to Bt500 per dish. Afterwards, Cafe Gelato serves ice cream and cake with a full view of the sea.

Yet another dining choice is the aqua-themed Blue Lagoon restaurant, where you can get both Western and Eastern favourites like kra pao moo. Main courses start at Bt100.

On our last night on board we explored the entertainment. There's an African-themed karaoke club and free shows including magic and Chinese acrobats. The biggest crowds were for "Passion", a Las Vegas-styled topless revue, and the Oasis Casino.

For more leisurely relaxation, there are plenty of activities both indoors and outdoors. Western sun worshipers won't have to compete for seats on deck as Asians leave the tanning to them, but they'll have some company in the swimming pool and four large Jacuzzis.

In the shade, Oscar's Spa has two powerful jet pools in the seaview gym, which, along with the sauna, are free for Balcony-class passengers. For a pedicure or traditional Thai or foot massage, you have to pay extra.

The gym has free exercise classes, and elsewhere there's a jogging track, ping pong tables, a golf driving range and small putting green, and a basketball court. The library stocks a good collection of books, and there's an Internet centre and rooms where you can join a game of mah jong or other card games.

Kids can make a beeline to the playground and pool, where there are sea lion fountains and an octopus waterslide, plus a paddling pool for toddlers. Babysitters are available, and the older children can be dispatched to the video-game arcade.

There is one thing you'll have to remember to bring along: your sense of direction. It's easy to get lost on this huge ship.

We said farewell to everyone after our short but sweet voyage and headed off on an afternoon tour of Singapore's sights, among them Little India, Chinatown and, of course, Little Thailand.

Phochana Phichitsiri

The Nation

The writer travelled as a guest of Star Cruises.