I do get tired of plane hopping and lengthy wait at the airports, the things that you will be dreaded to experience each time you travel, for work or holiday. Sometimes what you need, after a tiring work week in the office is just some quiet and relaxing holiday and of course those which will not break your bank account.
Due to the above reason that recently I decided to try something different and bought myself a one night cruise package with Star Cruise which is coupled with a one night stay in a hotel in Penang. The departure point is from Port Swettenham Penang and the ship will basically sail to the high sea and anchor for the night before returning the next morning. This package was purchased through Groupon at a steal of RM 500++ for 2 persons (take note there are other surcharges that you need to pay i.e weekend surcharge, passenger handling fee etc).
I was so excited as this was the first time ever that im going to board a cruise ship.
This is the entrance to the departure area whereby you have to check in by presenting your coupon receipt and provide your ids. They will provide you with an access card to your cabin which will also function as payment card whereby you will need to use this card to make purchases in the ship.
This is the ship which we (me and my friend) boarded, Superstar Libra, taken from the jetty. It was so massive, having 8th floors and equipped with many facilities such as a theatre, few restaurants, convenient store, gym, recreation area and also a clinic just to name a few.
Another security check was conducted at the entrance to the ship and afterwards we made our way to our room. We have been booked in an inside stateroom, meaning there's no window and located at the 2nd floor. We didnt mind having this type of room as we knew that we are not going to spend our time in the room, which is waste anyway as there are many parts of the ship that we wanted to explore during our short one night stay.
And upon entering the room, i was delighted to find this wonderful gift from the management to us already placed at the bedside table, a box of exclusive chinese tea.
The room is just nice for 2 people and the 2 single beds are comfortable. We hardly noticed any movement in this ship and it made us feel that we are actually staying in an actual hotel.
The toilet with small shower
Right after placing our belongings in the room, we headed to the buffet dinner which is included in this package and is served at level 8.
walkway to the cabins
Floor plan and exit route map
The buffet dinner starts at 6pm and as we still have some time to spare we decided to spend the time with taking pictures of this wonderful ship. We are assured by the management as well that the foods served here are halal and the head chef to monitor this is a muslim.
The buffet scene, wonderful and one of a kind dining experience....
asian styled salad
Western styled salad
pasembor
char kwey tiaw
laksa
Indian selections
grilled selections
people started pouring in to enjoy the buffet and the beautiful sunset
The buffet dinner ends at 9pm, just in time for the ship to depart the jetty.
While most of the passengers headed to the casino (which we found to be the main attraction here) we headed to the theater to watch the magic show performed by a husband and wife duo from USA. It was an enjoyable show but the audiences seemed uninterested...maybe they were thinking of the jackpot more...
The magic show ended around 11pm and we continued our tour of the ship, starting with the reception and the main lobby at level 4. Here you will find a duty free booth,a coffee stall, a convenient store and a saloon.
After enjoying our coffee and complimentary wifi (with the purchase of the coffee) we headed up to the 8th floor deck to enjoy the ocean breeze and the live band performed at the cocktail bar. It was a magnificent experience and thoroughly relaxing enjoying the calm wind, overlooking the star-filled sky and laying down on the deck.
The next morning, we woke up early to watch the sun rises at the ocean, what a wonderful scene it was....
Buffet breakfast was served in the inside restaurant and we were spoiled with choices...
We knew our time is almost up on this ship and decided to spend our last few hours on the deck again..taking more pictures and enjoying the beautiful scenery
Check out was done at the theatre whereby you will need to surrender your card for checking at the cashier and pay all your expenses.
The operational certificates of the ship on display
As the port came in sight, it marked the end of our wonderful journey on this ship.
We had a wonderful time on this ship and it really served our intention of having a relaxing holiday which is also a new experience to us. This cruise is suitable for all, not only those who are looking for good luck on the jackpot but also to families, friends, couples as there are distinct activities that will suit each needs giving you a memorable experience on board. Kay2014
