For Muslim travellers who wish to enjoy cruising the seas, a special launch of Star Cruise Muslim Cruise packages on Superstar Libra under the Genting Cruise group has been announced.
To initiate this new campaign, the travel company, with Santai Magazine and Malaysian celebrity Datuk Aznil Nawawi, or Pak Nil as he is popularly known, organised a media familiarisation trip from Penang to Thailand, where about 70 media turned up.
This 3D/2N cruise departs from the Port of Penang, arrives in Phuket, and then sails towards the beautiful coastal town of Krabi before sailing back to Penang.
Star Cruise Muslim Cruise Packages on Superstar Libra
I had the pleasure of joining the media group in early June, and the experience was terrific. We had never been on a cruise before. Boarding the ship for the first time, the sweet staff welcomed everyone with a nice cold towel and a welcome drink.
After checking into our cabins, the organisers and Pak Nil invited the entire entourage to a special welcome cocktail and mini-press conference. A magnificent spread of appetisers and desserts was served during this session, which ended with socialising and mingling with each other.
After that, we had a few hours to explore the Superstar Libra before the welcome party on board the ship at about 8.00 pm. This is something not to be missed by everyone if you are going on this cruise.
The Superstar Libra welcome party starts with the main host introducing the cruise. Right after that, the ship’s guest hosts conduct a performance, followed by previews of the various shows available throughout the cruise, which are spectacular and not to be missed.
All in all, we were pretty impressed with the entire welcoming party. Soon after that, our personal explorations took place, and each group went their own way. Mind you, there are a total of 10 floors on this ship, and you can imagine how large this cruise ship is. On board, there are two pools and two Jacuzzis on the top deck, a restaurant and bar to complement the area, a duty-free shop on the fourth level, and a saloon, spa, and Chinese restaurant.
On the 10th floor, Spices Restaurant is the first Halal Restaurant on board a cruise ship. There is also a Karaoke room and a 24-hour cafe. The disco is on the ninth floor, and the casino is on the fifth floor. I have to admit that in three days, I did not manage to finish trying out all the entertainment offered here.
During one of the nights, we were all treated to a special halal dinner with Pak Nil at the Spices Restaurant. According to the Star Cruise representatives, a considerable sum was invested into turning this place into a 100% fully halal restaurant.
The cruise operator also obtains certificates when brand-new cutlery is bought for the place. Overall, the food was good. It had a well-balanced taste, and fresh ingredients were used. The chef was also a Malaysian Muslim who had been with Star Cruise for many years.
The rooms are of various sizes, the most common being standard rooms. Executive and deluxe suites are also available for those wanting a larger space on the ship.
All rooms come with air-conditioning, an attached bathroom and an LCD television. In terms of comfortableness, I would say this is a cruise ship, and for me, it was very decent, though it looks small. But overall, I have had good nights of sleep here.
Star Cruise Phuket Itinerary
Upon arrival at Phuket port, the group was ushered into a waiting bus, and we were taken on a tour around the island. Mind you, the host arranged this for the media.
The first stop was a cashew nut factory, where we were introduced to the production of this unique nut. Now I know why they cost so much, and if you want to learn more about them, you should try this cruise to explore the beautiful southern islands of Thailand.
The second stop was the elephant park, where guests were allowed to go for elephant rides and see an elephant show. Our final stop was the ever-famous Patong Beach, where you are given some time to explore the area for food and shopping.
Our return to the boat was scheduled for 9.00 pm; therefore, all guests were reminded repeatedly so that no one missed the bus back to the port. (If you do miss the bus, your other option is to grab a taxi and head there yourself)
From Phuket, the next stop was the coastal town of Krabi, where we spent about six hours exploring the place. The ship will port out in the sea while small ferries will transfer guests towards the main Aonang jetty.
In most normal cruise packages, tours are optional, or you can explore on your own at Phuket and Krabi. The modes of transport are taxis or Tuk Tuks that take you into town and back to the jetty, for a price, of course.
We walked around the famous Aonang Walking Street by the beach, where shopping and food are readily available.
For added information, there is a pretty good factory outlet just outside Aonang in Krabi. It is called Outlet Village Krabi, and most items there are cheap, with many international locations. It would help if you need to take a taxi there, though.
After Krabi, there is an overnight cruise back to Penang, but before bed, there is a formal farewell dinner followed by a farewell showcase by the staff of the Superstar Libra. To wrap this up, we took a full tour of the ship, which included a guided visit to the bridge and many other parts of the vessel.
The only other place I wanted to go but did not have a chance to was the ship’s engine room. Below are various pictures taken during my Star Cruise Superstar Libra trip to Thailand.
My recommendation – If you have never been on a cruise before, I suggest you try this one that heads to Thailand. Moreover, if you are Muslim, there is a complete Muslim Cruise Package, and you can get more information from the Malaysian Harmony Tour Company, which specialises in this.
Also, Pak Nil will be having a special Muslim Cruise Package this November, which is arranged by Malaysian Harmony. Therefore, if you would like to go on this cruise with him, please check the website for full details.
Another tip from me is to check out the coming Matta Fair in September in KL for cruise deals. Sometimes, you can get really good prices for cruise packages. Alternatively, you can check out the Malaysian Harmony Booth at the Matta Fair 2013.
Conclusion
To end this, I would like to thank M-Mode’s Santai Magazine, Star Cruise, and Malaysian Harmony for making this trip possible. It was an eye-opener for me in terms of going on a cruise.
Seriously, I had a fantastic time on this cruise and made many new friends from the various media who went along. Also, thank you to Pak Nil for entertaining us throughout the cruise, especially with his witty game of Poison Ball (Bola Beracun in Malay).
For those wanting additional information about Star Cruise Muslim Cruise Packages on Superstar Libra, please visit the official Star Cruise website by searching for it on Google.