Superstar Gemini

[ssv]

Overcapacity.

[Tascat]

As an intoduction to cruising we have chosen the Singapore-Australia cruise on the Gemini,18th November.Not sure about a couple of things and hope someone can help.

-Is there wireless internet,and cost?

-The cost of eating in the 'other'restaurants on board?

-Wine sellection and cost?

-Formal nights,and dress code?

-Range and cost of shore excusions?

Thankyou :)

[kuldalai]

Questions in italics :

-Is there wireless internet,and cost?

Not on SS GEMINI. Two (2) Internet terminals in library charged at 33C Singapore per minute (works via Satellite link .)

-The cost of eating in the 'other'restaurants on board?

Currently there are no OTHER restaurants on board . The two restaurants

Marriners Buffet (deck 6 aft) and the more formal OCEAN PALACE (deck 4 aft) are inclusive . Eat your head off .

-Wine sellection and cost?

The wine selection is not small but not enormous, but quite adequate . Range is very good over Australian, American and European. Prices are extremely reasonable like $ 17 S for a bottle of Rosemount Australian . All drink prices on board are reasonable by Australian restaurant rip off price standards .

-Formal nights,and dress code?

Smart casual open neck shirts, jacket long trousers, shoes and smart casual dress , tops for the ladies. No requirement for ties or monkey suits. (Definitely NO T shirts tank tops or thongs at dinner any night !)

-Range and cost of shore excursions ?

Check these out on Star website at http://www.starcruises.com

cruiseguide>fleet>gemini>optionaltours

for details and prices by stop and there is a link now to pre-book them on Star website .

 

Other info : Indonesian Visa for Aussies you pay $ 10 US to Star at boarding in Singapore and they take care of your calls at Komodo and Bali .

 

I am doing the return trip Sydney - Singapore . You will have a great trip on GEMINI a great little vessel with a 7 star crew that just love their jobs and guests . Just relax , roll with the punches, have a great time . They dragged me screaming onto SS LEO for 2 nights Melbourne - sydney in 2004, now 3 cruises later with Star/NCL and two booked with them in 2008 crusing is my holiday . Best thing about it they never tell you , you unpack once and your hotel travels with you . ENJOY.

 

Suggest you go back on this Gemini thread over say last ten pages and read them for further background and info . Any more questions then just fire them in .

[Westaussie]

Hi Tascat, welcome to CC - you'll find alot of info and tips here and as suggested go back, even to the first page as there are some good photos of Gemini way back!

 

I will be on the same cruise as you but from Bali so I hope we can meet. Have been on the Gemini several times, last time in June to Vietnam and have cruised on different ships/lines but this is still our favourite!

 

Kuldalai has answered all your questions, my only tip is best time to use computers is early afternoon always seemed to have the library to myself then. I haven't checked the tours as Darwin and Broome we'll do our own thing but if you want any info on Bali let me know.

 

Vera

[hbellman]

hi All,

was wondering if it is possible to use your mobile phone on board or at ports of call or do you have to set it up in a certain way

 

Also whatnight into the cruise is the captains dinner, and do you book this

I presume this is reasonably formal

thanks Hazel

[hbellman]

Hi Les,

glad to hear you arrived in Singapore safely, but maybe with a couple of hickups.

We leave on the 30th Sep for our first cruise, please any useful info when you get onboard would be great

 

what hotel in Singapore are you booked at

Hazel

[Westaussie]

Hi Hazel, you can use mobile phone once you are in port but make sure that you have international roaming asap as it can take a week to set up.

 

What hotel are you staying at? We like the York Hotel, in a quiet street but easy walk to Scotts Road and Orchard Road.

 

Vera

[hbellman]

Hi Vera.

we have been booked into the grand plaza parkroyal it was part of the package

when are you cruising

 

Hazel

[mummsie]

hi All,

was wondering if it is possible to use your mobile phone on board or at ports of call or do you have to set it up in a certain way

 

Also whatnight into the cruise is the captains dinner, and do you book this

I presume this is reasonably formal

thanks Hazel

Hi Hazel,

You can only use your mobile while in port or in sight of land. Some of the other cruise lines are getting satellite mobile cells put on them but boy they are expensive. We got caught in Alaska. Cost me $8 for a 1 minute call home to check on my son.

You will need to have international roaming set on your mobile. Singpore uses Singtel as their major carrier. You just need to turn your phone back on once you arrive there and you should get a couple of sms messages that tell you you are connected to the local network. Just remember if you have people phoning you - you cop the cost of their phone call from the leg from out of Australia to Singapore so can be very expensive. SMS is a much better option.

I think the captains dinner night is about the 3rd or 4th night out - you book it as soon as you go on board. We didn't attend as wel didn't take any dressy clothes but some people just went in open neck short sleeved shirts and cargos. Some people got really dressed up. We chose to eat at the buffet that night as we didn't want to feel out of place.

Mummsie :D

[kuldalai]

Captains Dinner is normally Tuesday night on the 7 day cruises .

 

Dress wise people keep asking the same question over and over again. This query has already been responded to many times on this thread, most recently as # 957 this morning .

 

For first time CC readers its often best to read the last 5 pages or so of the thread and you will pick up a lot of useful info .

[Westaussie]

Good point Mummsie about receiving calls when overseas - got caught once with an extra $30 I didn't need on my bill!

 

Hazel next cruise is Bali/Freo in November and looking forward to it. Singapore is fun wherever you stay! Have you been there before?

 

Vera

[boeckli]

Hi Vera.

we have been booked into the grand plaza parkroyal it was part of the package

when are you cruising

 

Hazel

 

Hi Hazel - we have stayed at that hotel (now re-named Grand Plaza Park Hotel City Hall) several times (as recently as last month before our Gemini cruise). Have also booked it as stopover both ways on our trip next month. City Hall MRT is in easy walking distance, you can walk to Clark Quay, over to the Padang, Esplanade Theatres etc. Clean, modern hotel with very friendly staff :)

On our recent 7 night cruise the gala dinner was on the Monday night, which was a sea day (think it may depend on which days you are at sea and which in port). I still think it's nice to dress up a bit for the gala dinner :D

[E onboard]

HI everyone- Thanks for all your updates Kudalai and Boelkli- its great to hear form seasoned cruisers- I'm glad Les got to Singapore ok (more so becasue when he finishes we start).

We are staying at Novotel Clarke Quay in Singapore before and after the cruise. Will have to take note not to over pack as don't want a hefty fine as Lex got. Have the suitcase on the floor and will start to fill ( and then as explained by some of you - haove what I put in!!)

 

Getting very excited- 8 days to work - YAHHHOOOOOO

 

E onboard :)

[kontiki]

Hi everyone, I enjoyed reading the previous postings very much. Very contagious excitement.

 

Would one of you west aussies advise about transport from Freo to Perth please.

Are there any hotel shuttles?

If not, train or cab? Which is better?

 

Is there anything to do in Freo after 5.30pm on a Friday evening before checking in to Perth?

[kuldalai]

If youv'e got deep pockets then take a cab .

 

Perth has a very good electrified rail system and frequent trains operate from

Fremantle station to Perth City. Fare is dirt cheap compared to taxi. BUT you will need to take short taxi from GEMINI to Fremantle station, and then from Perth Central station to your city centre destination. But then I've always found travelling with the natives on local public transport half the fun of travelling and really gives you the feel of a place .

[kontiki]

Hi kuldalai, thanks for the rail tip.

I love your packing tip also.

[kuldalai]

Hi kuldalai, thanks for the rail tip.

I love your packing tip also.

 

Interested to see that Riviera posted recently that outbound from Aus they were overweight luggage wise by around 7kg and that cost $ 140 excess baggage charge just to get to Singapore ! Ouch . There's going to be a bigger bill getting back to Aus or alternatively a culling of the contents to fit in the shopping !

 

Its hard to do the first time but just put out what you think you need on the bed, then halve it . Pack that plus toiletries, medications etc and that's it. You will get home and still not have worn some items .

 

The secret for both guys and gals is to put a few tops and bottoms casual, and that way you have many possible combinations. Remember no one is looking at you saying "she has worn a different dress everyday" but you can give that impression with a mix of co-ordinated individual tops and bottoms . Beware shoes are heavy so if you tend to be an Imelda Marcos then get tough and take only what you absolutely need .

[E onboard]

Thanks for those packing tips Kudalai. I weighed my case and it weighs 4 k- with nothing in it!

SO will need to be quite serious with packing- I'm sure my toiletries weigh at least 3 k- then add a pair of good shoes and I've probably got only 12 K left.

As I do want to bring back some trinkets I'd better cut that back to 8 leaving 4k for trinkets.

 

At least it looks great on paper- LOL :D

 

E onboard :)

[Westaussie]

Hi Kontiki, Fremantle is 18km from Perth, a good half hour drive. The train station is walking distance from the port terminal, ok for a backpacker but not with luggage. There could be shuttle busses organized for those staying at city hotels (?).

 

Fremantle itself is a lively place, again, easy walk from the harbour with plenty of shops/restaurants etc.

 

You say Friday night, would that be 30th November on the cruise from Singapore? I'll be on the Gemini then too!

 

Vera

[kontiki]

Hi Vera,

Enjoyed reading your previous postings. Yes, we would be on board when you get on at Bali. (Right?) We are first time cruisers, not in the league of serial cruisers like most of you on this thread.:)

 

We had a bit of problem booking on this cruise. The TAs here acted blur (Singlish for dumb) when we asked for it. Like they don't have such a cruise. Perhaps it was just SC's policies.

We finally had to go to the SC's office in Penang Rd to do the booking. They refused to put the cabin number on the booking voucher. Told us that the cabins are assigned at the check-in point. (True? Perhaps not, for serial cruisers.)

 

When is the last train from Fremantle to Perth?

Is it easy to get a cab at the Perth station in the late evening? The last time I was in Perth in the late 60s, I just need to find one of those dedicated cab phone stations scattered all over the city to call for a cab. Do they still have these around?

 

Thanks for your tips.

[Westaussie]

Hi Kontiki - interesting what you say about cabin assignment as this is the first time I haven't been given a cabin number either - (Mike is this something new with SC?)

 

Last train out of Freo is 2.30am they run every half hour and at peak time every 15 min. I would be a little wary taking a very late train, can be a rowdy crowd coming away from nightclubs.

 

Friday night is 'late night shopping' in Perth City so will still be busy around 9.30pm but there should be plenty of taxis around the train station. There is also a free CAT bus around the city. At this stage are you still talking of lugging suitcases around? If not most hotels are an easy walk - Perth is still a compact city, grown upwards rather than outwards!

 

Vera

[boeckli]

Hi kontiki - here is the link to Transperth, Perth's public transport provider, where you can find timetables etc. http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au

[kuldalai]

You can now only take on board aircraft in the cabin bag total liquids and gels (toothpaste, perfume, aftershave, deodorants, grog not exceeding 100ml each) and they all must fit within a sealed plastic bag the size of slice of bread squared . Otherwise pack these items in you checked luggage to go in the hold . Medications exempted of the above restrictions with scripts or letter from GP. They are very strict at all Airports departing Aus on this.

 

Mike/ SSV Star appear to have different policies per Cruise ? For Sydney - Singapore no cabin # allotted as yet, but for 3 months later Hong Kong - Singapore I know the cabin number now at time of booking ?

[deck 9 001]

In general, Star Cruises assigns cabins through computer programs.

However in markets and/or cruises where westerners, who are accustomed to requesting specific cabins, these requests are processed by hand. While the hand processed requests can be shown fairly soon, the computer generated cabin assignments are usually finalized one month before sailing.

[Westaussie]

Thanks Mike for the cabin allocation info - I'll be patient!

 

Hi Boeckli - are you blowing away down south? It's a horrid day here, where's the taste of summer we usually get this time of year! You'll be off and packing soon again, lucky you!

 

Vera