When yours truly got to know that she was going on a cruise with a few blogger and KOL friends all aboard the M/V SuperStar Libra, I was thrilled to bits, it was another dream come true, and another cross off my bucket list…
It is not my first cruise, since I had had the opportunity to have been on a cruise a couple of years ago..
Our trip began in KL, where we boarded the bus which would bring us to the Penang Port Swettenham Pier just about 4.30pm, and after getting our identity keyed in and our access cards and passport checked, the anticipation on getting on board the SuperStar Libra was amplified!
After getting our access cards checked again by the ship’s officers, and surrendering our passports, which is basically standard cruise procedure (the access card have to be kept with us at all times onboard.. it is our credit card when purchasing anything on board, identification card as well as our key to all the facilities!) we walked the gangway into the ship’s interior, scanned our luggage which we brought along and entered via the Crystal Court..
The Crystal Court was surely inviting with polished chrome, glass and soft carpets and a white grand piano right in the middle of the hall and very welcoming with the cool air conditioning after we had to queue for quite a bit in the humid weather outside…
As we had a full itinerary and since there was not much time to lose, we checked in to the cabin assigned to us which was a Oceanview Stateroom with Window, which is kinda small but to be expected since we were on a ship, not some fancy resort somewhere, despite it being a floating resort on its own.. our cabin is about 9.58 -11.94 sq metres… but it still is pretty cosy and besides, we only need it to store our luggage, things, sleep, shower and change…
I loved that it came with a window, which looked out to the walkway, lifeboat stations and/or jogging tracks and of course, the blue sea beyond..
Anyway, for your info, the Superstar Libra is a 10 deck cruise.. There are 8 dining outlets to indulge your tastebuds, lounge, casino, discotheque, karaoke, shops (Ports O’ Call), a small gym, netted golf driving range which doubles up for archery activities, sun deck, a basketball court and even a jogging track, 2 swimming pools, twin Jacuzzis on board this cruise.
With all these on the SuperStar Libra, it is just no wonder that the SuperStar Libra is perfect for families, couples, and the young at heart, especially with the new collaboration with Fitness First – ‘Fitness at Sea’ which is ideal for all the gym bunnies and fitness enthusiasts.. and this is what I will be sharing with you …
As mentioned, after barely settling down, we headed to the pool deck where the Sailaway Party was in full swing with performances from the staff and then the entertainment dancers from Stardust Lounge..
It was kinda mesmerizing watching them dance and sway to the beat under the sunset…while we indulged ourselves with the awesome dishes and grilled seafood offered. You really have to love the food display which was just so pretty…
Then we had the first fitness class, the Zumba at Sea, a heart pumping, high paced dance workout, which I enjoy from time to time… it was colourful and exciting for sure…
We then headed back to our cabins once the Zumba was over to grab our life vests which was on our cabin beds for the mandatory passenger safety drill at the assembly area. It was a little tiresome, but it is necessary on board any ship you are on, so that you know what to do in case of an emergency – like in case the ship decides to copy what Titanic did…
It covers how to put on your safety life vests, and where you should assemble- according to your access cards, as well as which lifeboat you should head to in case of emergency… we did feel like naughty school kids getting lectured but hahaah… it is important to know these basics which can very well save your life in case of any untoward emergencies…
When the safety drill was over, we rushed back to our cabin and dumped the safety vest there and headed to the Stardust Lounge where we were treated to some Magic Illusion tricks by James Long..
He was damn good at what he does and we were all oohing and ahhing as he performed his tricks and illusions right in front of our eyes..
My room mate was Wendy, and we headed back to our cabin after the show, got changed and headed up for a midnight dip in the pool and we spend some time frolicking with the huge swan and unicorn inflatables as well as take a dip in the oh so warm and delicious Jacuzzi…
Then we headed back to our cabin and called it a night, with sheer exhaustion…
Early the next morning I was up early, as usual, being an early riser, and excited to go watch the dawn break at deck 10 with a number of other early birds too…just before the first activity of the day began, which was Yoga…
I love yoga as it is pretty calming and all about stretching your body, yourself, relaxation and freeing your mind… but they did not have enough yoga mats to go around… so I just satisfied myself with watching and taking photos of them..
We then headed to the Mariners Buffet restaurant where they served Asian and International dishes. Mariners Buffet restaurant is a pork and lard free restaurant.
If you are a Muslim and particular about your food, you can dine with a peace of mind at the Spices Restaurant as Spices is a certified Halal Malay restaurant just above the Mariners Buffet restaurant.. However, you need pre-booking to dine in Spices..
After breakfast, we wandered around the ship, checking out the various facilities, before heading back to our room to get changed for our Shore Excursion at the Stardust Lounge..
You can have a pick of which excursion you want to go on, or even get your own arrangement of transport if you prefer, but you have to collect your tendering sticker with preferred assembly timing at the Reception Counter on Deck 4.
On this particular trip, we took up the ‘Roundtrip transfers to Patong Beach’ , which did not include any meals and costed RM65 per person..
The duration of this trip is approximately 5 and a half hours (including travelling time) and the bus will make a quick 20 minute stop at the Rich Home Décor , where you can find nice wooden carvings, traditional Thai products, original artwork and local souvenirs at reasonable prices..
Then it’s onwards to Patong Beach town, one of the most, developed, most vibrant, most visited beaches of Phuket. The beach is lined with a wide range of accommodation and shopping arcades, and offers magnificent leisure activities and night-time entertainment. The bus will stop at the side of Jungceylon Shopping Mall and pick you up from here later at the allocated time as well..
With the three hours or so we had, another blogger friend, Bella and I headed to the Hard Rock Café since we were both Hard Rock Café collectors, to get our t shirts and souvenirs before slowly walking back.. Hard Rock Café Phuket is just barely 800 metres away from Jungceylon and you can also walk a whole round, to the beach and back via the infamous Bangla Road if you so like and back to Jungceylon. But since I have been to Phuket before and Bella wasn’t quite up to going to the beach, we just did some window shopping along the road and had our lunch there before walking back to Jungceylon and getting some Moh Thong Durian ice cream from the Thai Swensen’s , which we saw on a huge bill board on the way to Patong…
Then we did a little shopping for snacks at the Family Mart and 7-eleven.. Frequent travellers on budget like us just love shopping at the Family Mart and 7-eleven, hahah…
We then boarded our tour bus back to the Phuket Deep Sea Port and boarded the boat back to the ship just as the sun was beginning to set…
Once back, we headed to our cabin to freshen up and went for dinner, then we headed to the Stardust Lounge where we were treated to the One in a Million show production which included acrobatic acts, dances etc, by the ship’s pretty impressive entertainment team..
After the show, we headed to Deck 9 where the Banana Theme Supper Farewell Party was happening.. the sea was a little rough and choppy on the open sea, and the ship was swaying and it was kinda funny walking like a drunk without imbibing in any alcohol- and I am blessed to be one of those who weren’t affected by the swaying ship, but less fun if you have motion sickness, so do get your motion sickness medication ready before you go on the cruise or if you do not have any, I think you can ask from the staff members…
Our team came dressed in yellow and white or with clothing with bananas on it… and we partook in the banana spread.. err… banana pizza, banana milkshake, banana pudding, banana cake, banana in chocolate, banana pancakes, banana fritters and banana kuih, even a minion cake, and yeah, there were other dishes even if you do not like bananas…. But it was definitely fun…
As always, good times must end as well, and become fond memories, and our morning began with breakfast at Mariners Buffet as usual, before we had some time to go do some duty free shopping or souvenir shopping at the Port O’ Call duty free shops on Deck 4, swim, as well as pack up our belongings…
We were given a brief tour in the ship’s Galley with the Chef which was impressive seeing that the kitchen had to churn out dishes for about 200 pax each time in just an hour or two… when the tour was over, we headed back to the cabin to pick up our belongings before gathering at the Four Seasons Restaurant for disembarkation…
This 3D2N destination super value cruise package to Phuket departs from Penang every Wednesday and every Friday, starting from 4th August 2017, and available from RM699 per person for Wednesday departures and from RM899 per person for Friday departures…
If you prefer to go for the existing and popular 4D3N cruise to Phuket and Krabi, you can book it for a special promotional price of RM1050 per person. This cruise departs every Sunday…
On Star Cruises, every journey is a voyage of discovery and surprise… so go for a cruise now and experience the fresh sea breeze, twinkling stars, and unstoppable fun and entertainment…
For more information, check out www. starcruises.com or www.facebook.com/starcruisesmalaysia
Live Life Lah....... 
Reading ur experience to the cruise , it was interesting and u r having lot of fun there. I think another add on in my bucket list.
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What a fantastic experience you had! Definitely interesting to read about your cruise story.
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You are so lucky of having a chance like that, I wish I have this opportunity as well in the future. While reading your blog post, I actually felt like I was there experiencing it.
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Looks like you have a lot of fun! This cruise looks like it’s a jammed packed with activities. I’m loving the pool!
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Crusing is fun! You are so awesome to be invited to cruise. And I think am sold with M/V Libra services.
I love your banana dress! Where did you bought it?
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oh my goodness, i’m so jealous! And the price is not that pricey. So affordable. I thought it’s gonna be more than 1k.
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Going on a cruise is also an item on my bucket list. Unlike you, it has yet to be checked. I wish the day will come sooner rather than later, especially now that I have read your exciting experience.
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nice cruise trip there. I wish to go again with my loved ones
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Bestnya…xajak pun…xpernah lagi naik cruise tp dah pernah naik Kapal KD Samudera, Lumut
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Wah such a nice experience to board the cruise to phuket. I wish to join the next trip.
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Really interested. I’m really want to try this cruise experience at my hometown. But only 5 hour in Phuket. time too short ;(
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I saw many good review of this cruise! I never been on a cruise before! This looks so much fun!! =D
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This is such a fun trip, I’m so tempted to go on board and go on a holiday.
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Really a nice short getaway to de-stress & have some nice fun sea sailing on the cruise over the weekends.
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Trip yang best dan fun kan walaupun hanya 3 hari 2 malam. Seronok dapat berjumpa dan berkenalan. Kalau tidak kenal dalam IG je.
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