Relax - Fine dining on the high seas

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A cruise holiday on board the luxurious SuperStar Virgo is a hassle-free and all-inclusive experience that leaves you feeling truly pampered.

On the SuperStar Virgo, you can enjoy six meals a day - breakfast, morning tea, lunch, high-tea, dinner and supper. The best part is that all the meals are included in your cruise ticket so you don't have to pay anything extra.

Those staying in the Balcony Class of cabins with an ocean view also receive up to $300 worth of dining credits in their room access cards. They can use them in the other bars and restaurants on board, which opens up an unlimited world of culinary adventure.

The food on board is a globetrotter's smorgasbord of delights complete with vegetarian and halal selections.

On top of the Mediterranean Buffet and Terrace, you can also choose full-course dining settings in two styles: a classic Western fine-dining at Bella Vista Restaurant and a classic Chinese familystyle dining at Pavilion Restaurant, where every meal is served like a banquet of several courses, even for breakfast.

Celebrated chefs

The award-winning chefs on the SuperStar Virgo who are often featured in various wine-and-dine magazines will surprise you with their beautiful culinary presentations, buffet showpieces and ice carvings.

You'll enjoy some of their delicious offerings at sea.

Everything is about elegance and good taste.

You will find delicious, freshly made cuisine served in small to medium portions. The food is constantly replenished and you will be spoilt for choice.

As a leader in Asian port-of-calls, Star Cruise's SuperStar Virgo takes pride in offering a sumptuous spread of South-east Asian delicacies. All you want to eat is on board.

At the trendy 24-hour dining hotspot, Blue Lagoon (right), which is helmed by Chef Jack Foo Kiat Ting - an experienced chef who has been with the ship since day one - you can enjoy his specialities such as Ping Pong Noodles, assam fish curry and Hainanese chicken along with his creations such as burgers-on-a-stick.

Unique to the SuperStar Virgo are coffee variants such as Mintacino and Cinacino and new beverages - Peachy Falls, Apple Appeal and Lychee Lite.

The Teppanyaki adventure at Samurai Japanese Restaurant starts from $45 and it is accompanied by treat-and-tricks that are a visual delight to savour. Besides sashimi, sushi and tempura, other must-try specialities include sake-marinated rib eye steak on wasabi flavoured mashed potatoes, and baked lobster tail with goose liver and river eel, served with Hikari Junmai or Kiku Masamune top-grade sake.

The kimono-clad waitresses will serve you with an authentic Japanese private dining experience in the two tatami rooms, each equipped with a private bell service.

Gourmet street

Further down the lane, Taj is a royalty-style Indian buffet that is certified halal. Freshly cooked curries are served in silver pots against a backdrop of the Taj Mahal. Piping hot naan and crackers, delectable black lentils, saffron spiced basmati rice and traditional desserts are served with impeccable service befitting the Raj.

Nearby, an exquisite new Bellini Precious Tea Corner serves high quality Chinese teas such as Liu An, Puh Erh, Dong Ding Oolong and Rock Tea, specially prepared by a Tea Master in an elegant and relaxing environment.

One deck up, Noble House is an exquisite Chinese dining parlour that counts steamed lobster with egg white, Peking duck and Sichuan Mary concoctions on its menu.

Diners can dress in their best for a chance to dine at Palazzo - the posh, gold-gilded 26-seater Italian restaurant that resembles a carriage on the luxurious Orient Express train. Its Italian menu is designed by executive chef Reinhard Mammes.

Chocolate buffet

The pleasures of the sun and sea will be incomplete without the dessert house by the pool, Gelato Ice-cream and Juice Café. Lick up everything from a traditional banana spilt made with Swensen's ice-cream to a Malaysian ice kachang and a Filipino halo halo.

Children are not left out. Parents can inform the crew of their children's allergies, if any, upon registering at the Charlie's Kids Club. The kids also get their own sandwiches, juices and fruits. There is a kids' section at the main dining hall of the Mediterranean Buffet and Terrace, which is decked with cheerful children's dining furniture, crockery and cutlery.

If you are lucky, the award-winning culinary team may even surprise you with a late-night chocolate buffet. The elegantly crafted swan pastries, chocolate "sushi" and all things cocoa make for an unforgettable evening.

Star Cruises was inducted into the TTG Travel Hall of Fame, having won Best Cruise Operator in Asia-Pacifi c for 10 consecutive years.

This article was first published by the Special Projects Unit, Marketing Division, SPH.

Photos: Star Cruises

Fine dining on the high seas

By Lim Yann Ling, Special Projects Unit | Thu, Feb 9 2012

A special culinary treat awaits the gourmet aboard the luxury liner SuperStar Virgo.

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