Online booking now available for all Genting Stars and Genting Resort Secret Garden Hotel

 

Hong Kong , 30 July, 2013 – To make every travel experience hassle-free, Genting Grand and Genting World hotels in Genting Resort Secret Garden, along with all Genting Star hotels operated by leading global leisure, entertainment and hospitality corporation Genting Hong Kong, have launched a one-stop online booking system. From now on, travellers can reserve rooms at these world-class hotels whenever and wherever they want.

Travellers can simply go to www.starcruises.com and choose “Hotels” under “Plan Your Holiday” on the front page. Select the hotel, check in date, number of night(s) from drop down menus to check available rooms and rates. After selecting the room type and confirming booking information, you can proceed to check out as an existing customer or register as a new customer to finish the transaction. The reservation process takes merely a few minutes and several clicks.

Genting Star, established in 2006, currently operates four hotels inShanghai,Suzhou,HangzhouandHebei’s Chongli. The chain prides itself on promoting “hygienic, safe and convenient” hospitality. All hotels are equipped with amenities including business centres, restaurants, convenience stores, meeting and leisure areas to cater to the needs of busy business travellers and to delight them with comfort and value-for-money services.

Genting Grand and Genting World are located inSecretGarden, a highland resort inTaiziVillage(PrinceVillage) on the outskirts ofZhangjiakouCity. In the resort sitting high amongst the clouds, guests will be showered with warm and sincere hospitality beyond their expectation. Enjoy superb winter skiing down our 30 ski trails under the crystal blue skies or engage in summer activities in the cool and fresh mountain air.SecretGardenis the perfect resort for holidaymakers of all ages, all year round. The full range of dining options and extensive MICE facilities also makeSecretGardenan ideal venue for meetings and conventions as well as for business and private gatherings.

The online booking service forGenting Star, Genting Grand and Genting World is available now. To celebrate the launch of this all-new feature, Genting Grand and Genting World are offering a special two-night package for four in the upcoming ski season later this year (2013). For groups offour, roomrate starts at RMB 596 per person per night, inclusive of breakfast and skiing pass. You can go on a five-star ski vacation at the price of a budget hotel. Make your reservation between now and September to capitalize on an extra 10 percent discount.

Star Cruises welcomes ITE students onboard SuperStar Virgo

SuperStar Virgo Hotel Manager, Mr Dodie Rosacay group photo with all the students and lecturers from Institute of Technical Education College.

Hong Kong / Singapore, 30 July, 2013 - Star Cruises, the leading cruise line in Asia-Pacific, welcomed 80 students from Institute of Technical Education (ITE) college onboard SuperStar Virgo last Friday.

The lecturers and students were given a warm welcomed by the Hotel Manager, Mr. Dodie Rosacay and his team before touring the 75,338-tonnage SuperStar Virgo.

During the tour, the enthusiastic students not only saw a glimpse of the inner world of a cruise ship, but also learned about the cruise industry and expanded their understanding of hospitality and tourism, a knowledge that would come handy when they pursue a career in this industry after graduation.

This 2-hour educational ship tour was jointly organised by Star Cruises and the Singapore Cruise Center.

Singapore Cruise Center partnered with ITE to develop a new course ‘Passenger Services Course’ to equip the industry with trained workers who can perform passenger services related operations in the their terminals.

IRON CHEF GEOFFREY ZAKARIAN TO HOST DINING EXPERIENCES AT SEA

Celebrity Chef will sail on board Norwegian Breakaway during the

November 3 and December 1, 2013 sailings

MIAMI – July 25, 2013 – Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that Celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian will host a number of special activities on board Norwegian Breakaway during two of the ship’s upcoming sailings: November 3 and December 1, 2013. 

These sailings will feature an exclusive opportunity to meet and interact with the Iron Chef in his on-board restaurant, Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian.

While sailing on board Norwegian Breakaway from November 7 through 10 and December 5 through December 8, Zakarian will offer Norwegian guests a variety of unique and interactive opportunities. He will host an exciting meet and greet session, giving guests the chance to take a photo with their favorite Iron Chef and a dynamic cooking demonstration, followed by a personalized book signing of his latest cookbook. The special event of each cruise will be the opportunity to attend an intimate dining experience* where a limited number of guests will enjoy a specially-curated Ocean Blue tasting menu served by the Iron Chef himself.

Geoffrey Zakarian recently launched three brand new seafood-centric restaurants on Norwegian’s New York City-inspired ship, Norwegian Breakaway; Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian, an elegant seafood dining experience that focuses on premium ingredients and expert culinary techniques; The Raw Bar, an adjacent bar that highlights crustaceans, crudos, cocktails and wines by the glass; and Ocean Blue on The Waterfront, a more casual dining option that serves fun and easy fare. All three of these unique venues utilize the freshest ingredients and finest techniques that Zakarian employs in his land-based restaurants, truly bringing the best of New York City dining experiences to sea on board Norwegian Breakaway. 

Showcasing his eye for details, Zakarian also orchestrated every element of the restaurant from menus, to uniforms, to glassware and utensils.

Zakarian's taste, style and passion for fine cuisine have defined his career, which has spanned more than 25 years. An accomplished chef who has presided over some of the country's top kitchens, he currently has two popular restaurants in New York City – The Lambs Club and The National; one in Atlantic City – The Water Club at Borgata; and a highly acclaimed cookbook “Geoffrey Zakarian’s Town/Country: 150 Recipes for Life Around the Table.” Zakarian emerged victorious in the recent fourth season of Food Network's The Next Iron Chef, Super Chefs. He appears regularly on Iron Chef America, demonstrating a razor-sharp knowledge of culinary techniques in this fast-paced cooking competition. When he's not battling in kitchen stadium, Zakarian stays busy filming CHOPPED, where he is featured as a recurring judge, and

highlights his favorite dishes on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Breeze through the exotic paradises of Penang, Phuket, and Krabi at 40% off !

Breeze through the exotic paradises of Penang, Phuket, and Krabi at 40% OFF. PLUS a 20% discount on all SuperStar Libra Shore Excursions will be offered to the first 40 bookers only! Sale will happen daily on July 20-27, from 12:00MN to 9:00AM. Don't miss the Exclusive Online Deal! 

For more details log on to  :  http://tinyurl.com/libramidnightsale

Star Cruises Presents

Spice it up! The Star Cruises Nasi Kandar Cooking Competition 2013 wants you

Star Cruises, the leading cruise line in Asia-Pacific, is scouting out culinary talent for The Star Cruises Nasi Kandar Cooking Competition 2013 onboard SuperStar Libra from 21 to 23 August. As a highlight of Genting Hong Kong’s 20th anniversary celebration, the cook-off is endorsed by Penang State Tourism and supported by Chefs Association of Malaysia (Penang Chapter) and Malaysian Association of Hotels (Penang Chapter).

  

Genting Hong Kong Assistant Vice President of Penang Operations Mr. Eric Sia said, “A local culture is always intertwined with its cuisine. As the leading cruise line in Asia and having our ships home ported here since 2010, we’re proud to promote the Penang and Malaysian culture and cuisine across the region.”

“In the old days, itinerant Nasi Kandar vendors would put rods on their shoulders to carry rice and various dishes to customers from one place to another. Over the years, Penangnites have inherited the culinary skills from their ancestors and transformed the dish into this signature Indian-Muslim favourite.”

“We hope that through this competition, participants will garner a rich appreciation for the culture, heritage and history behind the delicious local cuisine. Winners will get to demonstrate their culinary skills onboard various Star Cruises’ ships in front of guests from around the world,” he added.

The winners will be invited to show off their talent onboard SuperStar Aquarius when the ship is on its seasonal deployment at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah starting 6 November 2013, as well as onboard SuperStar Virgo, which currently homeports in Singapore, when it calls in Penang. Winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medallion Awards will receive RM5,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 cash prizes, SuperStar Gemini cruises and certificates. Whoever best captivates our passengers’ taste buds will win the Guests’ Choice Award to bring home a cash and cruise prize.

This cooking competition is divided into two categories – professional and amateur. Skilled chefs, hospitality practitioners, apprentices, homemakers and anyone who loves to cook are welcomed to take the challenge to compete on curry fish head.

Judges include representatives from Chefs Association of Malaysia (Penang Chapter), members of the media and food bloggers. These judges with keen eyes for perfection and will take authenticity, technique, taste, presentation, safety and hygiene into consideration. A few lucky passengers will also be invited to judge the three-day competition.

A total of 32 contestants (16 from each category) will be selected. Registration closes on 5 August. For more information, please log on to www.starcruises.com or email to nasi.kandar.competition@starcruises.com. You may also visit our Reservation Office at Logan Heritage, No 6. Beach Street, 10300 George Town, Penang.

Food lovers should seize the chance to taste the authentic and delicious Nasi Kandar. Star Cruises is offering a special 30% discount for SuperStar Libra cruises from 21 to 23 August. Booking starts from 1 August to 23 August. Terms and Conditions apply.Star Cruises is scouting out culinary talent for The Star Cruises Nasi Kandar Cooking Competition 2013 onboard SuperStar Libra from 21 to 23 August as a highlight of Genting Hong Kong’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Resorts World Manila gives Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella a new twist

 Following the success of award-winning “The King and I”, another splendid musical is set to blow your mind at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Resorts World Manila, the only one-stop, nonstop integrated lifestyle hub in the Philippines, will bring Cinderella, another celebrated Rodgers and Hammerstein production, to life in October.

Originally written for television, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was based on the popular French version Cendrillion by Charles Perrault. The television musical was first broadcast in 1957 on CBS when more than 107 million people tuned in for its network premiere. It featured Julie Andrews in the title role and Jon Cypher as everyone’s favourite Prince Charming. The three-act TV version comprised original scores that would later become classics, including “In My Own Little Corner”, “Ten Minutes Ago”, and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful”.

The popularity of Cinderella withstands the test of time. The 1965 CBS remake starring Lesley Ann Warren and Stuart Damon was rebroadcast eight times until 1974. The 1997 Disney made-for-television movie featuring a star-studded cast including Brandy, Whitney Houston, Paolo Montalban, Bernadette Peters, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber and Jason Alexander was viewed by 60 million people. In the following year, Broadway Asia Entertainment’s 30-week Asian tour of the musical, top-billed by Tony Award winning actress Lea Salonga, premiered in Manila.

Sheraton and Hilton Hotels to Rise Soon at Resorts World Manila

SuperStar Aquarius to be based in Sabah port this winter

Star Cruises will become the first cruise line to homeport one of its ships in the Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu.

The 2,156-passenger SuperStar Aquarius cruise liner will arrive in the Sabah state capital on 6 November 2013 following a voyage from Taiwan. Once there it will offer a series of three-night voyages to destinations in Borneo, including Bintulu, in Sarawak province, and Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The deployment will run until 30 March 2014.

“We are proud to be the first international cruise line to homeport in Kota Kinabalu, attracting not only domestic but also international guests to Sabah. We envision that this deployment will help build the cruise tourism industry in this part of Asia and boost local tourism economies,” said Edward Johann Leong, Star Cruises’ vice president of East Malaysia operations.

The SuperStar Aquarius features a range of facilities including nine restaurants and bars, a spa and a 409m² duty-free shopping area.

The ship is currently based in Keelung, Taiwan, but will depart on its repositioning voyage to Kota Kinabalu on 29 October 2013, with stops at Hong Kong, Manila and Boracay.

Halal restaurants on Star Cruises

Holidays aboard a cruise ship are hardly new in the tourism industry, but somehow, it has yet to attract much attention from Muslim tourists, particularly from Malaysia.

Many factors are taken into account during the planning of a holiday, and for Muslims, the issue of halal food is a major factor and the lack of interest in cruise vacations stems from the uncertainty surrounding halal food served aboard cruise ships.

Doubts about the food are not completely baseless as there has been no certification so far by any authority on halal food served on cruise ships although cruise operators do give their assurance.

Muslims in Malaysia are also attuned to ensuring that their food and beverages are certified halal by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, also known as Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM).

Recently, this writer and 70 other media members were given the opportunity to join the luxury ship SuperStar Libra on a cruise that not only covered the Pulau Pinang-Phuket-Krabi route but also established a halal restaurant on board the ship.

The event was jointly organised by tour agencies, namely Malaysian Harmony Tour and Travel (MHTT), Star Cruises Travel Service (M) Sdn Bhd (Star Cruise) and Santai Travel, to introduce and inform Muslim tourists in the country about the certified halal food available on board the luxury liner.

Our four-day, three-night cruise was filled with excitement and entertainment led by Datuk Aznil Nawawi or Pak Nil, a popular local celebrity and television personality.

Keeping the food halal

Consuming only halal food is a strict practice among Muslims, and the credibility of the chef or cook who is preparing the food is also taken into account.

Muslims also need the assurance of adherence to halal principles on raw foods that are being used in the cooking of chicken and meat. Apart from that, patrons of Muslim restaurant also want to ensure that food enhancers or flavours and even the pots, pans and plates are in line with halal requirements. In fact, the utensils should not be mixed with those used in the preparation of non-halal food.

Spice Restaurant

It is in view of such requirements by Muslim tourists that Star Cruise, a cruise ship operator, took steps to refurbish its SuperStar Libra ship to house a halal restaurant.

Named Spice, the restaurant is located on the 10th deck of the ship and can accommodate up to 70 customers at a given time.

The restaurant, which offers both set and buffet style meals, also has a lounge area for guests to relax and unwind with their family and friends.

Cynthia Lee, Deputy President of Star Cruise Sales Division, said the company is hoping to attract more Muslim tourists to take up cruise vacation packages, especially after the launch of the restaurant.

"For a start, we want to attract Muslim tourists from this country and then from other countries and regions such as Indonesia and the Middle East," she said.

At the restaurant, more than 30 different dishes are displayed on the menu, including rice dishes such as nasi kandar, nasi bryani, honeyed chicken, mutton curry, mixed vegetables and local salads as well as deserts such as sago pudding, ice cream and fresh fruits.

This writer's personal favourites were red fish curry, spicy prawns and the special sambal belacan made by Chef Saifol Iskandar Ikhsan, who also manages the restaurant.

Endorsed by Jakim

The opening of Spice Restaurant, meanwhile, marks a new milestone for the cruise operator in the global tourism industry, having acquired the halal status for its restaurant from Jakim.

The idea of opening a restaurant came about when the Star Cruise management realised that Muslims were not fond of taking up cruise vacation packages because of the food served on cruise ships.

The Spice Restaurant was then set up in sync with all the halal regulations set by Jakim.

Chef Saifol himself was responsible for all matters related to the application of halal status to the restaurant.

The chef, who has been with Star Cruise for 15 years, admitted that while the certification process was highly challenging, he was determined to continue with efforts to ensure that the plan to open up a halal restaurant came to fruition.

"It is not easy to get Jakim's endorsement. There are many rules to be followed. The entire kitchen had to be revamped. We had to change the pots and pans, plates, cutlery and dining sets to remove any lingering doubts.

"It was only after Jakim officials visited the ship several times that the restaurant was certified of having met all the regulations," he said.

Meanwhile, raw food supplies for the restaurant are only sourced from suppliers that have been endorsed by Jakim. Food supplies that are brought in from Thailand during the stopover are also ensured of halal certification.

The halal certification in Thailand is provided by the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand (CICOT), which is also endorsed by Jakim and is in the list of overseas halal bodies that one can refer to at Jakim's official website athttp://www.halal.gov.my/v3/index.php/ms/senarai-badan-islam-yang-diiktiraf.

Star Cruises, A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY & SURPRISE!

To escape your everyday, to dream...

To explore the new places and cultures with Star Cruises!

Visit http://www.starcruises.com to know more about A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY & SURPRISE!

Star Cruises 20th Anniversary Celebrations!

 23rd of June kick-off celebration onboard SuperStar Libra