Information
Tan Si Ying
Tan Si Ying
Most of the students who went for the cruise trip actually thinks that the trip was kind of short. The school should have gone for the 4 days 3 nights one. When we went to the Habourfront center, the checking in was way too slow. It made me slighlty disappointed, and didn't think that I was going to have fun during the trip. However, soon enough, I was proved wrong with the Penguin Mascot at the entrance, it looked so cute.
The minute we boarded the ship, we were assigned with room keys in a group of four. When me and my cabinmates walked into the room we were going to share, we had the same reaction, "How are we going to prepare for Gala dinner with such limited space." The food was good. As in every meal and every course.
Second day, we had a sharing session by the cruise management, from the Food and Beverage, Entertainment. They mentioned that one of their staff worked with them, and signed a contract for 10 months, after working for 10 months, he manage to get a car. By working on cruise, you have nothing to buy on the cruise, and your meals are settled. We manage to talk to a housekeeper, he signed the contract with the cruise for 10 months, he thinks that the job is slightly boring to him because of the routine. So basically, it is a good experience to look at the back of the house too. The gallery tour was good with the visiting of the casinos, where explanation of the games were made, we also had Food and Beverage tour and so was there the laundry.
After that, there was a fire drill. Cruise conducts fire drill every forthnightly. I love the Gala dinner where everyone was well-dressed and was masked-up. It looked different from others. I enjoy this trip a lot. And I'm already looking forward to the next.
Thanks Mr Wong, Ms Tan and Mr Chan.
Nur Syahirah
Nur Syahirah Binte Jumadi
The Cruise trip came at the right time. Exams were over and it was time for most of us to celebrate. I was all excited for this trip knowing that Ill be able to enjoy 3 days and 2 nights with not only my classmates but my fellow coursemates that have signed up for the trip as well.
We were first gathered at the HarbourFront Centre for check-in which took quite a long time but we werent bothered much about it since we were all excited. Due to the delay, the original plan for the night had to be changed. I learnt that such last minute changes are inevitable in the working industry and i have to think on my feet when it happens. Once we were on board the cruise ship and have checked into our room, we head over for the Buffet Dinner where we get to meet the rest of our classmates who has checked in earlier then us.
On the 2nd day of the trip, we attended a presentation made by the management and tour of the cruise trip courtesy of the cruise management team after breakfast. The tour was indeed excellent! Every one of us was able to learn from the tour; Back of the house to Front of the house operation. The tour was very useful to us Hotel & Leisure Facilities Management (HLFM) students as we get to understand what we might be working with in the future when we decide to venture into the industry.
The Fire Drill which was done during the 2nd day was, I believe very essential for the cruise, to be certain that every staff member is prepared in case of an emergency. Such drills should be done often not only on cruise ships but also hotels to ensure the safety of people on the property. Sadly, we didnt do much on the 3rd day of the trip as we had an early check-out.
Such out-of-school based learning trips should be done often as it engages students to learn. Overall, I believe that the Cruise trip was very well planned. I enjoyed my time on board and Im sure everyone would agree that we did learn a lot from the whole cruise trip. This experience is an awesome experience and one which I will never forget.
Amirah Mok
Amirah Mok
Superstar Virgo. Though the time spent on the cruise was limited, I'm sure it was worth the 6 months of waiting.
I'm fully aware that the cruise is a floating hotel and the way they operate is totally different from the normal hotel. That also helps to trigger the excitement for this trip. One of the highlights of the trips was when all of us gathered at the Lido Showhouse to attend a talk by all the various department heads. To be honest, the talk was really very informative though it's quite draggy. Just by that talk, I found out that to work in a cruise, you will only have 10 months contract. And within this 10 months, you're not allowed to go home or leave the ship. The thought of having to work in the cruise for 10 months and not having to spend a single dime on anything excite me even more. We even got to try out the moves for YMCA on the stage that once performed by many famous celebrities!
We also had gallery tour after lunch. We get to experience the back of the house and I swear that wherever you go, you will also see the crew smiling to each other though they are from different department. It will give anyone a sense of belonging. I guess that's because they only have one another during that 10 months. That night, we were given the opportunity to actually dressed up nicely and prettily and joined the other passengers for the Gala dinner. However, to differentiate ourselves from others, we had a theme. Masquerade. Everyone was supposed to be very mysterious but of course we blew our cover once all of us meet. That wasnt all, we also went to catch a show at Lido Showhouse after the dinner. It was fun and interesting. It isnt the same as the other kind of shows. This show tells a story by dancing. Though I couldnt understand a single thing they were to bring across, I still had fun!
Through this trip, I'm happy to say that I've learnt more than I expected. And I'm really looking forward in working with superstar Virgo for my internship.
Riqa Octafia
Riqa Octafia
It was the first time being on a cruise, the thought of it excites me as it is not just any other cruise that we will be on but, is one of the finest cruise in Asia, Star cruise. It will be a 3 days 2 nights event to Malaysia and the it is an experience that I will not forget.
The first night, we were all gathered at Singapore cruise centre at around 8pm and all of us was very excited but however the ship drill was cancelled and so we board the ship at about 9.30. The night was still young, and so all of us went to our respective cabins and put our luggage inside and went on a self-tour around the ship. The next day was the day that we get to see how a cruise ships operates. Everything was the same, they have to serve all of us the guest just like how normal hotels normally operates but the difference is just that the cruise will be sailing. We got to learn about the back of the house operation starting from the laundry operations at the lower deck to the F&B operation. We also witnessed the fire drill conducted by the crews on board and I must say that we were lucky that we got to witness it as it is only conducted once every two weeks. I also got to know that working on a cruise, you would only get to go back home only after 10 months and most of the crews consists of mostly Filipinos, Indonesians and Nepalese. I also learnt that the crews will have a night off from duty to actually enjoy themselves in their crew bar. This is actually a benefit for them as they get to relax themselves after working so hard.
I have never thought of working on a cruise before but after the experience on the cruise, it is actually an interesting way to travel around. I have always wanted to be a stewardess but it had never occurred in my mind to actually sail around instead of flying around. The events conducted in the cruise was actually also very interesting as we had a choco madness party with some live entertainments with songs being played and a dancing competition which our very own lecturer, Mr Wong Kum Kit had won. Nevertheless, it was a very delightful experience and I hope there will be more of trips organised as it was very helpful to get to know how different types of hotels or cruise accommodates and serve to their guest.
M Kamini Manivannan
M Kamini Manivannan
It was indeed a very memorable experience etched in my mind. The cruise trip was not only all fun and laughter but it was also a great opportunity to foster new friendships with people from different classes.
It was my first time on a cruise ship and I am encouraged to embark on another. It was truly a good learning experience as well when we got to look at the behind the scenes of the kitchen, laundry and casino of the cruise ship. Besides, we also managed to hear from the management of the different sectors of the cruise ship. It was a very free and easy session where there was no need to be of any worries in asking questions or wanting to know more. The people on the cruise were as equally or even more friendly than us.
Being seasick just after a few days of being in a cruise ship is nothing compared to the almost 6 months spent by the crew on the ship. It is really admirable that the crew continue to serve their best with a huge smile on their faces day and night despite having to be away from their family and loved ones.
The most enjoyable moments of the cruise were many but some of the highlights would be the first night, where in particular my class and twin class, we engaged ourselves in some games and used the space where the helicopter was suppose to land in the ship to play and bond. We totally sweated it all out after the vast spread of dishes at the supper buffet. Not everyone got a chance to participate in the games session created by ourselves and I think it somewhat made us special.
Another one would be the Gala night dinner. We were required to wear masks and dress up nicely as the theme was Masquerade Party. The food was served in three courses, making us feel as very important guests. We were glad to be part of the dinner. The Choco Madness Party that followed up was amazing. Mouth-watering and irresistible were the chocolate desserts that were being laid out in buffet style for all of us to enjoy.
We danced the last night and knocked off going into the last day. In all, the trip was an eye-opener to most of us and if given a chance I would definitely go on a cruise with no fear of the Titanic incident with my family.
Michaela Theodora Toh
Michaela Theodora Toh
It is without a doubt that this trip to the SuperStar Virgo opened my eyes in so many aspects. Everything I experienced, from having consecutive feasts provided by the Mediterranean Restaurant to the activities lined up for us students, had its moments. The trip didnt just broaden my knowledge on hospitality but fostered new friendships between the other classes of DHLFM as a whole.
I have to say this experience had me contemplating having to be of part of the family of the cruise industry in the near future. It was all thanks to the sharing session we had as one of the many activities in stored for all us. Several heads from different sectors of the management gave enlightening talks on how is the cruise operated and ran. The one that really got my attention was the talk given by the manager who was in charge of the leisure and entertainment on board because throughout his speech, he stressed a lot on the welfare of not only the guests, but the staff as well.
One of the main highlights would be the gala dinner held at the Bella Vista. Mr. Wong, our personal tutor, came up with the idea of a Masquerade Party where we were required to don on masks throughout the palatable dinner. I guess the objective was to differentiate ourselves form the rest of the guests and having that sense of belonging as a course. We certainly succeed alright.
The most memorable moment would be the Choco Madness Party which was right after the dinner. It was a real treat, especially for chocolate and party lovers as a wide variety of chocolates were arrayed on long tables you just dont know where to start. The atmosphere was amazing with music blasting from the band playing by the pool deck and yummy chocolate pastries to fill our stomachs. Everyone was dancing and eating the night away.
All in all, I wouldnt hesitate to embark on another cruise trip after having a lifetime on this one.
Michelle Neo
Michelle Neo
I think the school should make this cruise trip a 4 days 3 nights. I bet most of us would find that the time spent on the cruise was too short. However, I think all of us did make use of the 3 days there. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper for all 3 days, we can never go hungry! Had gained weight after the cruise trip. Apart from the food that is good, the staffs there were all so friendly and the way they treat the staff and guests were as if they were one big family. The staff was able to enjoy themselves in events such as disco night, etc. Those events were specially organized for them. This inspired me to work in cruise after I graduate. The way they work on the cruise is somehow different from how hotel work. During this trip, we have a balanced time to relax and learn. In the morning, we were lead by one of the cruise staff to tour around the ship, and then we party in the night. It was an eye opener during the tour, I have never seen before the operation of the ship and how laundries are done. I have never regret going for this trip and I hope that there will be more in the future.
Nuzhat Binte Haja Maidin
Nuzhat Binte Haja Maidin
Generally, I learnt a lot from this cruise trip. First of all cruise is not like any other hotel or lodging because you cannot get down from the cruise. However there would be entertainments on board and many other things to do, but there are still some negative points about cruise. For example, you can get sea sick and during emergencies (serious illness e.g heart attack) the time to treat it would take longer because you have to bring the patient to the hospital. But putting aside all these negative points, you can actually have a fantastic time on board. I really enjoyed this trip a lot.
I heard from some people that cruise might be a little boring, but during this trip I did not find it boring at all. I thought that this 3 days/ 2 nights trip was just enough. The duration was not too long or too short, it was just right. During this trip I learnt about the F&B, Service, Housekeeping and Entertainment crews on board. We met the Tour & Travel Manager, Cruise Director, F & B Manager and the Housekeeping Manager during the sharing session. They shared much useful information with us about the cruise itself and their crews on board. They also did safety drills and we had a look at how they do it. I got to know that it is something very important to be in the cruise and for the peoples safety.
I liked the tour around the Gallery and the laundry room. It was the biggest ones that I have seen so far. Besides that, I also liked the casino tour as I have never entered a casino. It was a new experience to go around a non-operational casino. At night, a group of us were playing at the arcade onboard and at the helicopter area and had lots of fun. I had a great time exploring the cruise with my roommates too.
The Gala dinner that we had was a highlight in the trip. All of us had our masks on when we entered the restaurant and all the eyes were on us. They made us feel special in a way. And on the second day we went for a show at the Galaxy of stars and my friends participated it the games conducted. It was good to be there watching it. We also went for a dancefloor and enjoyed the time there. We had buffet meals everyday. However, I felt that the food during the 3 days were not like how I expected it to be.
As a whole, I would say that this trip was awesome and it benefits me a lot as I am in this course.
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