The voyage, organised by Konsortium, capped off with a flashy National Day celebration for Singapore
National Day may be long over, but the memories of an SG50 cruise I took over the long weekend are still fresh in my mind.
Before sailing on this three-day cruise to nowhere organised by travel specialist Konsortium, I wondered what kind of new discoveries, on-board activities and indulgences I could enjoy on a high seas cruise without any ports of call.
All those worries were cast out to sea the minute I stepped on board the SuperStar Gemini, a one-stop destination on its own.
High energy on the high seas
Konsortium’s itinerary added another dimen-sion of fun and deliciousness to the usual casinos and spas offered on cruise ships.
One of the highlights included an engaging cooking demonstration by Chef Heman Tan, who — besides being executive chef at JP Pepperdine, a seasonal Ironman triathlete and a ceramic artist — won us over with his unique sense of humour.
He does not shy away from talking to his food, for starters.
“Look at this fish. Nice fish,” he said, while preparing a grilled coral cod entrée. He went on to say, “You’ll want to grill it skin-down, so the skin gets most of the oil and comes out crispy.”
An all-rounded gourmet feast
His demonstrations weren’t all just for show. We also got to savour Chef Tan’s dishes during the Gala Dinner that night. It was a full-fledged five-course affair, complete with personal visits to our table from the maestro himself.
Highlights that left us craving more included the slow-cooked duck confit and grilled coral cod drizzled with the chef’s unique concoction: salted egg hollandaise sauce.
Dessert was a surprising treat as we got to try Chef Tan’s monochrome mooncakes, which he said took six months to perfect.
Both black and white mooncakes were a hit. The Pure White Cranberry Lotus mooncake surprised with its tangy and refreshing flavours, while the black Bamboo Charcoal mooncake had a decadent salted egg filling.
Both mooncakes will be sold in limited quantities at JP Pepperdine’s flagship rest-aurant chain, Jack’s Place.
But, as with all good things, the feast came at a price — and I’m not talking about the package’s affordable fares. Chef Tan, who participates in triathlons, had made us work for his food with a morning workout session the day before. It can be hard to motivate yourself to hit the gym, especially when you’re on a cruise and all set to relax.
“Many people today have a nua (Hokkien for lazy) lifestyle — not very balanced,” Chef Tan told me after our light aerobics workout that was held on the top deck for fresh morning air.
“So I wanted to share not only my cooking, but also my morning exercise. Overall, I want to encourage people to eat and live well,” he said.
Cruising done right
Before cruising back to Singapore, we also had a special SG50 party on board.
Put together by SuperStar Gemini’s own crew, the performance celebrated Singapore’s exuberance and diversity. It ended the trip on a high note, sending us home fully-charged and ready to celebrate National Day.
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Book a second ticket at only $22 with Konsortium’s SuperStar Gemini 4D3N getaway to Malaysia for travel between Nov 1, 2015, and Mar 25, 2016, school holidays included.
Prefer a longer getaway? Sail on the upcoming Southern Hemisphere Cruise, departing Nov 15 on the SuperStar Virgo.
Ports of call include Cambodia, Hong Kong and Australia. Konsortium is offering $100 off and free $100 on-board dining for this cruise.
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By Pamela Chow
Brought to you by Konsortium Express & Tours and Star Cruises. For bookings and more information on Konsortium’s cruise packages, call 6392 5000 or E-mail [email protected].
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