CRUISE TRIP WITH 12FLY NING NING AND DING DING! - PART 3
20 December 2016
A better morning for me this time! Woke up early and geared up for morning exercise. I know! I surprised myself too that I am making effort to squeeze time for an exercise. I went to Boat Deck (Deck 6) for a sunrise morning jog and then continued with morning dance exercise at the Pool Deck before breakfast.
The ship was scheduled to arrive at Patong Bay, Phuket around noon. Therefore, we were expected to assemble at Star Lounge an hour earlier to ensure we were logged as passengers who disembarked the ship and queued for the priority tender boat trip to the pier.
I was excited to explore Phuket albeit a gloomy, drizzling day. My first stop was Hard Rock Café Phuket, walking distance from the pier. Of course, I needed some memento. I had a checklist for the Phuket Day trip. I wanted a Thai foot massage, a cornrow hair braids, and their street food – the handmade ice-cream and pancakes.
Our first stop was to have lunch at Marina Restaurant, a halal Thai eatery located 30 minutes away from Patong Bay. Not really a fan of Thai food but it was so good. I totally recommend the place for Muslim travellers to Phuket. I’m so glad the next sightsee spot involves a lot of walking because I ate a lot!
We went to Old Town Phuket which was made up of houses with Sino-Portuguese architecture. It reminded me a lot of Penang, which made me adore it even more. Almost all the buildings were refurbished and brightly painted. The establishment varies from boutique hotels, artisan cafes (there’s even a cat café there), craft and clothing stores. I was surprised to them selling kebaya and batik there, guess we share the same culture. The only difference, they call it pateh instead of batik. Apart from the attractive exterior, I found this little treasure – a book café! 
We also stopped by Wat Chalong and took some photos there. It started drizzling again as we left Wat Chalong for the town. Back in Patong Beach, we walked the whole stretch of Bangla Road. The street was lively with a whole selection of stores selling clothes, snacks, souvenirs, crafts and towards the end of it a host of pubs. If you want to shop, skip the available malls and just go straight to Bangla Road.
Just before we went back to the ship at 10pm, I managed to get the street snacks I wanted. Fulfilled 2 out of 4 from the checklist!
We made it back just in time for the Viva De Libra Farewell Party where the crew throw one last party, performed, danced and sang for us.
21 December 2016
My last day on board. I had a lie-in and skipped breakfast because I know I will miss the feeling of sinking in the bed. By 11am, I have freshened up, packed my bags and quickly made my way to the checkout counter. I had no outstanding payments, checked-out, collected my passport and was ready to go to the waiting area for priority guests.
Until I realised that actually, the ship will only arrive in Penang at 2pm. I only needed to be there an hour earlier. See how important it is to always refer the Star Navigator? I can only laugh at myself. Change of plans for me, I went to get lunch instead. What a feast they threw for us on the last day. We had baby octopus, seafood chowder, grilled seafood, they definitely know how to satisfy their guests. I am sure I am not the only one leaving the ship satisfied.
If I was given the opportunity to go on StarCruise Libra again, I will definitely grab it in a heartbeat. I highly recommend for a cruise vacation trip as an easy alternative for a holiday. No matter for a group of friends, a honeymoon trip, a family holiday, a bachelor party or even a solo trip – there’s something for everyone.
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☆CRUISE TRIP WITH 12FLY NING NING AND DING DING! - PART 1
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