(From top): Some attractions aboard the SS Virgo — the Saffron restaurant; the magnificent swimming pool, a couple chills out in the hot tub; teens in the gaming room; the SS Libra, Star Cruises’ soon-to-be-launched Indian liner

Halfway up the gangway into SuperStar Virgo, I suffer a moment of panic. Where are those sea-sickness pills I?d packed away so carefully, I mutter, rifling through an over-stuffed bag. Having grown up on stories of sea-crossings in which delicately nurtured ladies are reduced to being ignominiously sick all over their hot, cramped cabins, I knew those pills would probably save my life on this three-day voyage from Singapore and back.

Seeing me about to disembark in search of the nearest pharmacy to stock up on the pills that I have left on the bedside table of the hotel room, a gallant co-passenger who has been on this particular ship before comes to the rescue. ?Never fear. No sea-sickness on this baby,? he says, pointing to the huge mass of the luxury liner that is to be home for the next three days and nights.

And looking up at the 13 decks (floors for you landlubbers) that make up the gigantic SuperStar Virgo, gleaming white in the hot Singapore sunlight, all fears recede. This is no rickety sail-boat from Pirates of the Caribbean ? this is a true-blue luxury cruise ship, equipped to accommodate upwards of 5,000 people at a time and entertain them for every moment they are on board. Anything that looks so solid and secure could be nothing but impeccably safe, I tell myself, at least safer than those flying machines we keep gadding about in. ?Yes, that?s what the Titanic?s passengers told themselves,? a pessimistic fellow traveller says gloomily. ?Yes, but are you expecting icebergs off the Malaysian coast?? I retort.

On the opulent main deck of SS Virgo, we are greeted by kimono-clad women holding trays of bubbly. This is the life, we sigh. The ship is yet to sail, and we are taken on a grand tour of all it has to offer. The list draws up to something like this: swimming pool with jacuzzi at each corner that would put any respectable five-star to shame, kiddies? pool, sports deck with jogging track, basketball court and miniature golf, 13 restaurants and bars on board including four speciality cuisine restaurants that serve Indian, authentic Chinese, Japanese and Italian food, numerous watering holes including a karaoke bar and an open-air tavern, a gym, a beauty salon, an ice-cream parlour, a library, a business centre, a conference room, an auditorium, a casino ? whew!

Finally our tired feet are led towards our cabins ? which, thankfully, are nothing like the cramped lodgings of the Moby Dick variety but come with double bed, attached bathroom, a TV (for those who draw their life-force from repeated re-runs of Friends) and, wonder of wonders, an honest-to-God balcony that looks right into the vast blueness of the ocean.

These are the Balcony Class rooms ? one of the five kinds of rooms and suites available, the others being inside staterooms (no view), oceanview staterooms (with a porthole, those looking for some genuine shipboard experience should go for this), oceanview staterooms with a window (about the same size as the previous) and the junior suites and executive suites (for the luxury-minded).

Dinner is at the richly appointed Italian restaurant on board, Palazzo. Excellent food tastes better served in baroque surroundings, we decide, as the fettuccine in butter sauce I am having, literally melts in the mouth. After that, it?s time for sipping wine at the appropriately named Galaxy of the Stars, a glass-covered deck on level 12 towards the front, sorry, the forward, of the ship.

The 3-days-3-nights package on SS Virgo that starts from Singapore each Sunday and docks back on Wednesday takes in two pit-stops at Penang in Malaysia and Phuket, Thailand. The next day, we land into the blistering heat and killing humidity of Penang around mid-morning. This island state off the western coast of Malaysia was once a fishing port and is now a thriving business centre and beach-bummers? paradise ? thanks mostly to its stretch of sea-front shops and restaurants catering to the tourist crowd called Batu Feringhi. Famed for its much-rocking nightlife, the good Batu is denied to us as we have to return on board ship by early evening. Air conditioning never felt so good.

The regular night-time entertainment on SS Virgo is the Lido show ? a Las Vegas style live show with dance and acrobatic acts, the brochure promises. What it doesn?t inform is that these will take place simultaneously, with little Chinese kids pirouetting on hoops mid-air even as samba dancers do their thing on the stage below. A bit of a hotchpotch, as one can imagine, but the men, apparently, have something to look forward to as there?s an ?adult? version of the same later in the night. The word ?topless? is whispered. The ladies look the other way as the men try hard not to look interested.

The next day, we say land ahoy off the coast near Phuket. It will be just as hot as Penang, we are warned the night before, only to wake up in the morning to see the emerald Phuket in the distance through a mist of light drizzle and a lazy, cool sea breeze. After a few brief and unfortunately lacklustre visits to a cashewnut factory and a jewellery and artefacts store that reminds one strongly of the various state emporia back home, we are let loose into a departmental store to get a taste of the famed shopping in Thailand. This is where most Indians head to stock up on the gifts that they must take back for the three hundred and forty nine relatives back home ? and it?s not difficult to figure out why, with T-shirts as cheap as 80 Thai baht and quality footwear for around 300 baht. Since the baht is only marginally higher in value than Indian currency (about 0.25 paise per rupee), shopping in Thailand is minus the constant headache of having to make impossible multiplications in your head to convert costs into Indian rupees, a fact that undoubtedly contributes towards its popularity. Besides cheap DVDs and Thai massages, of course.

It?s disembarkation time next evening, and we bid farewell to our own favourite nooks and crannies of the ship, armed with bottles of wine procured with left-over dining credit. It?s good-bye to the good life for us as we land into hot and muggy Singapore.

The good news? The Star Cruises family is starting its first Indian cruise aboard the Super Star Libra. The ship will be homeported in Mumbai from September and after a series of one-night cruises from Mumbai, she will do regular four-night destination cruises to Kadmat in virgin Lakshwadeep and Goa, two-night cruises to Goa and 1-night weekend getaway cruises off Mumbai.

La Dolce Vita, here I come.

Game for more

Take a walk on the wild side by opting for a safari overseas, says Samita Bhatia

Wildlife enthusiasts out for some jungle fun in Zimbabwe (top) and tourists on an elephant safari in Sri Lanka

OK, so the news is bad from India’s game sanctuaries. Perhaps it’s time for avid wildlife enthusiasts to head for foreign shores. Take your choice from a string of African countries like Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Closer home, head to Sri Lanka. The good news is that India’s top travel agencies can organise your trip in a jiffy.

There are heaps of options and that makes for a tough choice about where to go. So, the first step is to decide what animals you want to see.

And be warned: safaris don’t come cheap. Botswana, considered the ultimate experience in safaris because of its raw wilderness, can be enjoyed for between $250 to $600 per person, per night. East Africa (and that includes Kenya and Tanzania) can be savoured for $150 to $350 per person, per night and South Africa and Sri Lanka will probably cost you $200 to $400 per person, per night. And these tariffs do not include airfares.

How does a safari work? The typical safari will take you into a reserve for a specific number of days — three, four, five or even seven days — with stays usually organised in tents at rest camps. If you book for a ‘luxury’ safari then expect to stay in the comfort of a lodge. The safari will also throw in the experience of dining under the stars, on-road game viewing drives, night safaris in open vehicles and even a walk-through in the safer areas.

If you are pretty much decided on seeing the Big Five — lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos and elephants — all in one trip, then Masai Mara in Kenya, Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania are the best bets. Besides these destinations, Indians also favour Botswana.

Masai Mara is where the wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrate each year in June from the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania. The animals cross the border and the rivers to reach Masai Mara’s lush grasslands. When in Kenya, trips to Lake Nakuru National Park (that protects flamingo and hippos), the Amboseli, Aberdare National Park Samburu Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Tsavo East National Park can be inbuilt.

Other African jewels are the Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands of South Africa. Sabi Sands Reserve’s leopard safaris are exciting and June to August is a good time to go. Besides big game viewing, Kruger also offers bird watching safaris.

Tanzania, the largest country in east Africa, offers you the chance to view an amazing natural wonder — the Ngorongoro Crater. The game park is the place to see elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, lions and much more. Another spectacular park is the Serengeti National Park.

Wild on

• Visitors to East Africa have to produce health records. Check on the health advisories of the countries before leaving. • Organised safaris insist that you travel light — forget the heavy bag or backpack. • Boots and socks are a must for walking around. • Carry anti-diarrhoea medicine, throat lozenges, plaster, insect repellent, medicated creams, sun-block. • Camping out? Cover yourself with a mosquito net. • Swimming in rivers and lakes is a no-no if you don’t want unpleasant encounters with hippos or crocs. • Never walk around at night.

It may be lesser known, but north Zimbabwe also offers great reserves. Safari enthusiasts can head for Hwane, Matusodona and Mana Pools — and throw in a visit to Victoria Falls. Botswana may be a landlocked country, dominated by the mighty Kalahari Desert, but it remains famous for its safari tours in the spectacular inland Okavango Delta known for its abundance of elephants.

Options abound to gawk at other species: for gorillas head for Rwanda, Uganda or Gabon, for chimps, it’s Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park.

Though but a teardrop in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is gifted with teeming wildlife. Though it’s not the country where lions and tigers are found, it’s a land of elephants, leopards, the sloth bear, monkeys and the aggressive wild buffalo. Sea turtles and crocs can also be found in parts of Sri Lanka while the Sinharaja Forest Reserve is an undisturbed lowland rain forest.

Leopards, elephants, sloth bear and water buffalo are the threatened species that have made Wilpattu National Park their home. If Uda Walawe Park is the best place to watch wild elephants, Ruhuna National Park at Yala is great for viewing leopards, crocodiles, elephants and flamingos. The best time to visit is from now to October. For bird-watching head for Horton Park, a 2,000m plateau that ends in a 1,000m drop to the valley floor. Bundala in the South East of Sri Lanka (aquatic bird life) should round off the trip.

Tips for the trip

But some do’s and don’ts must be adhered to when enjoying the adventure trail. Obviously, be very careful about wild animals and don’t go off for a stroll by yourself. It’s particularly risky to go near a waterbody.

If you are driving through a game park in a vehicle, stay in it. Leave the vehicle only in the designated areas (called hides) and abide strictly by the rules. Never stick anything out of the vehicle and quell the urge to stand up if the vehicle is an open one. Having attracted attention, you might irritate the animal.

If you are driving your own vehicle, go slow. Keep the windows up (if the vehicle has them) to keep out the baboons and monkeys. If you opt for any of the walking safaris (like those in Africa and Sri Lanka), then be prepared to bump into some animal on your walks. But if you do encounter wildlife, ensure that you are not blocking its escape route. Walk away slowly, or back off quietly.

Thus armed, it’s time to go. Honeymooners, wildlife enthusiasts and photographers as well as families out on a vacation — safaris are sure to offer a spot of fun on the wild side.

Route map

• For a true tropical experience that’s hard to beat, Mauritius a tiny island paradise in the Indian Ocean could be just the place for you. Though nestled up alongside Africa, it’s more influenced by its British and French ties and massive Indian workforce. So you should feel right at home here. Thomas Cook has on offer a great 7-day summer package, at Rs 78,775 (per head on twin-sharing basis). That includes four-star accommodation and all meals. Airfare, visa charges, ticket taxes, medical insurance and sightseeing are also thrown in. Besides hanging out on the golden sands, there’s plenty to do in Mauritius. And the package includes the amazing underwater sea walk, a full day’s tour of South Island and a visit to the multicultural capital, Port Louis. So if you’re looking for a lazy beach vacation, you could certainly do much worse! For details, call: 2282 4711/2.

• The rains may have finally arrived, but if you’re still looking for a bit more relief from the muggy days, Elegant Tours is offering a package that should be right up your street. For six days and five nights, you can take off to beautiful Gangtok and Pelling to catch the hill-stations at their scenic best during the rains.

From New Jalpaiguri, a car will take you to gorgeous Pelling, where you can chill out and take in the local sights and sounds for the first two days. Then, it’s on to Gangtok, teeming with temples and monasteries, beautiful flowers and cottage crafts. Here, the package includes treks to Tsongmo Lake, Baba Mandir and local sightseeing of the famed seven points including the Rumtek Monastery.

And the best part of the trip? Undoubtedly, the prices. Provided your group includes eight people, you could make this trip for as little as Rs 5,500 if you put up at the cheaper hotels. For staying at more high-end options, prepare to fork out Rs 15,000 per couple.

This package is valid till November 30 and includes breakfast and all transfers and sightseeing. Call: 22107954/ 30947258.

My favourite holiday

Manoviraj Khosla,
fashion designer

The one holiday I look forward to the entire year is going to Monte Carlo in the summer for the Formula One races. I am quite a racing enthusiast and watching a Formula One event unfold in front of my eyes is an electrifying experience. I just returned from Monte Carlo last month. I had been there last year and would like to go again next year, and the year after that and the one after that as well.

The spirit of Monte Carlo really comes alive during the F1 races. It’s so totally living the high life — it’s becomes simply the most glamorous place on earth. You watch the races, and you party hard. There are all sorts of people who come from all over the world — actors, musicians, artists, and of course the F1 drivers themselves. It’s one huge merry-go-round with all-night soirees aboard private yachts where the Beautiful People turn up dressed to kill and the atmosphere is simply electrifying.

I spent four nights in Monte Carlo this season, and I had gone with this big group of friends from Bangalore, Bombay and London. We managed to have a rocking time. That’s not to say I don’t like quiet holidays. Some of my favourite memories from childhood are of the holidays we used to take in Gulmarg. Every summer, we’d pack our bags and go there for a month. It’s so unfortunate that one can’t do that anymore.