One of the top cruise lines for Macau cruise tours is Star Cruises. Star Cruises is one of Asia’s top cruise lines offering voyages throughout the South China Sea and Andaman Sea. Star Cruises, which recently changed its name to “Genting Hong Kong Limited,” features four vessels ships sailing to more than 200 South China and Andaman Sea destinations, including Macau.
Star Cruises’ fleet includes SuperStar Virgo, SuperStar Libra, SuperStar Aquarius, and Star Pisces. SuperStar Aquarius and Libra make frequent trips to Macau. While Macau is one of the world’s top gambling regions, in fact, most visitors claim is it several steps above Las Vegas, there are many other attractions on this glitzy peninsula. Shopping, water sports, recreation, and nightlife are also major attractions.
During your cruise vacation to Macau, Star Cruises guests will enjoy onboard entertainment such as comedy shows, live music shows, dance performances, and magic shows. Macau Cruise Tours also feature opportunities to get fit in any one of the ships fitness centers, and theme parties. The following features are available:
Aquaswim jet current exercise pool
Basketball court
Basketball/Volleyball court
Golf driving & mini golf
Indoor pool
Library
Mahjong/card room
Neptune Wet & Wild pool specially designed for children
Ping Pong room
Reflexology
Star Boutique
Video Arcade
Wine shop
The opportunities to sample exotic cuisine on a Macau cruise are endless. Star Cruises serves up Asian, Japanese, Indian, Italian, and Thai food. Other offerings include snacks such as ice cream, gelato, shakes, and sundaes. Vegetarian meals are also plentiful.
To book a Macau Cruise Tour, visit the official Star Cruises website at www.starcruises.com. To learn more about Macau, please continue reading the Bullz-Eye City Guide below to find out about when to go and what to do when you get there!
All About Macau by www.bullz-eye.com
Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Australia, and Macau – these are the world’s top gambling destinations, each with it’s own flavor and flair. Macau, however, holds the crown as the fastest growing gambling destination on the planet. Dubbed “The New Las Vegas,” Macau opened the largest casino in the world (summer 2007), which is “large enough to hold ninety Boeing 747 jumbo jets,” and bigger than four football fields. Not only is Macau home to the world’s largest casino – the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, it will soon be home to just about every major gambling brand in the world such as the Four Seasons, the Sheraton, the Hilton, and Shangri-La, to name a few. The Macau Sheraton Hotel will be the hotel chain’s largest ever.
Some of Macau’s Top Casino Hotels include:
·The Venetian Macao-Resort Hotel
·MGM Grande Macau
·Sands Macau
·Macau Floating Palace Casino (Avenida de Amizade)
·Wynn Macau
Macau, a small enclave located roughly 40 miles west of Hong Kong across the mouth of the Pearl River, already attracts more than 20 million visitors per year. Several reports even claim that gambling receipts are consistently higher than Las Vegas’ although Las Vegas attracts more than 39 million visitors each year. Macau’s claim to fame is definitely casinos and gambling, but this bustling city of around 531,400 residents has also attracted major productions such as Celine Dion and Cirque du Soleil and it also offers a number of amazing historic attractions, outstanding Macanese and Portuguese cuisine (note: Macau is the father of fusion), and excellent shopping opportunities – particularly antique shopping and upscale shopping in the most Western-style (luxury) casinos.
Some of Macau’s top attractions include:
·Macau Tower
·Guia Fort & Lighthouse (Guia Hill)
·Macau Maritime Museum
·Lou Lim lok Gardens (Estrada de Adolfo Loureiro)
·Macau Museum of Art
·Macau Forum: Home of the Grand Prix Museum & Wine Museum (431 Rua de Luis Gonzaga Gomes)
·Temple of the Goddess of Mercy (Kun lam)
·Taipa & Coloane Islands
·Macau Museum
·Ruins of Saint Paul’s Cathedral (Rua de Sao Paulo)
When planning your trip to Macau, there are a few things to keep in mind. Depending on your starting point, you can get to Macau by air, land or sea. If traveling by air, you will arrive at Macau International Airport and entry requirements are fairly easy. Just bring your passport if you are from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand or Canada and you are staying for less than 30 days. If you are from Ireland or the United Kingdom, you can stay up to 90 days with your passport. A visa is not required in these cases. The airport is located on Taipa Island and it is easily accessible by bus via a bridge that connects it to the peninsula. Although a number of helicopter services and airlines make frequent trips to Macau, the region’s most recognizable airlines include: Air Macau and Viva Macau.
If you are arriving at Hong Kong International Airport — only 40 miles from Macau, you can get to Macau quickly by high-speed jetfoils, hover ferries, jumbo-cats, and turbo-cats from the Macau Ferry Terminal. The typical number of sailings per day is around 100 and the trip takes around an hour. Try TurboJET, First Ferry or The CotaiJet.
If you plan to arrive in Macau by land, the Barrier Gate and the COTAI Frontier Post are the only two gateways available. The Barrier Gate operates between 7 a.m.-12 a.m. and the COTAI Frontier Post operates from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Buses operate between Macau and cities in the Guangdong province between 7:15 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. According to the Macau Government Tourist Office, buses depart from the bus stop near the Master Hotel (at the end of Av. Almeida Ribeiro and Rua das Lorchas). Contact: +853.2893.3888.
Some people say anytime is the best time to visit Macau — especially if you are planning to gamble 24/7. There are others that say the absolute best time to visit Macau is during its dry season, October-March. Macau also has a wet season, which runs from May-September. July, August, and September are always hot and humid, so it can be uncomfortable outdoors for some. Depending on what you plan to do, when to visit Macau is up to you!
And finally, Macau’s currency is the pataca — also called MOP. Exchange rates for the pataca are around the same as the Hong Kong dollar. All major credit cards are widely accepted in Macau and ATMs offer two options: pataca or Hong Kong dollar.
For additional Macau and Hong Kong travel information, there are several useful websites available: Macau Government Tourist Office (www.macautourism.gov.mo), Macau Government Information (www.macau.gov.mo), and the Tourism Commission of Hong Kong (www.tourism.gov.hk).
If you want to find out more about the Macau lifestyle scene pick up a copy of Macau CLOSER. Macau CLOSER is Macau’s very first current affairs/lifestyle magazine and it is also the first magazine of its kind published in English. This attractive magazine features everything from dining and travel information to shopping and more. Macau CLOSER can be found in 80 locations throughout Macau SAR and in bookstores and newsstands in Hong Kong. You can also access Macau CLOSER online at: www.macaucloser.com.
You can also find useful information about all things Macau by visiting the following popular websites:
Fodors.com or Frommers.com
Fodors.com and Frommers.com features summaries of places to shop, see, dine, and sleep in Macau and Hong Kong. If you want a quick list of the top casinos and hotspots in Macau and Hong Kong, you’ll find it here!
LonelyPlanet.com
Lonely Planet features background information and fast facts about Macau, as well as places to see, an image gallery, and travel tips.
VirtualTourist.com
Read reviews from people just like you that have been to the places you want to go. Expect to find raw reviews (and opinions) on just about everything from Macau casino hotels, restaurants and nightlife to shopping, sightseeing, and more.
Source: Michelle C. Burton, travel writer for Bullz-eye.com, www.bullz-eye.com