Inside Asian Gaming

41 40 o commemorate its launch in December 2005, Asia Star held a dazzling fashion show be- side its swimming pool and hosted Hong Kong’s Ten Best Dressed Personalities Award Presenta- tion, with a bevy of celebrities in attendance. Fol- lowing its glitzy launch, Asia Star has continued to set the standard for glamour on the high seas. Asia Star is the pride of the Asia Cruises fleet. Asia Cruises launched its first vessel, Captain Omar, in 1997, and has constantly upgraded the size and opulence of its ships, culminating in the magnificent Asia Star, which features 12 decks of unbridled luxury. Asia Star operates out of Hong Kong, tak- ing pampered guests on a discrete overnight jour- ney. Asia Star will also soon launch 3 day/2 night monthly cruises to Shantou, and passengers will be able to enjoy exciting shore excursions, which can be booked in advance. Luxe at Sea Hong Kong’s first six-star luxury cruise ship offers a discreet getaway from the stresses of the city tional waters, and the casino opens its doors. The dealers in Asia Star’s casino are friendly and cour- teous, offering the same level of service as in the boat’s other amenities. One innovation in Asia Star, also featured in Asia Cruises’ Omar III, is a bank of computer screens tracking the results of all the bac- carat tables so punters can look for patterns without having to walk up to each individual table, and offer- ing print-outs at the touch of a button. Asia Cruises has long-standing close relation- ships with its high-rollers. It’s a matter of credibility, with the high-rollers trusting Asia Cruises to run a fair, discreet casino, honour its obligations and keep them safe. The protection continues even af- ter the ship drops anchor, with some VIPs escorted between the ship and their homes by crack martial- arts trained security personnel specially recruited from the mainland. Meetings and More Asia Star also provides exciting venues for confer- ences, meetings, dinner parties and special events of all sizes. Asia Star can host fashion shows, prod- uct launches, media conferences and team building activities. The meeting and conference rooms and the Grand Dining Room are equipped with state- of-the-art lighting and sound systems suitable for conferences, banquets, and award ceremonies. The exquisite VIP conference room beside the open deck is suitable for festive promotions, private birth- day functions, and themed parties. All Leaders Magazine recently held a “Celebrity Night” onboard Asia Star, with guests enjoying suc- culent meals and dazzling entertainment throughout the evening. Asia Star is happy to customize special programmes to meet your particular needs. Asia Cruises was also recently awarded the Prime Award for Brand Excellence by Prime Maga- zine. The Prime Award is bestowed upon 10 spe- cially selected brands and enterprises which have demonstrated outstanding quality and performance. For general enquiries, please contact our reserva- tions and enquiries hotline or send us an email. Customer Service and General Enquiries: Asia Cruises Room 3317, 33/F China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Center 168-200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2727 2729 Fax: (852) 2723 0123 www.asiacruiser.com Unrivalled Experience The Asia Cruises experience is characterised by fine dining, sumptuous spas, scintillating entertainment, innovative and friendly casinos, and the romance and glamour of setting out on the high seas in a luxury vessel. Asia Cruises counts several VIPs and celebrities on its passenger manifest. Passengers can choose to be picked up by regular tenders from either Queen’s Pier in Central or the Tsim Sha Tsui East Public Pier. VIPs, meanwhile, can opt to be taken by plush wide-bodied launch from a variety of locations, which is not only convenient, but not having a fixed pick-up point also thwarts attempts by Hong Kong’s relentless paparazzi to snap VIPs embarking on the cruise. Onboard, everything is taken care of. No filling of clumsy immigration forms. Just hand your I.D. or passport over at the reception, and proceed to your cabin. All 175 Asia Star Suites – including De- luxe Suites on Decks 7 to 9 and Executive Suites on Deck 9 – feature private verandas offering guests an intimate nautical escape. Guests aboard the Asia Star are truly spoiled for choice. First, there are the succulent meals, with a wide range of buffet choices and late night snacks. The sleek nightclub offers a perfect environment to unwind with a wide selection of drinks and premium vintages, while the private karaoke rooms are bet- ter-equipped than most on terra firma. The spa offers faultless full-body and foot massages, and also features a relaxation room with state-of-the-art massage chairs. Other amenities include a pool and adjoining Splash Bar, jacuzzi and games room. Gaming in Comfort Within an hour of sailing, Asia Star reaches interna- Advertorial T