Star Cruises

Star Cruises is the third-largest cruise line in the world behind Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises, and dominates the Asia-Pacific market. Star Cruises owns 50 % of the Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America, and 100 % of Cruise Ferries brands with a total combined fleet of 22 ships and over 35,000 berths. The company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK: 678) and the Singapore Exchange (SGX: S21).

Star Cruises is credited with almost single handedly developing the cruise industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Its foray into the global shipping market has allowed it to tap into lucrative and more mature markets in North America and Europe. Its services cater to Asian passengers as well as to North Americans, Europeans and Australians interested in Asian destinations.

The president and the CEO of Star Cruises company is Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, the son of the late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, the founder of Malaysia's Genting Highlands.

History

Star Cruises was founded as an associate of the Genting Group of Malaysia, incorporated in Bermuda on 10 November 1993 with its corporate headquarters in Hong Kong. The company's first ships were two cruiseferries acquired from the bankrupt's estate of Swedish Rederi AB Slite. In the following years the company purchased several other used ships. In 1998 Star Cruises took delivery of its first new build, SuperStar Leo, followed by sister ship SuperStar Virgo in 1999.

In the year 2000, Star Cruises acquired 100 % of Norwegian Cruise Line (including its subsidiaries Orient Lines and Norwegian Capricorn Line) and became the first global cruise line. Norwegian Capricorn Line operations were soon merged into those of Star Cruises. Before the purchase of NCL, Star Cruises had several new builds either planned or under construction, but most of these joined the NCL fleet instead of that of Star Cruises. In August 2007 Star announced that in exchange for $ 1bn (US) that 50% ownership of NCL would pass to a large US Private Equity group - Apollo Management LP.

Early in 2008 Orient Lines as a brand ceased to exist with the sale of Orient's sole ship MS Marco Polo to Greek interests.

In 2001 Star Cruises founded a new daughter company Cruise Ferries which began operating one ship, Wasa Queen, on short cruises from Hong Kong to Xiamen; then on overnight gambling cruises from Hong Kong, and from July 2007 similar overnight gambling cruises from Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia.

With the operations of Norwegian Cruise Line having proven more profitable than those of Star Cruises itself, since 2006 the trend has been that new ships are built for NCL, and the old ships they replace are then transferred to the Star Cruises fleet in Asia.

Fleet

Current fleet

* SuperStar Virgo
* SuperStar Aquarius
* SuperStar Libra
* Star Pisces
* Megastar Aries
* Megastar Taurus

Previous ships

* Star Aquarius, also known as Lankapuri Star Aquarius (1993-2001) - Now Pearl of Scandinavia for DFDS
* SuperStar Gemini (1995-2008)
* SuperStar Capricorn (1997-1998, 2001-2004) - Now Boudicca for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
* SuperStar Sagittarius (1998) - Now Long Jie for Kong Way
* SuperStar Leo (1998-2004) - Transferred to Norwegian Cruise Line as Norwegian Spirit.
* SuperStar Europe (1999-2000), SuperStar Aries (2000-2004) - Now Bleu de France for CDF Croisières de France
* SuperStar Taurus (2000-2001) - Now Cristal for Louis Cruise Lines.
* MegaStar Sagittarius (2000-2001) - Now Spirit of Oceanus for Cruise West
* MegaStar Capricorn (2000) - Now Hebridean Spirit for Hebridean Island Cruise

Cruise Ferries

Cruise Ferries is a fully owned subsidiary of Star Cruises, founded in 2001. Founded to offer a cruise ferry service between Hong Kong and Xiamen with Wasa Queen, un-profitability of the original route soon forced the Company to start offering Casino cruises from Hong Kong instead. With the introduction of Superstar Aquarius to the Hong Kong Casino cruise market from July 2007; the Wasa Queen was relocated to do 12-hour Casino cruises from Port Klang in Selangor, Malaysia.

MS Super Star Aquarius

MS SuperStar Aquarius is a cruise ship owned and operated by Star Cruises. She was built in 1993 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France for Kloster Cruise (Norwegian Cruise Line) as MS Windward. In 1998 she was lengthened at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed MS Norwegian Wind. In 2007 she was transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises.

History
Norwegian Wind in Skagway, Alaska

Entering service in 1993 as Windward, she was the second of two sister vessels built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique for Kloster Cruise for use under their Norwegian Cruise Line brand. In 1998 both vessels were lengthened by insertion of a 130 foot midsection and emerged with new names. Windward became Norwegian Wind, and Dreamward became Norwegian Dream. This work was completed by Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany. As with the rest of NCL's fleet, Norwegian Wind operated with the 'Freestyle' cruising concept, which allows guests to dine in any number of restaurants, in casual attire, at times of their own choosing.

In 2004 ownership of the Norwegian Wind was transferred to NCL's parent company Star Cruises, in anticipation of transferance of the ship to the Star Cruises' fleet. The transfer was realised in April 2007, when the ship joined the Star Cruises fleet under the name SuperStar Aquarius. After refitting and refurbishment of the public areas to cater to the Asia-Pacific market, as well as a new livery to match the rest of the Star Cruises fleet, the vessel is normally based at the Ocean Terminal, Hong Kong.

Amenities

Activity/Bar/Entertainment Venues
* Aquarius Lounge
* Stardust Lounge
* Skyline Karaoke
* Mahjong & Card Room
* Activity Centre
* Lagoon Bar
* Wet Bar
Restaurants
* Dynasty
* Blue Lagoon
* Mariners Buffet
* Oceana BBQ
* Taipan
* Spices
Health/Sports Facilities
* Ins Spa
Oscar Hair & Beauty Salon - Reflexology Lounge - Gymnasium
* Swimming Pool
* Hot Tubs
* Ping Pong Room
* Golf Driving Range
Games of Luck
* Star Club
* Admiral Club
* Genting Club

Others
* Reception/Star Cruiser Worldcard/Concierge
* StarVip88 Centre
* Port of Call (Duty Free)
* Child Care Centre
* Video Arcade
* Medical Centre
* Klix Photo Gallery
* Bar & Cigar Lounge

Current cruises

Superstar Aquarius is homeported in Hong Kong and its itineraries include one-night high sea cruises and occasionally, two-night cruises to Xiamen and Haikou, China. Between March and October 2008, Superstar Aquarius was based in Singapore offering a variation of four-night, two-night, and one-night cruises. She returned to Hong Kong in late October 2008 and resumed her current itinerary.
Name: 1993—1998: Windward
1998—2007: Norwegian Wind
2007 onwards: SuperStar Aquarius
Owner: 1993—1998: Kloster Cruise
1998—2004: Norwegian Cruise Line
2004 onwards: Star Cruises
Operator: 1993—2007: Norwegian Cruise Line
2007 onwards: Star Cruises
Port of Registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Builder: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Cost: $240 million
Yard number: D30
Laid down: 16 December 1991
Launched: 14 November 1992
Acquired: 4 May 1993
In service: 14 May 1993
Identification: IMO 9008421
Status: In service
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type: Dreamward class cruise ship
Tonnage: 39,127 GRT
Displacement: 4,800 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length: 190.04 m (623 ft 6 in)
Beam: 28.85 m (94 ft 8 in)
Draught: 7.00 m (23 ft)
Ice class: 1 C
Installed power: MAN diesels
18,480 kW
Propulsion: Two propellers
Speed: 20 kn (37.04 km/h) (service speed)
Capacity: 1246 passengers (all berths)
General characteristics (as Superstar Aquarius)
Tonnage: 51,309 GT (gross tonnage)
Displacement: 6,731 DWT
Length: 229.84 m (754 ft 1 in)
Beam: 32.10 m (105 ft 4 in)
Draught: 7.01 m (23 ft)
Depth: 9.66 m (31 ft 8 in)
Decks: 10 (passenger accessible)
Speed: 18 kn (33.34 km/h) (service speed)
21 kn (38.89 km/h) (maximum speed)
Capacity: 1,529 passengers (lower berths)
2,156 passengers (all berths)
Crew: 700

MS Star Pisces

MS Star Pisces is a cruise ship, owned by Star Cruises and currently does short cruises from Hong Kong. She was originally built as the cruiseferry MS Kalypso in 1990 by Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland for Rederi AB Slite for use in Viking Line traffic. The ship was designed by Per Dockson.

History

The late 1980's were a time of hectic new building in Baltic Sea ferry services. Between 1985 and 1991 no less than 11 new ships debuted for competing companies Viking Line and Silja Line. During construction of the Kalypso in 1989 Wärtsilä's shipbuilding division was declared bankrupt. A new company, Masa-Yards, was established to continue operating Wärtsilä's shipyards in Turku and Helsinki. As a result of the bankruptcy the Kalypso's final price was much larger than originally agreed.

When delivered on April 30 1990, the Kalypso entered traffic on the route connecting Turku to Mariehamn and Stockholm, where she sailed without mishap for the next three years. 1993 was to be the year when Slite would take delivery of another newbuild, the largest ferry in the world, M/S Europa. However, the Swedish krona was devaluated shortly before Slite were supposed to take delivery of the new ship. The Europa ended up in rival Silja Line's fleet in March 1993, and in April Rederi AB Slite was declared bankrupt.

As a result of Slite's bankruptcy, Kalypso and her sister were sold at an auction in August 1993. Bids were made by SF Line (the remaining Viking Line operator), P&O Ferries and DFDS, but the final buyer emerged from Malaysia where the newly established Star Cruises bought both ships. The Kalypso, the last ship ever delivered to Rederi AB Slite, stayed in Viking Line's traffic until January 1994.

Star Cruises years

After the end of her service for Viking Line, the Kalypso sailed to Naantali, Finland where she was docked and renamed MS Star Pisces. Later in the same month she sailed to Finnyards, Rauma, Finland, where she was rebuilt as a cruise ship. In April 1994 the ship joined her sister (now called MS Lankapuri Star Aquarius) for cruising from Singapore. Originally the ship sported a dark blue hull with a narrow red band on top, which was later changed into all-white, matching the livery of other Star Cruises' ships. As of 2008, the Star Pisces remains in Star Cruises' fleet, making day and night cruises from Hong Kong.
Name: 1990—1994: Kalypso
1994 onwards: Star Pisces
Owner: 1990—1994: Rederi AB Slite
1994 onwards: Star Cruises
Operator: 1990—1994: Rederi AB Slite (in Viking Line traffic)
1994 onwards: Star Cruises
Port of Registry: 1990—1994: Slite,  Sweden
1994 onwards: Panama City,  Panama
Builder: Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland
Cost: SEK 650 million
Yard number: 1298
Launched: 27 August 1989
Acquired: 26 April 1990
In service: 30 April 1990
Identification: IMO number 8710857
Status: In service
General characteristics (as Kalypso)
Class and type: Athena-class cruiseferry
Tonnage: 40,012 GT (gross tonnage)
2,800 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length: 176.60 m (579 ft 5 in)
Beam: 29.61 m (97 ft 2 in)
Draught: 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Decks: 12
Installed power: 4 × Wärtsilä-Sulzer 9ZAL40S diesels
17,811 kW
Propulsion: 2 propellers
Speed: 21 knots (38.89 km/h; 24.17 mph)
Capacity: 2200 passengers
1950 berths
490 cars
General characteristics (as Star Pisces)
Type: cruise ship
Tonnage: 40,053 GT (gross tonnage)
Capacity: 1900 passengers
Crew: 750
Notes: Otherwise the same as built