Star Cruises
| |
Public company SEHK: 678 SGX: S21 | |
Industry | Passenger transportation & Cruises |
Founded | 1993 |
Founder | Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay |
Headquarters | Hong Kong, Asia |
Area served | Asia Pacific |
Key people | Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, CEO & Chairman |
Services | Cruise line |
Owner | Genting Hong Kong |
Parent | Genting Hong Kong |
Website | StarCruises.com |
Star Cruises is the eighteenth largest[1] cruise line in the world after Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises and 15 others. Star Cruises dominates the Asia-Pacific market and is owned by Genting Hong Kong. The company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Singapore Exchange.
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 chairman of Star Cruises 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,[2] incorporated in Bermuda on 10 November 1993 with its corporate headquarters in Hong Kong.[3] The company's first ships were two cruiseferries acquired from the bankrupted 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. Star Cruises also acquired Sun Cruises the same year.
In 2000, Star Cruises fully acquired Norwegian Cruise Line, including its subsidiaries Orient Lines and Norwegian Capricorn Line, becoming the largest global cruise line in the world. Norwegian Capricorn Line operations were soon merged into those of Star Cruises. Before the purchase of NCL, Star Cruises had several other new builds either planned or already under construction, but with the merger of the two companies, most of the constructed builds joined the NCL fleet instead of Star Cruises'.
In 2001, Star Cruises founded a new sister company, Cruise Ferries, which began operating its sole ship, Wasa Queen, on short cruises from Hong Kong to Xiamen followed by overnight gambling cruises from Hong Kong and gambling cruises from Port Klang in Kuala Lumpur. Wasa Queen ceased to function and was sold to another company in 2007.
In 2004, SuperStar Leo, Star Cruises' then-largest ship, was transferred to NCL to take over Norwegian Sky cruises as she had to be rushed into service under NCL America brand due to the Pride of America not being ready on time due to sinking at Lloyd Werft shipyard. Since 2006, the trend has been that new ships were to be built for NCL, and the old ships in the NCL fleet would be transferred to the Star Cruises fleet in Asia.
In early 2008, both NCL America and Orient Lines brands were discontinued, with the latter's sole ship, MS Marco Polo, sold to Greek interests. Also in that year, the first ship from NCL was transferred to the Star Cruises fleet as SuperStar Libra.
Starting from 2011, Star Cruises received a new hullart. SuperStar Virgo, SuperStar Aquarius and Star Pisces have received their new hullart.
It was announced on 27 April 2012 that the Norwegian Dream will join the Star fleet, she will be named as SuperStar Gemini and will start service in 2012.[4]
On 7 October 2013, Star Cruises announced that Star Cruises and their parent company, Genting Hong Kong, have entered into an agreement with Meyer Werft shipyard for the construction of one new cruise ship for Star. The vessel will have capacity for 3,364 passengers at double occupancy.[5] The ship will be delivered sometime in Fall 2016.
Star Cruises announced on 10 February 2014, that a second ship was ordered and will be delivered by Fall 2017. Both ships will 150,000 GT.[6] On 9 February 2015, the first steel cutting ceremony for Genting World was held at Meyer Werft shipyard.[7]
The company announced in March 2018 that one of its ships, SuperStar Libra, would end her public cruise operations for the company on June 27, 2018.[8]
On March 8, 2018, Genting Hong Kong announced that the first Global-class newbuild that was previously allocated to Star Cruises would join the Dream Cruises fleet.[9]
Fleet
Current fleet
Ship | Year built | Class | Entered service with Star Cruises | Last Refurbishment | Gross Tonnage | Current Home Port | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Star Pisces | 1990 | 1994–present | 2011 | 40,012 tons | Hong Kong | Previously Kalypso | ||
SuperStar Virgo | 1999 | Leo Class | 1999–present | 2012 | 75,338 tons | Shanghai | Sister to the Norwegian Spirit, Star Cruises first newly built at the time. Transfer to Dream Cruises as Explorer Dream in April 2019. | |
SuperStar Aquarius | 1993 | Dreamward Class | 2007–present | 2016 | 51,309 tons | Keelung | Previously Norwegian Wind | |
SuperStar Gemini | 1992 | Dreamward Class | 2012–present | 2012 | 50,764 tons | Keelung | Previously Norwegian Dream | |
The Taipan | 1989 | 1994–present | 2013 | 3,370 tons | Previously in service as MegaStar Aries (1994–2013) and Genting World (2013–2015) |
Future fleet
Genting Hong Kong ordered two Global class ships for Star Cruises in 2016.[10] In 2018, it was announced that the vessels would instead be delivered to Dream Cruises, with a new class of ships planned to be designed for Star Cruises.[11]
Former ships
Ship | Built | In service for Star Cruises | Gross Tonnage | Status as of 2018 | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SuperStar Libra | 1988 | 2005-2018 | 42,275 GT | Previously Norwegian Sea. Now used as hotel ship for workers at MV Werften | |
Global-class cruise ship 1 | 2020 | Never entered service | 204,000 GT | Transferred to Dream Cruises as Global-class cruise ship 1. | |
Global-class cruise ship 2 | 2021 | Never entered service | 204,000 GT | Transferred to Dream Cruises as Global-class cruise ship 2. | |
Genting World | 2016 | Never entered service | 150,695 GT | Transferred to Dream Cruises as Genting Dream. | |
World Dream | 2017 | Never entered service | 150,695 GT | Transferred to Dream Cruises as World Dream. | |
SuperStar Leo | 1998 | 1998–2004 | 75,338 GT | Transferred to Norwegian Cruise Line as Norwegian Spirit. | |
Langkapuri Star Aquarius | 1988 | 1993–2001 | 40,012 GT | Now Pearl Seaways for DFDS. | |
SuperStar Gemini | 1992 | 1995–2009 | 19,093 GT | Now Celestyal Nefeli for Celestyal Cruises. | |
SuperStar Capricorn | 1973 | 1997–1998 2001–2004 | 21,891 GT | Now Boudicca for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. | |
SuperStar Sagittarius | 1972 | 1998 | 16,607 GT | Now known as Oriental Dragon. | |
SuperStar Europe SuperStar Aries | 1980 | 1998–2004 SuperStar Europe – (1999–2000) SuperStar Aries – (2000–2004) | 37,301 GT | Now Saga Sapphire for Saga Cruises. | |
SuperStar Taurus | 1980 | 2000–2001 | 15,179 GT | Now Celestyal Crystal for Celestyal Cruises. | |
SuperStar Libra | 2001 | Never entered service | 91,740 GT | Now Norwegian Star for Norwegian Cruise Line. | |
SuperStar Scorpio | 2002 | Never entered service | 92,250 GT | Now Norwegian Dawn for Norwegian Cruise Line. | |
MegaStar Sagittarius | 1991 | 2000–2001 | 4,200 GT | Now Sea Spirit for Poseidon Expeditions | N/A |
MegaStar Capricorn | 1991 | 2000–2001 | 4,280 GT | Now Caledonian Sky for Noble Caledonia | |
MegaStar Taurus | 1989 | 1994–2015 | 3,341 GT | Transferred to Crystal Cruises as Crystal Esprit. |
References
- ↑ "2012 World Wide Market Share". Cruise Market Watch. 20 November 2011.
- ↑ Group Profile – Star Cruises Limited Archived 6 December 2012 at Archive.is, retrieved on 27 July 2005
- ↑ Star Cruises 2004 Annual Report Archived 4 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine., retrieved on 15 March 2007
- ↑ Norwegian Dream Set to Sail for Star – Cruise Industry News | Cruise News. Cruise Industry News (27 April 2012).
- ↑ Star Cruises Orders New Ship from Meyer Werft – Cruise Industry News | Cruise News. Cruise Industry News (7 October 2013).
- ↑ Star Doubles Order – Second Newbuild Due for 2017 – Cruise Industry News | Cruise News. Cruise Industry News (10 February 2014).
- ↑ "Star Cruises Commences Building of the Genting World Mega Cruise Ship with its First Steel Cutting". Star Cruises. 11 February 2015.
- ↑ Staff, CIN (2018-03-02). "SuperStar Libra to End Public Cruise Operations". Retrieved 2018-03-03.
- ↑ Staff, CIN (2018-03-08). "Dream Cruises to Get 2020 Newbuild, Sail Globally". Retrieved 2018-03-09.
- ↑ "Star Cruises orders two new mega cruise ships for China". Cruise & Ferry. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
- ↑ "Genting to transfer Global Class newbuilds to Dream Cruises brand". Cruise & Ferry. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Star Cruises. |