“Star Pisces”, Hong Kong Ocean Terminal, 2011 (WS)

Star Cruises, owned by the Genting Group, had become the number three among the big players in the cruise business when they acquired Norwegian Cruise Line in the year 2000 (by buying shares held by Carnival, according to Douglas Ward). About the origins of the Genting Group in Malaysia, Newsweek (11 Dec. 2006) informed: “Its Genting Highlands Resort, 58 km away from Kuala Lumpur, has enjoyed monopoly status since opening in 1971, an advantage the company leveraged into Asia’s leading cruise-ship company, Star Cruises”.

Star Cruises started with two ships, built as car ferries for the Viking Line. The “Athena (1989/40,042 gt) became in 1993 the “Star Aquarius”, sold in 2001 to DFDS as “Pearl of Scandinavia”. Her sister “Kalypso” served Star Cruises from 1994 as “Star Pisces”. Several other second-hand ships were acquired, the biggest being the 37,012 gt “Superstar Europe” (then renamed “Superstar Aries”), the former “Europa”, built in 1981 for Hapag-Lloyd. In 1998/99, Meyer Werft completed the “Superstar Leo” and “Superstar Virgo”, ships of 75,338 tons with an uncommon maximum speed of 25.5 knots. The 91,470-ton “Superstar Libra” and “Superstar Scorpio” however were delivered to the acquired Norwegian Cruise Line, which took over also the “Superstar Leo”. They were replaced by a smaller “Superstar Libra” (42,276 gt, ex “Norwegian Sea”) and the “Superstar Aquarius” (50,760 gt, ex “Norwegian Wind”), both of NCL. Great ambitions were shown when chairman Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay lent out works by van Gogh, Matisse, Monet and Renoir from his art collection to be exhibited aboard the “Norwegian Dawn” ex “Superstar Scorpio”. Older ships were given away and all the deals with second-hand ships are not listed here.

Star Cruises concentrated on the Asian market and its requirements. Only in 2006 Mediterranean voyages were undertaken with the “Superstar Libra” (ex “Norwegian Sea”). Star Cruises got a foothold in Hong Kong, since 1997 a part of China with a limited autonomy status. Later Star Cruises Hong Kong became advertized and the “Star Pisces” was relocated for cruising there as a casino ship. Already in 2004 the company participated in the airline Valuair. In 2013 the “Superstar Virgo” (75,338 gt), “Superstar Gemini” (50,764 gt), “Superstar Aquarius” (51,309 gt), “Superstar Libra” (42,285 gt) and smaller ships were listed. ‘Freestyle Cruising’ and a “choose between Asian seafood delights, European fine-dining favourites and so much more” was advertised. The sensation came on 7 October 2013 (reported by Ferries), when Genting Hong Kong informed the stock market that they have signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft for a 150,000-ton cruise ship for 3,364 passengers (double occupancy), to be delivered in Oct.2016 to Star Cruises for the Asia-Pacific market. In early 2014 Meyer Werft informed that a second ship of this new class with a length of 330m and a speed of 24 knots was ordered for delivery in 2017.

“Cristal” of Louis, the former “Sally Albatros”, temporarily “Super Star Taurus”, Piraeus 2008 (WS)

“Norwegian Spirit”, ex “Superstar Leo”, at St.Thomas, 2007 (WS)

“Star Libra”, then “Superstar Libra”, Piraeus 2006 (WS)

“Marco Polo” of Orient Lines, the former “Aleksandr Pushkin”, and in the foreground the “World Discoverer” at Ushuaia, Argentina, 1997 (Margit Orthgiess)

Orient Lines
NCL acquired in 1998 Orient Lines. That enterprise, founded by Gerry Herrod, had introduced in 1993 their only ship, the “Marco Polo” (22,080 gt), the former Soviet “Aleksandr Pushkin” of 1965, one of the last classic ocean liners. With NCL it became a part of the Star Group. From 2000 the “Norwegian Crown” was used temporarily by Orient Lines as “Crown Odyssey”, but in 2007 she became the “Balmoral” of Fred. Olsen Cruise Line. In 2007 it was decided to give away the only ship, the “Marco Polo”, and in 2008 the label was acquired by entrepreneur Wayne Heller.