SuperStar Virgo
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 SuperStar Virgo at Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand |
|
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | SuperStar Virgo |
| Owner: | Star Cruises |
| Operator: | Star Cruises |
| Port of Registry: | Panama City,  Panama[1] |
| Ordered: | 22 November 1995[2] |
| Builder: | Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany |
| Cost: | $350 million[3] |
| Yard number: | 647[4] |
| Laid down: | 18 November 1996[2] |
| Launched: | 23 December 1998[2] |
| Completed: | 1 August 1999[2] |
| Acquired: | 2 August 1999[4] |
| In service: | 10 October 1999[4] |
| Identification: | IMO number 9141077[1][4] |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics [5] | |
| Class and type: | Leo class cruise ship |
| Tonnage: | 75,338 GT (gross tonnage) |
| Displacement: | 8,530 metric tons of deadweight (DWT) |
| Length: | 268.60 m (881 ft 3 in) |
| Beam: | 32.3 m (106 ft) |
| Draught: | 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in) |
| Depth: | 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in) |
| Decks: | 13[6] (10 passenger accessible)[3] |
| Installed power: | 4 × MAN-B&W 14V48/60 diesels combined 58,800 kW[4] |
| Propulsion: | Two propellers[3] 3 thrusters[6] |
| Speed: | 25.5 kn (47.23 km/h/29.34 mph) maximum[6] 24 kn (44.45 km/h/27.62 mph) service[6] |
| Capacity: | 1974 passengers (lower berths)[3] 2800 passengers (all berths)[3] |
| Crew: | 1300[3] |
SuperStar Virgo is a Leo class cruise ship owned and operated by Star Cruises. She was built in 1999 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
Contents |
[edit] Concept and construction
The SuperStar Virgo was ordered by Star Cruises on 22 November 1995 from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany as the second ship of the Leo class, and the second newbuilding for Star Cruises.[2][7] Like her sister ship SuperStar Leo, she was designed specifically for the Asian cruise market.[3] The keel of the SuperStar Virgo was laid on 18 November 1996, and she was floated out of drydock on 23 December 1998.[2] She was delivered to Star Cruises on 2 August 1999.[4]
[edit] Service history
Following the lengthy transit from Papenburg to Singapore the SuperStar Virgo entered service on cruises from Singapore on 10 October 1999.[4] On 24 April 2003 the SuperStar Virgo was relocated from Singapore to operate cruises out of Perth, Western Australia due to the outbreak of the Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Southeast Asia.[8] Initially the redeployment was planned to last only a one-month evaluation period, but due to the success of the cruises out of Australia the SuperStar Virgo was based in Perth until July 2003.[9]
In 2004 the SuperStar Virgo became the sole "mega-ship", and the only purpose-built ship, in Star Cruises' fleet, when her sister SuperStar Leo was transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises' subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line (newbuildings planned or ordered by Star Cruises after the SuperStar Virgo had either been cancelled or moved to the NCL fleet prior to delivery).[7] On 2 April 2008 the SuperStar Virgo relocated from Singapore to Hong Kong as her port of departure until 26 October 2008,[10][11] the redeployment coinciding with the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
[edit] Decks and facilities
Only including decks and facilities accessible to passengers.
- Medical center
- Outside and inside cabins
- Main dining room, Chinese restaurant, outside and inside cabins
- Casino, cafeterias, karaoke bar, reception, Chinese and Italian restaurants, showroom (lower level), promenade deck
- Meeting rooms, cinema, shops, Japanese and Indian restaurants, showroom (upper level)
- Suites, outside and inside cabins
- Children's center, games arcade, sun deck, swimming pool, jacuzzi, suites, outside and inside cabins
- Bridge, sundeck, outside and inside cabins
- Observation lounge/nightclub, card room, mahjong room, library, beauty salon, saunas, gym, sundeck, swimming pool, buffet restaurant
- Discothèque, deck bar, sundeck[3][6][12]
[edit] Gallery
 SuperStar Virgo at Saigon River, Vietnam; note size compared to Kavo Sapphire |
 Parthenon Pool onboard SuperStar Virgo |
 Neptune's Wet and Wild pool onboard SuperStar Virgo |
 SuperStar Virgo anchored off the shores of Redang Island |
 SuperStar Virgo at the Singapore Cruise Centre |
 SuperStar Virgo at the Singapore Cruise Centre |
 SuperStar Virgo's Grand Piazza |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Vessel info: SuperStar Virgo: Summary. DNV Exchange. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b c d e f Vessel info: SuperStar Virgo: Yard. DNV Exchange. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz, pp. 607-608. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g Asklander, Micke. M/S SuperStar Virgo (1999) (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ Vessel info: SuperStar Virgo: Dimensions. DNV Exchange. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b c d e Our Fleet - SuperStar Virgo. Star Cruises. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ a b Boyle, Ian. Star Cruises - Page 2. Simplon Postcards. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ Star Cruises Redeploy SuperStar Leo and SuperStar Virgo. Shipping News: Passenger ship and cruise news from around the world. Maritime Matters (2003-04-13). Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ SuperStar Virgo. Shipping News: Passenger ship and cruise news from around the world. Maritime Matters (2003-05-10). Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ Star Cruises' Regional Deployment of SuperStar Virgo To Hong Kong In April (PDF). Star Cruises press release. Star Cruises (2008-01-14). Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ SuperStar Virgo, The Flagship of Star Cruises Asian Fleet, Arrived in Hong Kong Today (PDF). Star Cruises press release. Star Cruises (2008-04-02). Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ SuperStar Virgo - deck plans. Star Cruises. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
