SuperStar Virgo

SuperStar Virgo departing Fremantle Harbour, Australia
History
Name: SuperStar Virgo
Owner: Star Cruises
Operator: Star Cruises
Port of registry:
Ordered: 22 November 1995[1]
Builder: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
Cost: $350 million[2]
Yard number: 647[3]
Laid down: 18 November 1996[1]
Launched: 23 December 1998[1]
Completed: 1 August 1999[1]
Acquired: 2 August 1999[3]
In service: 10 October 1999[3]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics [1]
Class and type: Leo class cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length: 268.60 m (881 ft 3 in)
Beam: 32.3 m (106 ft)
Height: 49.6 m (163 ft)
Draught: 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in)
Depth: 11.50 m (37 ft 9 in)
Decks: 13[4] (10 passenger accessible)[2]
Installed power:
  • 4 × MAN-B&W 14V48/60 diesels
  • 58,800 kW (combined)[3]
Propulsion:
  • Two propellers[2]
  • 3 thrusters (2 Bow, 1 Stern)[4]
Speed:
  • 25.5 knots (47.2 km/h; 29.3 mph) (maximum)[4]
  • 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph) (service)[4]
Capacity:
  • 1,974 passengers (lower berths)[2]
  • 2,800 passengers (all berths)[2]
Crew: 1,300[2]

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.

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.[1][5] Like her sister ship SuperStar Leo, she was designed specifically for the Asian cruise market.[2] The keel of the SuperStar Virgo was laid on 18 November 1996, and she was floated out of drydock on 23 December 1998.[1] She was delivered to Star Cruises on 2 August 1999.[3]

Service history

Following the lengthy transit from Papenburg to Singapore the SuperStar Virgo entered service on cruises from Singapore on 10 October 1999.[3] 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.[6] 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.[7]

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).[5] On 2 April 2008 the SuperStar Virgo relocated from Singapore to Hong Kong as her port of departure until 26 October 2008,[8][9] the redeployment coinciding with the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.She was then returned to Singapore late October 2008 and resumed her current itinerary.

In January 2009, Star Cruises installed a 100m mega-waterslide onboard SuperStar Virgo during her drydock period in Singapore. In January 2012, SuperStar Virgo received new hull art and livery.

SuperStar Virgo is the only international cruise ship with regular destination cruises to be homeported in Hong Kong from 7 April to 26 October 2014.

During the six-month deployment, it will be offering weekly 4D3N cruises from Hong Kong to Kaohsiung and Taichung, 4D3N cruises to Sanya and Halong Bay and 1-night highseas cruises to South China Sea. Once a month, passengers can visit Taiwan’s three biggest cities—Taipei (Keelung), Kaohsiung and Taichung—on a 7D6N cruise.[10][11][12][13]

From 13 November 2015 to 31 December 2015, SuperStar Virgo was planned to have a destination cruise - a mega 48-day adventure crossing the equator to explore the Southern Hemisphere. SuperStar Virgo was planned to stop in over 20 ports of call including Bali, Bangkok, Krakatoa, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh City, Sydney and more during its full 48-day tour.[14]

From 3 January 2016 to 11 November 2016, SuperStar Virgo homeported in Nansha, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, providing 6 day/5 night weekday cruise to Halong Bay, Danang and Sanya and 3 day/2 night weekend cruise to Hong Kong.[15]

From November 2016 to December 2016, she provided 2 night cruises to Hong Kong, 5 night cruises to Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang, Vietnam, and 7 night Cruises from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang China. 7 night Cruises starts and end at Hong Kong.

Current plan

SuperStar Virgo is doing a brand new Vietnam itinerary with Shenzhen Tai Zi Bay as homeport.

From January 2017 to March 2017, she will provide 5 night cruises to Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam or to Danang and Hanoi (Halong Bay), Vietnam and 2 night highseas cruise calling at Hong Kong.[16]

Future plan

From 19 March 2017 to 23 May 2017, SuperStar Virgo will begin a brand new itinerary with Manila, Philippines as the homeport.

She will provide 5 night cruises to Laoag, Philippines, Kaohsiung, Taiwan and Hong Kong.[17]

Deck(s) and facilities

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "SuperStar Virgo (19448)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 607–608. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Asklander, Micke. "M/S SuperStar Virgo (1999)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Our Fleet - SuperStar Virgo". Star Cruises. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  5. 1 2 Boyle, Ian. "Star Cruises - Page 2". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  6. ↑ "Star Cruises Redeploy SuperStar Leo and SuperStar Virgo". Shipping News: Passenger ship and cruise news from around the world. Maritime Matters. 2003-04-13. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  7. ↑ "SuperStar Virgo". Shipping News: Passenger ship and cruise news from around the world. Maritime Matters. 2003-05-10. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  8. ↑ "Star Cruises' Regional Deployment of SuperStar Virgo To Hong Kong In April" (PDF). Star Cruises press release. Star Cruises. 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  9. ↑ "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 2008-04-18.
  10. ↑ "SuperStar Virgo embarks on first Hong Kong deployment in six years" (PDF).
  11. ↑ "Sea, Sand, Sun and Scenic Spectaculars SuperStar Virgo sails to Sanya and Halong Bay" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Cruise to Asia’s "Treasure Island" with SuperStar Virgo Uncover the hidden beauty of Taiwan" (PDF).
  13. ↑ "SuperStar Virgo’s Hong Kong homeport deployment to take passengers to Taiwan, Sanya and Vietnam from April to October 2014" (PDF).
  14. ↑ "GET READY FOR A SENSATIONAL 48-DAY SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE ADVENTURE ABOARD SUPERSTAR VIRGO".
  15. ↑ "Star Cruises' SuperStar Virgo Completes First Inaugural Cruises from Guangzhou Nansha Port | Press Release | Star Cruises." Star Cruises' SuperStar Virgo Completes First Inaugural Cruises from Guangzhou Nansha Port | Press Release | Star Cruises. January 13, 2016. Accessed May 19, 2016. http://www.starcruises.com/media/1675418/20160113-ssv-completes-inaugural-cruises-en.html.
  16. ↑ Press Release: STAR CRUISES CONTINUES TO AMASS ACCOLADES FROM INTERNATIONAL EVENTS ACROSS ASIA http://promos.starcruises.com/index.php/star-cruises-continues-to-amass-accolades-from-international-events-across-asia/
  17. ↑ Press Release: SuperStar Virgo Homeports in Manila This 2017!.http://promos.starcruises.com/index.php/superstar-virgo-homeports-in-manila-this-2017/
  18. ↑ "SuperStar Virgo Ship Brochure" (PDF).
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