SuperStar Aquarius

Not to be confused with Star Aquarius.
SuperStar Aquarius at Phoenix Island, Sanya Bay, Hainan, China
History
Name:
  • 1993—1998: Windward
  • 1998—2007: Norwegian Wind
  • 2007 onwards: SuperStar Aquarius
Owner:
Operator:
  • 1993—2007: Norwegian Cruise Line
  • 2007 onwards: Star Cruises[1]
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas[1][3]
Builder: Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France
Cost: $240 million[4]
Yard number: D30[1]
Laid down: 16 December 1991[3]
Launched: 14 November 1992[1]
Acquired: 4 May 1993[1]
In service: 14 May 1993[1]
Identification: IMO 9008421[1]
Status: In service
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Class and type: Dreamward class cruise ship
Tonnage:
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[3]
Installed power:
Propulsion:
  • Twin propellers
  • 3 thrusters (2 Bow, 1 Stern)[5]
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (service)[5]
Capacity: 1,246 passengers (all berths)[5]
General characteristics (as Superstar Aquarius)[3]
Tonnage:
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)[4]
Speed:
  • 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) (service)
  • 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) (maximum)[6]
Capacity:
  • 1,750 passengers (lower berths)[6]
  • 2,156 passengers (all berths)[4]
Crew: 700[4]

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 Windward. In 1998 she was lengthened at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed Norwegian Wind. In 2007 she was transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises.[1][5]

History

A model of the Windward as built.

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.

One of her early cruises was a Private Charter for Prudential Assurance of the UK. In January 1995 a 5-day cruise of the Caribbean was undertaken for the top 350 sales people in the UK Direct Sales Force and their partners. For the booking the cruise liner had additional wording placed below her name on hull and funnel - 'Salute to the Stars' (The Prudential Sales force competition).

Norwegian Wind In Port.

In 2004 ownership of the Norwegian Wind was transferred to NCL's parent company Star Cruises, in anticipation of transference of the ship to the Star Cruises' fleet.[2] 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. Her 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. SuperStar Aquarius is currently offering China-Vietnam Cruises till March 2012. Then, she will re-position to Taiwan for her 2012 summer cruises to Hong Kong and Japan(Okinawa). After this cruise season, she will be deployed to Sanya again in November 2012 and offer 2-3 Night cruises to Vietnam and one special 3 Night cruise to Hong Kong, then she will undergo a drydock in February 2013 in Hong Kong. Afterwards, she will replace Star Pisces in Hong Kong for short 1 night cruises till 21 March, then she will return to Taiwan for her summer cruise season.

SuperStar Aquarius offers a 4D3N cruise from Kota Kinabalu to Muara and Bintulu every Sunday with a number of exclusive shore excursions for guests to explore. The vessel will be calling at Bintulu every Tuesday on a weekly basis, from 12 November 2013 until 30 March 2014.[7]

SuperStar Aquarius had recently homeport in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Malaysia) for its second season from November 2014 - March 2015, introducing the all new 3-Night destination cruise to Puerto Princesa of the Palawan island province in the Philippines.[8]

Current Plan

SuperStar Aquarius is currently homeported in Keelung, Taiwan from August 2015. She will provide 1 or 2 night Highseas Cruises, 3 night cruises to Miyakojima and Naha, Japan and 4 night cruises to Ishigaki and Naha, Japan[9]

Amenities

2010 Chinese gambler death

A 51-year-old Chinese male gambler, identified only as Xu by the police, jumped overboard from the ship to his death when the ship returned to Hong Kong on 19 September 2010, after losing HK$5 million playing baccarat. Rescuers searched for Xu for almost an hour before fishing him out of the water. He was certified dead by the ship's doctor.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Windward (1993)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  2. 1 2 Newman, Doug (2008-04-15). "Lloyd's List: Three NCL Ships Nearly Sold". At Sea with Doug Newman. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "SuperStar Aquarius (21375)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 449–450. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, William H. Jr. (1995). The Pictorial Encycpedia of Ocean Liners, 1860-1994. Mineola: Dover Publications. p. 136. ISBN 0-486-28137-X.
  6. 1 2 "Our fleet - SuperStar Aquarius". Star Cruises. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  7. ↑ "SuperStar Aquarius makes maiden voyage to Bintulu Calling every Tuesday from November to March" (PDF).
  8. ↑ "Star Cruises Celebrates SuperStar Aquarius' Inaugural Voyage to the city of Puerto Princesa" (PDF).
  9. 1 2 "STAR CRUISES CONTINUES TO AMASS ACCOLADES FROM INTERNATIONAL EVENTS ACROSS ASIA (homeport details in this press release)" (PDF).
  10. ↑ Gambler jumps to death from floating casino after losing $5m The Standard 20 September 2010.
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