Two former Star Cruises ships arrived on the shipbreakers in Alang, India, the place they are going to be damaged up as scrap steel. The arrival of the 2 implies that the previous Star Cruises cruise line has been practically utterly dismantled.
Following the chapter of its dad or mum firm Genting Hong Kong, Star Cruises had no extra future. Star Pisces was scrapped in July of this yr, Celebrity Libra in Could 2022, and now the 2 Former Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ships Celebrity Aquarius and Celebrity Gemini.
The Finish Has Come for Star Cruises
The cruise line that after owned and operated Norwegian Cruise Line is not. Following the chapter of dad or mum firm Genting Cruises, most Star Cruises cruise ships have now been scrapped or bought to different cruise traces. Two out of three cruise ships that have been nonetheless round have been beached on the Alang shipbreaking yard in India.
Celebrity Aquarius and Celebrity Gemini had been laid up in Sri Lanka since June of this yr following the chapter, whereas it remained unclear what would occur to the vessels. The brand new house owners determined that the vessels have been value extra as scrap steel than they’d make working with passengers.
Now the previous cruise ships are on the Alang Shipbreaking Yard; employees will begin slowly dismantling them, with the inside fixings, metal, and different supplies being repurposed.
The 51,000 gross-tons SuperStar Aquarius and SuperStar Gemini have been constructed for Norwegian Cruise Line by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. Celebrity Aquarius first sailed as Windward and later Norwegian Wind. SuperStar Gemini first sailed in 1992 as Dreamward and later operated as Norwegian Dream.
Throughout this era, Star Cruises briefly owned Norwegian Cruise Line in partnership with U.S. funding agency Apollo Administration.
Two different ships crusing for Star Cruises earlier than the beginning of the pandemic had already been scrapped earlier this yr. Star Pisces was scrapped in July of this yr.
Celebrity Libra, one other former Norwegian Cruise Line ship, was beached in Could this yr. Her maiden voyage departed in 1988, and for 9 years, she operated beneath the title Seaward for Norwegian Cruise Line a number of years earlier than being renamed Norwegian Sea.
One ship stays of what was Star Cruises; the previous Celebrity Virgo, now Explorer Dream, which is anchored off the coast of Malaysia. It’s nonetheless being decided what’s going to occur to this ship.
Star Cruises and Genting Hong Kong
Up till the pandemic, Star Cruises had been fairly profitable in its new function as a cruise line providing quick journeys from Asian locations similar to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan. Nonetheless, the cruise line grew to become the sufferer of the demise of Genting Hong Kong, a downfall that began a few years earlier than.
In 2007 Star Cruises bought 50% of the shares it held in Norwegian Cruise Line to Apollo, a ship administration firm. In 2013, NCL was made a wholly-owned Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings subsidiary.
The remaining shares owned by Apollo and Star Cruises have been bought in 2018, ending the connection with Norwegian Cruise Line and signaling the tip of Star Cruises.
Star Cruises’ success, now beneath Genting Hong Kong, led to Dream Cruises being shaped and the acquisition of Crystal Cruises. Though the corporate noticed huge development within the first couple of years, the pandemic modified all that and in the end led to the downfall of Genting Hong Kong and Star Cruises.
Crystal Cruises was bought to Abercrombie & Kent, Dream Cruises ceased to exist, with its latest cruise ship bought to Disney Cruise Line, and Genting Hong Kong made a contemporary begin beneath the title Resorts World Cruises.
