'Star' value on the high seas

JAKARTA (JP): SuperStar Virgo is only one of 12 cruise vessels operated in the Asia Pacific by Malaysian-based Star Cruises.

The other 11 vessels are the Star Aquarius, Star Pisces, SuperStar Aries, SuperStar Gemini, SuperStar Leo, SuperStar Taurus, MegaStar Aries, MegaStar Taurus, MegaStar Sagittarius, MegaStar Capricorn and the Norwegian Star, in no particular order.

The ships are based throughout the Asia Pacific, with Singapore, Malaysia's Port Klang, Phuket, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kobe, Fukuoka and Pusan their ports of embarkation.

Their combined gross tonnage makes Star Cruises one of the five largest cruise operators in the world, and the ships are serviced by an English-speaking crew of over 32 nationalities.

Star Cruises, which was incorporated in September 1993, advertises itself as "The Leading Cruise Line in Asia Pacific".

The company's president and chief executive, Colin Au, explained that Star Cruises offered three different cruise products in Asia.

The first is the Star series, which Colin says appeals to first-time cruisers and those who love fun and excitement. The SuperStar series, which targets traditional cruisers who desire services and destinations similar to those offered worldwide. Last is the MegaStar series, which is meant for sophisticated cruisers.

* The Star series. Both Star Aquarius and Star Pisces have over 600 passenger cabins and are 12 decks high. Almost identical, both ships weigh 40,000 tons, measure 176 meters by 29 meters and can accommodate 1,900 and 2,192 passengers, respectively.

The ships were previously passenger ferry ships for a Swedish carrier before being renovated.

* The MegaStar series. These ships are ideal for private charters, such as hosting wedding dinners.

The MegaStar Aries and MegaStar Taurus, previously known as Aurora II and Aurora I, were constructed in 1991 in Germany.

Weighing 3,264 tons, the two ships measure 85 meters in length and have a carrying capacity of 72 passengers and 80 crew members. The cabins in the vessels are surprisingly large and feature large windows.

The size of the ships allow them to anchor very near offshore islands around the region.

The MegaStar Capricorn and MegaStar Aquarius are relatively larger vessels.

* The SuperStar series. SuperStar Gemini offers multiple destinations from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Pangkor island, Penang island, Langkawi island and Malacca in Malaysia, as well as Phuket island in Thailand.

The SuperStar Leo takes the holidaymaker to destinations in China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

* The Norwegian Star series. The Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) was acquired by Star Cruises in early 2000.

It offers regularly scheduled cruises to the Caribbean in a single-class atmosphere of informal luxury.

NCL currently sails to more than 200 ports in Alaska, Australia, Bermuda, Caribbean, Europe (the Mediterranean, Baltic and Scandinavia), Hawaii, Mexico, South America and Trans Canal. (Hera Diani)