Explorer Dream

Explorer Dream is a Leo class cruise ship of Dream Cruises. She was built in 1999 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany as SuperStar Virgo.

Explorer Dream
History
Name:
  • 1999–2019: SuperStar Virgo
  • 2019-Present: Explorer Dream
Owner:
Operator:
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: 32.2 m (106 ft)
Height: 49.6 m (163 ft)
Draught: 8.40 m (27 ft 7 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:
  • 1,856 passengers (lower berths)[2]
  • 2,800 passengers (all berths)[2]
Crew: 1,300[2]

Concept and construction

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 new build for Star Cruises.[1][5] 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 dry dock on 23 December 1998.[1] She was delivered to Star Cruises on 2 August 1999.[3]

Service history

SuperStar Virgo

Following the 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 SuperStar Virgo continued to be based in Perth until July 2003.[7]

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 returned to Singapore in October 2008.

In January 2009, Star Cruises installed a 100m waterslide on the SuperStar Virgo during her dry dock period in Singapore, and in January 2012, received new hull art and livery.

Between April and October 2014 she was based in Hong Kong.[10][11][12][13]

From 13 November 2015 to 31 December 2015, SuperStar Virgo undertook a 48-day cruise to the Southern Hemisphere with over 20 ports of call.[14]

From 3 January 2016 to 11 November 2016, SuperStar Virgo was homeported in Nansha, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.[15]

From November 2016 to December 2016, she continued to be based at Hong Kong.

From January 2017 to March 2017, she was based in Shenzhen and cruised to Vietnamese ports and Hong Kong.[16]

Explorer Dream

SuperStar Virgo was transferred to Dream Cruises and following a US$65 million refit at Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore, was renamed Explorer Dream. She will operate from Australia during the 2019-20 cruise season. The ship was supposed to return to north Asia and based in Shanghai for the summer of 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her deployment in China was cancelled and was subsequently laid up in Port Klang, Malaysia and sailed to various ports around Asia to load and offload crew members. In July she arrived in Keelung, Taiwan and awaited her island hopping cruises which began on 26Jul. Her island hopping cruises in Taiwan made several stops in islands of Taiwan like Penghu and Matsu, and only made a technical call in Japan without disembarkation. [17]

Media

In the 2013, Japanese movie Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de take place on SuperStar Virgo.

  • Parthenon Pool onboard SuperStar Virgo
  • SuperStar Virgo's Grand Piazza
  • Explorer Dream anchored In Bay of Islands, New Zealand

References
  1. "SuperStar Virgo (19448)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  2. Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 607–608. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  3. Asklander, Micke. "M/S SuperStar Virgo (1999)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  4. "Our Fleet - SuperStar Virgo". Star Cruises. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  5. 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 2007-10-30. 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 2007-10-30. 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". Archived from the original on 2017-04-20.
  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. "Dream Cruises to Homeport in Australia in 2019". cruisecritic.com. Cruise Critic.


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