Star Cruises

MS SuperStar Leo

Rating:
Submit your review here
Operator:Star Cruises
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 1998 / 1998
Length / Tonnage: 871 / 76,800
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 988 / 2,000
Officers / Crew: International / International
Operating Area: Southeast Asia

Back in the early nineties, when Singapore and Malaysia's fortunate were making money hand over fist, a well known family from Malaysia, the Lims, major players in the gambling industry, decided to branch out into the cruise business. Studying the successes of some of the Miami lines....who for years have been making wads of cash running three and four day junkets from Florida....the Lims looked to Sweden for tonnage....and found two passenger ferry liners, the ATHENA and CALYPSO, that had but a couple of years under their belts operating between Sweden and Finland for AB Slite (Viking Line). These Wartsila built hulls were designed to carry vehicles and well over 2,000 overnight passengers....they were modern ferry liners and well suited to their intended trade.

Once these vessels had been moved east, refurbished and renamed STAR AQUARIUS and STAR PISCES, the Lims based the AQUARIUS out of Singapore and the PISCES at Hong Kong....they were slated to cover one of the three levels of service Star Cruises sought to introduce. These ships, known as "Star" class, would cater to first time cruisers who were looking to sample a short sea trip in a budget setting. To create the other two products....the "Superstar" and "Megastar" levels....the line originally looked for available cruise ships that were on the market. They found the EffJohn owned, Cunard operated CROWN JEWEL....they brought her into their new family as the SUPERSTAR GEMINI....and sent her into their medium priced service, catering to an international crowd of more experienced cruise travelers who would be uncomfortable on the "Star" side of the business. To inaugurate their luxury division, "Megastar",

The SUPERSTAR LEO is the first new build for Star Cruises and entered service in the Autumn of 1998.

The SUPERSTAR LEO's most prominent feature is a spectacular atrium that spans seven decks. Within the atrium, a grand piano appears to be "floating" above water. She has a wrap-around promenade on deck 7 which completely encircles that deck from bow to stern. Her casino located on the same deck is hugh and split on two levels. She has two two pools, one for adults only, amidship, and the other for kids, in the stern complete with slides and a pirate ship. In additional there are five whirlpools. Her forward observation lounge on deck 12 has floor to ceiling windows and extends over the bridge wings to offer unparalleled views of the sea all around.

She has three main dining areas. Raffles the buffet allows both indoor and outdoor dining on deck 12. Indoors the room has floor to ceiling windows and outdoors, it overlooks the children's pool and play areas. Cuisine would be fusion with western, chinese and indian food side by side. There are four separate lines and dessert islands so there is no overcrowding. Service is fair and fast. The chinese restaurant serves traditional chinese food, service is fair.

The western restaurant is quite elegant with it's ceiling rising to the rear ending with three hugh windows showing the ships wake. Service is good with staff striving to please, the food is normal cruise cuisine with some fusion i.e. western combined with eastern fair. In addition, she has a local styled eatery that serves local delights, a separate chinese restaurant, a japanese restaurant and a french restaurant.

About a third of her cabins have balconies (382) and they are roomy and comfortable enough for the short cruises she offers. They are very quiet.

Star Cruises' intended market for the SUPERSTAR LEO is first time cruisers looking for a short get-a-way. Most of your fellow passengers will be Aisian or Autralian.

The SUPERSTAR LEO alternates between a 6 day cruises from Singapore with stops at: Port Klang, Langkawi, Malacca, Penang, Pangkor, and Phuket and 3 or 4 day cruises with stops at: Port Klang and Malacca or Langkawi and Phuket.

Let me repeat this... I cannot imagine anyone flying all the way to Singapore with the sole intent of making a voyage on the Star Cruise ships. But if you are there already, with a few days to kill, and a lot of money to spend, this is a great way to escape the bustling city. Everything that I have seen about Star Cruises makes me believe that they have a fine product....and I think that if you understand that this is not geared to the North American psyche, you'll have a good time on board.